About Me

01

Born in 2004 in Cali, Colombia, I attended a school where arts, embodied practices, and spirituality converged around a simple yet profound question: "How can we live better lives?" This environment shaped my early years as I explored music, competed in sports, and developed habits of introspection and mindfulness that would later draw me to Buddhist practice.

Nico at school
02

Throughout my youth, I traveled and lived alongside indigenous communities across Colombia, including the Ticuna in the Amazon, the Wayuu in Guajira, the Misak in Cauca, and the Arhuaco in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. These experiences taught me that there are many ways to build a meaningful life, as I shared with communities that prioritized relationships over material things and integrated spiritual practice with everyday work.

Nico within indigenous community
03

I discovered AI at 19 and taught myself to code, fascinated by its potential to ease human suffering — yet aware of its potential to worsen it. This led me to pursue Systems and Computing Engineering. However, I realized that technical skills alone couldn't answer the questions that truly mattered to me: Why do we build what we build? Who benefits? Does any of this make us better off?

Nico at the river
04

I'm now studying Economics with a minor in Global Studies and Anthropology at Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá. My focus has shifted toward the deeper implications of the world we've made and how it shapes human well-being—asking not just what we can create, but what's worth creating. I don't have it all figured out, and honestly, I never will, but that's why I'm excited to keep laying the foundation to guide innovation beyond what's impressive or profitable, toward what truly enriches humanity.

Nico at the Universidad de los Andes

Beyond the Work

Shaped by Buddhist practice and Western culture, I exist in a world of both stillness and movement. My days are filled with meditation and yoga, dancing freely to whatever moves me, playing sports, and exploring the natural world. I find joy in sitting in the grass and watching the sunset—moments where doing nothing becomes everything. I'm drawn to literature that awakens my sensibility, like The Little Prince, and I occasionally turn to music and writing to give shape to my thoughts, sharing both on YouTube, Substack, and my blog.

Yet even this description feels incomplete. For me, life is like a river—always moving, never static—and the moment we dam the flow with definitions, we miss what makes it alive. We are not fixed selves but the ever-changing result of conditions interacting within and around us—and those conditions themselves shift constantly. So while these anchors guide my path, I try to remain like bamboo—rooted yet flexible, bending with what each moment asks of me and letting my days evolve toward whatever truly serves my flourishing.

Extracurriculars

1st Dan — Shotokan Karate

2009 - 2022 (Black Belt certified by Asociación Colombo Japonesa)

Skills: discipline, respect, self control, and mental fortitude.

Master Rank — League of Legends

2018 - present (Top 0.21% out of ~150 million ranked players)

Skills: attention, rapid decision-making, adaptability, multi-variable processing, and teamwork.

University Team - Chess

2026-present (Competitive Team Member at Uniandes)

Skills: attention, memory, pattern recognition, creativity, problem solving, and deep calculation.

University Team - Flag Football

2026-I (Competitive Team Member at Uniandes)

Skills: attention, rapid decision-making, adaptability, spatial awareness, and teamwork.