Itaú Unibanco (ITUB4) has signed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire, in 2026, all shares of NeoSpace A.I. Technologies Ltda. (NeoSpace), a Brazilian artificial intelligence startup specialized in large foundational data models. NeoSpace has already been providing services to Itaú for almost two years, with models trained on the bank’s own data for the use of generative artificial intelligence at scale in solutions aimed at businesses and clients.
According to the statement, the acquisition strengthens the continuity of the relationship between NeoSpace and Itaú in areas such as credit, CRM (customer relationship management) and fraud prevention, and is also part of the bank’s strategy to expand its in-house artificial intelligence capabilities. The transaction is also connected to the evolution of “ia.i”, Itaú’s generative artificial intelligence assistant, seeking greater personalization of experiences and more contextualized interactions for each client.
The purchase price for the acquisition will be R$ 2,925,000,000, with a portion due at closing and the remainder paid on a deferred basis over five years, subject to certain conditions. The management and conduct of NeoSpace’s business will remain autonomous in relation to Itaú, and the current team will be maintained, with continuity of activities and operations.
The completion of the transaction depends on the fulfillment of precedent conditions, including prior approvals from the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) and the Central Bank of Brazil (BACEN), in addition to other customary conditions for transactions of this type.
