São Paulo – In just one year of existence, Brazilian startup 77 Innovation Labs has already opened two headquarters, one in São Paulo and the other in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded in February 2024 by Brazilians Raffaela Loffredo and Patrick Carneiro, the company offers blockchain technology, specializing in professional training courses, consulting, and pre-auditing services.
“Setting up our first headquarters in São Paulo was an obvious choice due to the city’s importance, but we know Brazil is still in the early stages of adopting this technology and regulating the ecosystem. That’s why when we thought of a place where the technology was already well-established, we chose Dubai,” says 77 Innovation Labs co-founder Carneiro.
Known as one of the world’s most strategically important cities, Dubai caught the Brazilians’ attention for its leadership in digital transformation, offering infrastructure and government policies focused on blockchain.
“Particularly in this technology, the UAE has adapted by creating a business-friendly environment for companies in this sector, like ours. There’re even government incentives for new blockchain companies,” Carneiro points out.
The Dubai office opened in October 2024. “While we were considering expanding to Dubai, a Brazilian living in the city offered to help us move our company there. He eventually became our third partner in the brand.”
That same month, the founders of 77 Innovation Labs attended GITEX Expand North Star, a startup-focused event. “There, we met our first clients and partners in the city. It also helped us raise funds for the company’s expansion,” says the Brazilian.
In the near future, the company plans to create blockchain development courses in Brazilian Portuguese, followed by translations into English and Spanish, thus reaching a larger audience. “For now, our focus is on investing in the Dubai office and growing before expanding physically to other regions. But we do want to serve people from all over the world, including other Arab countries,” adds Carneiro.
Company history
Although the business has expanded rapidly, the idea for its creation came gradually. Carneiro, 29, with a degree in Business Administration, never worked in the field but found his calling in technology, specifically in blockchain–a decentralized system that ensures the security and transparency of digital transactions.
Born in the state of Paraná, the co-founder of 77 Innovation Labs moved to São Paulo in search of opportunities in his chosen field. In 2023, Carneiro began studying blockchain and soon became a blockchain developer. Months later, he participated in his first hackathon (programming marathon) alongside his current business partner.
“The first competition took place between November and December 2023, and the second in April 2024. Both times, we placed among the top 20 teams,” Carneiro recalls. After these competitions, they noticed the shortage of blockchain professionals in the market and decided to create the company. At first it was going to offer training for those interested in the field.
“Now we develop solutions using blockchain technology—ensuring innovation and quality in every project. Our team is made up of highly skilled professionals specializing in Chainlink solutions, combining what your company already offers best with the security and transparency of cutting-edge technologies,” explains Carneiro.
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Report by Rebecca Vettore, in collaboration with ANBA
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
