Where technology meets humanity: from Chevening to FOUND
A Chevening Scholar from Mexico founded FOUND, a transnational initiative using technology and community knowledge to locate missing persons, after personal loss inspired his mission.
Miguel Moctezuma, a Chevening Scholar from Mexico, established FOUND to combine technology with community insights in the search for missing persons, driven by the disappearance of his friend Rafa. His experience in the UK reshaped his understanding of absence and dignity, leading him to pursue a master’s degree that would later inform his humanitarian work. Chevening connected him to networks where academic, institutional, and humanitarian needs intersected, reinforcing the value of collaboration in creating meaningful impact.
Inspired by Chevening’s emphasis on shared purpose, Moctezuma co-founded FOUND, which now operates across Mexico and Colombia. The initiative integrates tools like remote sensing and machine learning with the lived knowledge of search groups, including searching mothers and authorities, to improve responses to disappearances.
FOUND’s pilot in Jalisco expanded into a transnational programme, demonstrating how innovation can address deeply human challenges. By uniting different forms of knowledge, the initiative aims to transform citizen insights into institutional capabilities, particularly in locating disappeared persons.
In July 2026, a machine-learning platform developed by FOUND’s implementer, CentroGeo, aided in recovering the remains of disappeared persons in Jalisco. The effort involved collaboration with the Jalisco Search Commission and the National Guard, highlighting the role of technology in serving families seeking answers.