en.Wedoany.com Reported - EXA, a joint venture between cybersecurity holding company FS Security and telecom operator TIM, has inaugurated a new R&D center, EXA Labs, in the city of Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil. The company plans to invest BRL 25 million over the next four years, focusing on the development of artificial intelligence technologies in the field of fraud prevention.
Founded in 2022, EXA established its presence in Parnaíba the same year. The city was chosen as the location for EXA Labs, and the company aims to create a "Digital Port" locally, modeled after one of Brazil's largest technology parks, primarily located in the historic district of Recife (Old Recife). The project was officially inaugurated last week. FS Security holds a 75% stake in EXA, with TIM owning the remaining 25%.
Alberto Leite, founder and CEO of FS Security, stated that Brazil has long been a hotspot for fraudulent activities and has now entered a more complex phase where distinguishing truth from falsehood is increasingly difficult. He noted that tactics range from voice simulation to reverse social engineering, with various methods emerging across voice, video, text, and multiple delivery channels. These techniques enhance the capture of victims' data and contexts, enriching cybercriminals' toolkits.
According to data from Serasa Experian, Brazil recorded over 14 million fraud attempts in 2025, a 28.6% increase compared to 2024. The Northeast region saw a 32% rise. Of these fraud attempts, 42.5% utilized artificial intelligence technologies, and deepfakes surged by 830% within a year.
The creation of EXA Labs aligns with a previous initiative by the company. Three years ago, EXA partnered with the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro to establish an AI research laboratory. This lab has yielded results, most notably EVA, an AI and machine learning-based fraud prevention agent developed by the EXA team in 2025 with participation from students at the university. Launched earlier this year, EVA allows users to query via WhatsApp whether a QR code, link, or file is fake, or if a password has been leaked, providing a response within ten seconds.
Beyond strengthening EXA's product portfolio, the EVA project was a factor in the company's decision to expand its R&D structure. Leite believes it is necessary to decentralize R&D and seek new cultural perspectives, as security issues in the Northeast differ from those in Rio de Janeiro. Parnaíba boasts excellent university resources and student quality. The region also offers favorable R&D support options from institutions such as Banco do Nordeste, the Northeast Development Superintendence, and the National Bank for Economic and Social Development.
EXA plans to leverage these options to fund approximately BRL 8 million of the projected BRL 25 million investment in EXA Labs. Over the past three years, EXA has already invested BRL 9 million in this field. In its expansion in Parnaíba, some resources have been allocated to facilities such as a real-time fraud monitoring center, which is fed by various sources including social media events and data collected by the company on the dark web. Leite stated that the center displays events in real-time on a map, filtered by threat type, region, and other criteria, with the goal of achieving 100% fraud mapping after the initial phase.
The next phase of investment will include expanding the foundational databases that supply data to the R&D center, as well as upgrades to EVA, such as identifying the source of threats and the steps users should follow when under attack. The project also aims to cultivate professional talent for EXA. The inauguration of EXA Labs coincided with the signing of internship program agreements with Uninassau and SENAI. The company is also in contact with institutions such as the Federal University of Piauí, the State University of Piauí, the Federal Institute of Piauí, Unigrande, and Uninter.
Currently, EXA employs over 200 professionals in the city, making it the largest employer in the sector within the state. Leite stated that through this expansion, the company plans to encourage other businesses to establish a presence, transforming the region into a new technology and innovation hub. EXA's statistics show that approximately 20 million users already have one of its digital protection solutions. Based on this, the company projects revenue of around BRL 500 million in 2026, a 32% increase from 2025. The company also has plans for expansion in other R&D areas, with a focus on Israel, a global cybersecurity hub. Previously, it had been in advanced negotiations with an unnamed university there, but due to the impact of the war situation, resuming dialogue will require waiting for a peace agreement to improve the circumstances.
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