Oktsec announced on September 12 that founder Gustavo Aragón had been selected as an Argentine entrepreneur to participate in the 24th Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE). The program took place in Barranquilla, Colombia, from September 28 to October 2, 2026.
The program brought together leaders from business, government, universities and other organizations to explore innovation and economic development across the Americas. This edition was convened by the Organization of American States (OAS) in partnership with the City of Barranquilla, with U.S. government support through the Department of State’s Permanent Mission to the OAS and the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.
Building from Latin America for a global challenge
Gustavo started Oktsec through security research and open-source work. His ambition is to build security technology from Latin America for organizations around the world, and help prepare people for the changes AI agents bring to their work.
That approach draws on seven years co-founding and building Brelo in São Paulo, Brazil. Working on financial technology shaped his attention to fraud, access controls and the consequences of software decisions. At Oktsec, he applies that experience to systems that can use tools, act across services and delegate tasks to other agents.
Preparing organizations to work with agents
In Gustavo’s view, the world needs to prepare for a change in what software can do. Organizations need to define which actions agents may take, keep records they can verify and know when a person should intervene. Teams also need practical experience evaluating agent behavior, recognizing failures and supervising delegated work.
Oktsec’s long-term vision brings these needs together: security controls and the skills to use them. At ACE, Gustavo met with companies, universities and public-sector leaders to discuss how they are preparing for AI adoption and where security engineering and professional training can help. Read more about Oktsec’s vision.
The five-day program included visits to companies, universities, research centers and innovation hubs. We thank the ACE committee and the OAS for the opportunity to participate and learn from organizations across the region.
Continue the conversation
Following ACE, Oktsec is continuing conversations with universities, companies and public institutions. The award announcement covers the letters of intent, the AudacIA connection and the next steps. Organizations working on cybersecurity, AI adoption or training can contact Oktsec to discuss a specific opportunity.
Program information: ACE Barranquilla official website.