Nubank was ranked as the third most innovative company in the world for 2025 by Fast Company, a leading business and innovation magazine. Also recognized as the most innovative financial company for this year, Nubank has secured a spot on this ranking five times since 2018. The neobank founded in Brazil in 2013 has operations in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
According to founder David Vélez, Nubank’s success lies in its mission to simplify financial solutions and empower people to make better decisions. While its operations focus on digital banking in Latin America, its ultimate vision extends beyond banking to achieving freedom.
This concept of freedom, in the liberal tradition, is at the heart of Being Free Is Cool: Eight Ways to Make It Happen (Ser libre es cool), a book authored by Mexican lawyer, philosopher, and professor Joanna Gabriela Guerra. Published in February 2025, Being Free Is Cool (47 pages) offers a concise and friendly exploration of classical liberalism, explaining why individuals naturally seek freedom and why defending it is crucial.
Guerra’s book begins with a brief theoretical overview, introducing key classical-liberal thinkers such as John Locke, Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek, and objectivist Ayn Rand. However, it quickly transitions into a broader discussion of individual choice and the innate human desire to pursue personal goals.
For Guerra, the pursuit of freedom is evident in the dynamics of innovation. The rise of the gig economy and platforms like Uber (ride hailing), Airbnb (housing rental), Fiverr (remote jobs), and Etsy (handmade e-commerce)—which saw exponential user growth after their launch—demonstrates how people naturally leverage the market to meet emerging needs and desires. These platforms have allowed individuals to generate income, increase their earnings, or dedicate themselves to their passions—all thanks to the freedom to choose their own path.
In Being Free Is Cool, Guerra emphasizes that without freedom, individuals will struggle to feel empowered and take charge of their future. On the other hand, she contends that when people have decision-making power, motivation follows. However, she also notes the responsibility that comes with freedom, which might scare some people.
The book discusses the importance of clear, fundamental societal rules and the classical-liberal principles of noninterference and nondiscrimination. In essence, humans should be free as long as they do not harm others or infringe upon their rights. Furthermore, Guerra stresses the fundamental rights that must be safeguarded are life, property, and liberty.
Guerra encapsulates the essence of classical liberalism with a simple phrase: “Less is more,” referring to state intervention. She even draws a parallel with the universally recognized Star Wars franchise, quoting Princess Leia: “The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”
This principle also applies to cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin emerged in response to the massive bailouts of “too big to fail” corporations during the 2008 recession, when citizens realized that an overwhelming system of financial regulations had turned against them. As a result, a spontaneous, decentralized movement challenged the status quo with peer-to-peer money.
Uber and Airbnb also thrived in regulatory gray areas before governments recognized their existence. Nubank followed a similar trajectory, emerging when Brazil liberalized its financial sector to address its significant unbanked population. Given Brazil’s vast geography, a digital-first banking solution became essential. Nubank pioneered fintech innovation, setting industry standards and paving the way for regulatory frameworks and more private initiatives.
Cases like Nubank and books like Guerra’s serve as powerful reminders for those of us driven by the desire to create positive change and achieve our goals. The world’s most significant breakthroughs have not come from social engineers but from entrepreneurs and disruptors. For them, freedom is not just a principle but a mindset. While the pursuit of personal decision-making may seem individualistic, it often has a broader social impact.
As libertarian policy analyst Gloria Álvarez states in the prologue of Being Free Is Cool, “Without freedom, there is no innovation, no growth, and no true wellbeing. And without individual responsibility, we are set to depend on others, to be victims of the state or any other collective entity that decides our fate.”
