São Paulo – Brazilian fintech DUX secured a spot in the FinTech World Cup final, to be held in May 2026 at the Dubai FinTech Summit. Focused on the creative economy, the company won the Brazilian qualifier held at the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in São Paulo. The FinTech World Cup is organized by the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
“Our mission at DUX is to be a bank for the creative economy, and to become the largest creative-economy bank for the Global South. So, going to Dubai is a big step forward,” DUX CMO João Pedro Novochadlo told ANBA after learning the result. He represented the company at the national qualifier pitch. The competition will be the fintech’s first international event. “It’s the first country we’ll visit to try to expand our business,” said Novochadlo, who was born in the city of Curitiba.
Aware that adaptations may be needed to expand into the Arab world due to Islamic finance practices in the region, Novochadlo expressed satisfaction at the opportunity to connect with a different environment. He said DUX will look for opportunities in the UAE and sees the Dubai trip as an exchange: learning what can be applied in Brazil while sharing Brazilian practices with people there.
DUX advances payments for creative economy professionals. “A major challenge today is cash flow. When an artist, content creator, agency, or producer completes a service or campaign, they often wait 60 to 120 days to get paid. What we do is step in and advance that money,” João Pedro Novochadlo explains. Fees vary based on factors like the payer, the creative professional, and the contract.
DUX was founded by Novochadlo, an advertising graduate with a postgraduate degree in social technology and a master’s in social entrepreneurship, along with three other founders with backgrounds in law, business engineering, and administration. “About two or three years ago, we got together, and in the past year, we decided to tackle this problem,” he said, referring to the fintech’s solution to address the gap in creative economy finance.
The national qualifier selected only one fintech, DUX, to compete in the Dubai final, but the second- and third-place finishers were also highlighted and invited to attend the Dubai FinTech Summit 2026. Smart Rent, a payroll-based rental platform, took second place, and Parabank, a digital bank for people with disabilities, placed third. Other participants included Atho Capital, Credito Open, Ella Bank, Gooroo Crédito, Green Balance, InvestPlay, and Loor.
The competition’s judges were Diego Perez, president of the Brazilian Fintech Association (ABFintechs); Hassan Ghandour, CEO of Equitas; and Rafael Solimeo, Head of the ABCC’s International Office in Dubai. The event at the ABCC was opened by Silvia Antibas, its Vice President of Marketing, who highlighted DIFC’s role in the financial innovation ecosystem, presented the ABCC’s work, and its initiatives in international business digitalization, social projects, and culture. “The better we know each other, the easier it will be to do business,” she said.
The Head of Business at the DIFC Innovation Hub, Steve Gotz, addressed participants at the competition’s opening via video. “One of the reasons DIFC partners in this journey is that we believe entrepreneurship should not be limited by borders, passports, or time zones. Some of you are creating solutions for people without access to banking or with limited access. Some of you are working with international payments, SME financing, green finance, regtech, or digital assets,” he said.
The Head of Expansion for the FinTech World Cup in Latin America, Melisa Urtuzuastegui, from Branding Matters, spoke to attendees about the Mexico edition held in April. “In Mexico, people would say, ‘We’re so focused on the U.S. and Canada, and you’re showing us a different world. There are many opportunities in the Middle East,’” she said. She urged Brazilian fintechs to pay attention to the region. “Share with your colleagues the importance of this market and the work the Chamber is doing to build these bridges,” Urtuzuastegui added.
In addition to the competition, the São Paulo event included presentations by the ABCC Chamber about its services and digital platform. International Business Analyst Gustavo Fasanaro spoke about the Chamber and its various areas of operation, including CCAB Lab, the institution’s innovation hub. Helena Fernandes, Product Owner of the ABCC’s Technology and Innovation Department, presented the Ellos Platform, a system that centralizes Brazil’s export process to Arab countries, shortening timelines, reducing costs, and simplifying operations.
The event’s partners and sponsors included trescon, Dubai FinTech Summit, ignyte, Matters Group, ABCC, Branding Matters, Equitas, CCAB LAB, Sebrae Startups, and Vtex. The São Paulo competition was organized by CCAB Lab, with Américo Fazio serving as master of ceremonies.
