Brex vs Starling Bank: Founders, CEOs and History
Brex was founded in 2017 by Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras and is led by Pedro Franceschi. Starling Bank was founded in 2014 by Anne Boden and is led by Raman Bhatia.
Company facts
Brex
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Current CEO
- Pedro Franceschi
- Employees
- 1,100
Starling Bank
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Raman Bhatia
- Employees
- 3,500
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.
Starling Bank
Anne Boden
Anne Boden founded Starling Bank in 2014. After an absolutely massive, 30-year career deeply entrenched in the rigid legacy infrastructure of massive global banks (like ABN AMRO and Allied Irish Banks), she became utterly frustrated by their terrible technolog…
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
Starling Bank
- Anne Boden2014–2023
Founder & CEO
Author of 'Banking On It' and appointed MBE for services to financial technology, Boden is widely hailed as the godmother of modern British fintech.
Source - Raman Bhatia2024–present
CEO
Bhatia previously served as CEO of OVO Energy and Head of Digital Bank for HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management in the UK and Europe.
Source
Timeline: Brex and Starling Bank side by side
2014Starling Bank
Anne Boden incorporates Starling Bank in London with the mission to build the UK's first cloud-native digital bank.
2015Starling Bank
Secures 48 million in early-stage backing from financial investor Harald McPike to fund regulatory capital requirements.
2016Starling Bank
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) grant Starling a full UK banking license.
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.
2017Starling Bank
Launches its mobile personal current account, featuring real-time notifications, in-app card locking, and zero foreign exchange fees.
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.
2018Starling Bank
Launches Starling Business Accounts, introducing modern mobile banking to UK small and medium enterprises.
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.
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.
2020Starling Bank
Accredited by the British Business Bank to distribute government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) and Bounce Back Loans (BBLS).
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.
2021Starling Bank
Acquires specialist mortgage lender Fleet Mortgages for 50 million; secures 272 million Series D funding round led by Fidelity.
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.
2022Starling Bank
Becomes the first major UK digital challenger bank to report a full-year operating profit, generating 32 million in pre-tax profit.
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.
2023Starling Bank
Anne Boden steps down as CEO after nine years; Starling launches its global core banking SaaS business, Engine by Starling.
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.
2024Starling Bank
Raman Bhatia appointed Chief Executive Officer; Engine by Starling signs international core banking contracts with Salt Bank and AMP Bank.
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.
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.
2026Starling Bank
Starling surpasses 300 million in annual pre-tax profit, 680 million in revenue, and 11 billion in customer deposits across 4.2 million accounts.
Acquisitions
Brex
- Pry Financials2022$90M
- Weav2021$50M
- Neji, Compose Labs and Landria2020Undisclosed
Starling Bank
- Ember2025Undisclosed
- Masthaven Mortgage Portfolio2022Undisclosed
- Fleet Mortgages2021Undisclosed
Questions about Brex vs Starling Bank
Who is the CEO of Brex Inc. and Starling Bank?
Brex Inc. is led by Pedro Franceschi and Starling Bank is led by Raman Bhatia. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Brex Inc. founded vs Starling Bank?
Starling Bank was founded in 2014 — 3 years before Brex Inc., which was founded in 2017. Starling Bank's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Brex Inc..
How many employees does Brex Inc. have compared to Starling Bank?
Brex Inc. employs approximately 1,100 people, while Starling Bank employs approximately 3,500. Starling Bank has the larger workforce at 3,500 employees, compared to Brex Inc.'s 1,100. 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 Starling Bank headquartered?
Brex Inc. is headquartered in United States and Starling Bank is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Brex Inc. and Starling Bank?
Brex Inc. was founded by Pedro Franceschi, Henrique Dubugras. Starling Bank was founded by Anne Boden.
Which company has a longer operating history — Brex Inc. or Starling Bank?
Starling Bank has been operating for approximately 12 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Brex Inc. has been in operation for around 9 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 Starling Bank overview