#03: ⏳ The Future Is in Our Hands
Lyft’s move, Nubank’s expansion, women in space, and a powerful reminder about time.
At the Amela Frequency 📡, every Monday, we reflect on tech news, share thoughts from our network ✍️, and hand you tools and frameworks for early-stage builders ⚒️. Basically, if you’re building (or dreaming about it), you’re in the right place.
Hello Amelxs 👋
A lot’s been happening — from big moves in Europe to symbolic moments in space and fintech waves in LatAm. Let’s dive in 👇
First up: Lyft just announced its acquisition of Freenow for €197M in cash. Not only is this one of the bigger European acquisitions in a while, but it also marks Lyft’s entrance into the continent. Freenow, the German mobility app backed by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, had been flying under the radar for some time — so this deal definitely raised eyebrows. Exits in Europe are rare, and cash ones even more so. 👀
Then there’s that viral Blue Origin photo of six women going to space. While some were quick to dismiss it as a billionaire PR move, I think it opens a deeper conversation. Not about whether these women are astronauts or tourists — but about visibility. Imperfect as it may be, seeing women in this kind of spotlight still matters. And it also invites us to ask: what should representation in frontier tech look like?
In LatAm news, Nubank just got the green light to operate as a full bank in Mexico 🇲🇽. This is huge. Not only does it signal Nubank’s continued expansion in the region, but it also shakes things up in Mexico’s already-competitive fintech scene.
And lastly — Easter just passed 🐣. I hope you took a moment to unplug, or at least changed locations while working on your startup. (We made a little meme about that, naturally.) Holidays for founders are weird: equal parts “should I be working?” and “can I just be for a second?”
As for me, I rested a bit — but also spent time working on From Zero to Builder. I put together a cool deck for tomorrow’s free webinar to help more people go from spectators to builders. We’re not just talking ideas — we’re making them happen. ⚡️
Oh, and a quick moment of pause — Pope Francis passed away today🥲. Whether or not you’re religious, it’s a historic shift. It brought back memories of Pope John Paul II — a figure who shaped a generation. Change is in the air, in more ways than one.
Here’s to making sense of the chaos — and finding moments to reflect in between the building. 💜
Anais
P.S. Don’t forget to check out who raised last week 📈
🧠This Week’s Food for Thought
A piece of content or image that sparked conversation.
This image comes from one of my favorite newsletters, Wait But Why. Even though it hasn’t published in years, this visual has always stayed with me.
We spend so much time replaying the past — regrets, missed chances, things we wish we’d done differently. But rarely do we stop and look ahead with the same weight. The truth is: the future is in our hands. And the time we still have? It’s finite, and it’s precious.
With the passing of Pope Francis and some quiet family time over the holidays, this image resurfaced. A reminder that the future is in our hands. This week reminded me of that. I hope it reminds you, too. 💜
💜Amela Insider
🎉 This week, we celebrate Estefanie Martens, founder of the Happiest Project, who just got accepted into the Spanish Accelerator La Nave. Here is her story in her own words:
Congrats Estef!
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💡Recommendations
Articles, videos, and other resources to learn.
🤖 OpenAI just released a hands-on guide to building AI agents
Forget basic chatbots — AI agents now complete full workflows, make decisions, and get things done. This new guide breaks down everything you need. The future of automation is here — and it’s agent-powered. Check it out.
🍫 Snack Stacks: How Singular Flavours Become Billion-Dollar Platforms
Malvika Rathod breaks down how products like Nutella, Biscoff, and Tabasco went from one iconic flavor to global dominance — all by turning simplicity into scalable, repeatable platforms. Read the article.
🤖💰 AI-first fintechs will eat finance
Simon Taylor shares why the next wave of fintechs won’t just use AI — they’ll be built around it. From underwriting to operations, these startups are rewriting how finance works from the ground up. Read more.
🌱 Who’s investing in climate tech?
An oldie but good mapping by CTVC. An extensive map of climate tech investors, from early-stage VCs to growth funds — and what they’re backing across carbon, energy, food, and more. Explore the list.
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