The team

Built by researchers and forward-thinking innovators to transform Guatemala’s economic landscape.

Our team pairs deep macroeconomic understanding with the technological agility required to catalyze AI transformation across government, industry, and local universities.

Anushka Appala
Anushka Appala
Co-founder

Anushka is a deep-tech entrepreneur and researcher working at the intersection of AI governance, decision intelligence, cognitive science, and systems design. She builds early-stage frameworks designed to make high-stakes, AI-assisted decisions explainable, auditable, and human-controlled. As Co-founder of NaciluzAI, she leads responsible deployment across public services and multilingual environments, starting with Mayan-language translation MVPs in Guatemala.

She conducts research in returns behavior, focusing on how adaptive systems can reduce abuse, cut waste, and rebuild trust between buyers and sellers.

At Stratford Preparatory Blackford, she serves as President & Founder of TEDxStratford Preparatory Blackford and Vice President of Hospitality for SPB DECA, where she developed the C.A.R.E. System across the 40+ member chapter. Driven by inclusion, she also co-founded the campus Neurodiversity Club, where she serves as Vice President. She has completed selective programs at Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (2024), Wharton Global Youth Innovation and Startup Culture (2025), and Columbia School of Professional Studies' Entrepreneurship: From Idea to Early Product Design (2025).

Beyond entrepreneurship and tech policy, Anushka is a classical composer and served as the first student composer for the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, premiering her ensemble piece “Effervescent.” She works across English and Spanish while continuing advanced study in cognitive science and international business.

Dr. Janio Rosales
Dr. Janio Rosales
Co-founder

Business leader with more than 20 years of experience in corporate affairs, sustainability, and strategic economic development across international public and private sectors. He is currently CEO of Innovative Strategies, an international firm specializing in political and economic risk analysis, investment advisory, and sustainability, helping organizations manage risks and capitalize on opportunities in complex markets.

Previously, Dr. Rosales served as Guatemala's Minister of Economy and Chief of Staff to the President, where he led international investments, trade agreements, and competitiveness initiatives while serving on the national monetary board and boards of banks and energy institutions. He has also held strategic leadership roles at Corporación Castillo Hermanos, the Guatemalan Chamber of Construction, and Grupo Pantaleón, and is an active member of Concordia Americas Summit, Fundesa, and the Americas Society Council of the Americas.

He holds two doctorates in economic sustainability and public administration and governance, as well as an MBA magna cum laude specializing in finance, communication, security, and sustainability. He is a frequent keynote speaker at global forums in Europe and Latin America and has wide experience as a senior consultant in investment and strategic advisory for multinational companies, private-sector chambers, and research institutions.

Advisors

An Extraordinary Network Behind an Extraordinary Mission

NaciluzAI is guided by a distinguished group of leaders whose careers span technology, AI, Wall Street, global finance, government, and institutional transformation. They bring decades of experience building companies, shaping markets, advising governments, allocating capital, and navigating complex regulated environments.

Their collective wisdom, credibility, and global relationships strengthen NaciluzAI's ability to transform governed AI from an emerging idea into an institutional-scale platform.

Rick Sherlund
Rick Sherlund
Former Vice-Chairman, Bank of America · Wall Street Legend
40+ years technology & capital markets#1 software analyst 17 yearsInstitutional Investor Hall of Fame
  • Over 40 years of experience in technology and capital markets.
  • Ranked #1 software analyst by Institutional Investor for 17 consecutive years; inducted into their Hall of Fame.
  • Partner at Goldman Sachs, leading the Technology Research Group.
  • Senior investment banking roles at Barclays (Chairman, Software Investment Banking), Perella Weinberg Partners (Partner), and Bank of America (Vice Chairman, Technology Investment Banking).
  • Built personal relationships across the leadership of technology companies, strategic and VC investors, and institutional investors.
Louis Prouvost
Louis Prouvost
Director, Level Up · Entrepreneur based in Guatemala
Technology & educationTalent developmentCentral America
  • French entrepreneur based in Guatemala, passionate about technology, education, and creating opportunities that unlock Central America’s potential.
  • As Director of Level Up, he leads teams and projects dedicated to transforming lives through training, innovation, and access to better professional opportunities.
  • His work is guided by discipline, integrity, and service.
Gustavo Escalante
Gustavo Escalante
Compliance & Regulatory Operations · Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers
Regulatory monitoring & audit readinessCertified PCI DSS ProfessionalEnglish · Spanish · Portuguese
  • Compliance and regulatory operations professional with experience spanning financial services, government, and multi-sector organizations, covering regulatory monitoring, audit readiness, enterprise policy administration, compliance testing, and corrective-action management.
  • Currently a Technical Support Specialist with the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers, overseeing compliance monitoring across more than 100 client accounts, identifying policy deviations, managing escalations, and maintaining documentation supporting internal audits and regulatory examinations. Previously contributed to a compliance initiative for Truist Bank, supporting audit preparation, internal controls, and regulatory standards.
Juan Pablo Sosa
Juan Pablo Sosa
Vice President, Workforce Enablement at Support Services Group
Resource optimizationOperations leadershipEntrepreneurial mindsetEthical practices
  • A resource optimization and operations leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, dedicated to maximizing organizational efficiency while wholeheartedly championing the engagement, growth, and development of individuals.
  • A fervent advocate for harnessing the power of ideas, nurturing careers, and crafting solutions that matter. With a deep commitment to ethical practices, thrives on building lasting relationships and exceeding expectations.