Brex vs Jupiter Money: Founders, CEOs and History
Brex was founded in 2017 by Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras and is led by Pedro Franceschi. Jupiter Money was founded in 2019 by Jitendra Gupta, Vishnu Jerome and is led by Jitendra Gupta.
Company facts
Brex
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Current CEO
- Pedro Franceschi
- Employees
- 1,100
Jupiter Money
- Founded
- 2019
- Headquarters
- Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (registered office: Mumbai)
- Current CEO
- Jitendra Gupta
- Employees
- 450
Founders
Brex
Pedro Franceschi
Franceschi enrolled at Stanford in 2016 and left with Dubugras for Y Combinator's Winter 2017 batch, where the pair dropped a virtual reality idea three weeks in and started Brex.
Henrique Dubugras
Dubugras enrolled at Stanford in 2016 and left for Y Combinator in early 2017, co-founding Brex that January.
Jupiter Money
Jitendra Gupta
Jitendra Gupta is the founder and CEO of Jupiter. A chartered accountant, he founded Citrus Pay in 2011, sold it to PayU in 2016 for about $130 million, and ran PayU India before starting Jupiter in 2019. Jitendra Gupta was born in 1981.
Vishnu Jerome
Vishnu Jerome co-founded Jupiter Money in 2019 alongside Jitendra Gupta. As a highly experienced legal architect (he founded the law firm Jerome Merchant + Partners), he played an absolutely critical role in navigating the incredibly complex, highly restrictiv…
CEOs and their tenures
Brex
- Pedro Franceschi2017–present
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Co-CEO from January 2017, running product, engineering and internal operations, and sole CEO since June 12, 2024.
Source - Henrique Dubugras2017–2024
Co-Founder; Co-CEO 2017 to 2024, then Chairman
External co-CEO responsible for fundraising, banking partners, regulators and selling to the largest customers. Raised the rounds that took Brex to a $12.3 billion valuation in 2021, and became chairman of the board when the co-CEO model ended in June 2024.
Source - Ben Gammell2018–present
Chief Financial Officer and President
Joined in early 2018 as VP of operations and served as chief of staff to the CEO before becoming CFO. Also oversees legal, business development, systems and data, and was named as part of the leadership team staying on under Capital One.
Source
Jupiter Money
- Jitendra Gupta2019–present
Founder & CEO
A chartered accountant and seasoned fintech pioneer who previously founded Citrus Pay (sold to Naspers for $130M) and led PayU India, Gupta has been a prominent architect of India's neobanking sector.
Source
Timeline: Brex and Jupiter Money side by side
2017Brex
Founded during Y Combinator
Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi founded Brex on January 3, 2017, after dropping a virtual reality idea three weeks into Y Combinator's Winter 2017 batch. Ribbit Capital led a $7 million first round.
2018Brex
Launch, $50M Series B and $1.1B valuation
Brex raised a $50 million Series B in June 2018 from Y Combinator Continuity, Ribbit Capital, Peter Thiel and Max Levchin, passed 1,000 customers by August and reached a $1.1 billion valuation with a $125 million Series C in October.
2019Brex
$2.6B valuation led by Kleiner Perkins
A $100 million Series C-2 led by Kleiner Perkins in June 2019 valued Brex at $2.6 billion. Brex also launched Brex Cash, now the Brex Business Account, that year.
2019Jupiter Money
Jitendra Gupta and Vishnu Jerome start Jupiter; $24M seed round at about a $70M valuation.
2020Brex
Three acqui-hires and a $150M extension
Brex bought Neji, Compose Labs and Landria in March 2020, adding 12 people, and raised a $150 million Series C extension in May as a cushion against a long recession.
2021Brex
Bank charter bid, Weav deal and $12.3B valuation
Brex applied for a Utah industrial bank charter in February and withdrew it in August, raised $425 million at $7.4 billion in April, bought Weav for $50 million in August, went headquarterless, and agreed a $300 million round at $12.3 billion in October.
2021Jupiter Money
Jupiter app launches with Federal Bank; acquires savings app Easyplan; $45M Series B co-led by Nubank.
2021Jupiter Money
December: $86M Series C led by Tiger Global and QED at about a $710M valuation.
2022Brex
Empower launch, Pry deal and small business exit
Brex launched Brex Empower in April with DoorDash as a customer, bought Pry Financials for $90 million, left the small business market in June and laid off 136 people in October.
2022Jupiter Money
Acquires HR-tech startup sumHR to support salary accounts (disclosed February 2023).
2023Brex
Silicon Valley Bank deposits
Brex took in billions of dollars of deposits from Silicon Valley Bank customers on March 9, 2023, the day before the bank collapsed.
2024Brex
20% layoff and end of the co-CEO model
Brex cut 282 jobs on January 23, 2024, ranked fourth on CNBC's Disruptor 50 list in May, and on June 12 made Franceschi sole CEO, with Dubugras becoming chairman.
2024Jupiter Money
FY24 consolidated operating revenue reaches ~$5.94 million (₹51.2 crore); loss narrows 23% to ~$27.1 million (₹233.6 crore).
2025Brex
Enterprise growth, EU licence and return to San Francisco
Brex said enterprise revenue grew 80% in 2024, won an EU payment institution licence in August 2025, leased about 100,000 square feet in San Francisco, and turned operating-cash-flow positive in October, according to Sacra.
2025Jupiter Money
October: raises about $15M from Mirae Asset, BeeNext, 3one4 Capital and Gupta at a flat ~$600M valuation.
2026Brex
Acquired by Capital One for $5.15B
Capital One announced the cash-and-stock acquisition on January 22, 2026, and completed it on April 7. Pedro Franceschi stayed on as CEO.
2026Jupiter Money
Talks to buy a minority stake in SBM Bank India collapse; Jupiter focuses on reaching breakeven.
Acquisitions
Brex
- Pry Financials2022$90M
- Weav2021$50M
- Neji, Compose Labs and Landria2020Undisclosed
Jupiter Money
- sumHR2022Undisclosed
- Easyplan2021Undisclosed
- EasyPlan2021Undisclosed
- Mitter.io2021Undisclosed
Questions about Brex vs Jupiter Money
Who is the CEO of Brex Inc. and Jupiter Money?
Brex Inc. is led by Pedro Franceschi and Jupiter Money is led by Jitendra Gupta. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Brex Inc. founded vs Jupiter Money?
Brex Inc. was founded in 2017 — 2 years before Jupiter Money, which was founded in 2019. Brex Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Jupiter Money.
How many employees does Brex Inc. have compared to Jupiter Money?
Brex Inc. employs approximately 1,100 people, while Jupiter Money employs approximately 450. Brex Inc. has the larger workforce at 1,100 employees, compared to Jupiter Money's 450. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Brex Inc. and Jupiter Money headquartered?
Brex Inc. is headquartered in United States and Jupiter Money is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Brex Inc. and Jupiter Money?
Brex Inc. was founded by Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras. Jupiter Money was founded by Jitendra Gupta, Vishnu Jerome.
Which company has a longer operating history — Brex Inc. or Jupiter Money?
Brex Inc. has been operating for approximately 9 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Jupiter Money has been in operation for around 7 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Brex vs Jupiter Money overview