In August 2021, a handful of Brex executives gathered in a windowless room at a hotel in Santa Barbara. Over the next three days, they debated, soul-searched, and wrestled with the challenges threatening their company’s future. Tensions ran high as they confronted the reality of their situation despite its rapid rise, Brex was at risk of collapsing under its own weight. Scaling to 1,200 employees in just three years had pushed the company to a breaking point, and if they didn’t make tough decisions, all their success could unravel.
Brex had started in 2017 as a bold experiment by two young Brazilian entrepreneurs, Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi, who had dropped out of Stanford University to solve a critical problem for startups. Founders, even those who had raised millions i
Brex Bets on AI and Profitability Before Making Its IPO Move
- By Anshika Mathews
- Published on
If it achieves its goal of profitability by 2025, an IPO will likely follow soon after.
