
Thais Castello Branco
Building something new | founding team @ Exa
thais-castello
San Francisco, CA
Joined May 2026
Summary
Thais Castello Branco is a driven marketing and strategy leader in the AI and tech startup space, currently serving as the Head of Strategy & Marketing and part of the founding team at Exa. She is passionate about building innovative solutions, particularly in developing a search engine for AI agents that prioritizes meaning-based search over traditional keyword matching. Her work at Exa includes building the marketing function from the ground up, launching key products like Websets, and driving data-driven growth strategies. linkedin+4
She possesses an entrepreneurial spirit, having co-founded Creio, a platform for faith content in Brazil, and has held significant marketing leadership roles at other startups like Hubla and nate. Her experience spans from early-stage startup development to working with established companies like The Kraft Heinz Company and Ambev, demonstrating versatility across different business environments. linkedin+2
Thais is highly regarded for her ability to navigate complex challenges, driven by a personal philosophy to "Run toward the thing that scares you." This mindset has guided her career choices, including her decision to forego an MBA from Harvard Business School to continue building in tech, embracing steep learning curves and growth opportunities. linkedin+1
She is also actively involved in the LatAm startup ecosystem as a Latitud Fellow and leverages social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to share insights on AI, marketing, and entrepreneurship, demonstrating a commitment to thought leadership and community engagement. nitter+1