What services does Freenow by Lyft offer, and what sets you apart in the corporate mobility sector?
Freenow by Lyft offers a comprehensive mobility solution for companies and individuals based on licensed taxis, combining convenience, safety, and full expense control. Through our platform, companies can efficiently manage the professional travel of their teams, with corporate profiles, centralized invoicing, budget control, and 24/7 support.
What sets us apart is our commitment to reliability, service quality, and the professional taxi ecosystem. We work exclusively with licensed taxi drivers, highly experienced professionals who ensure punctuality, safety, and a consistent travel experience. In addition, our technology simplifies administrative processes, eliminates expense reports, and enables transparent and scalable management for companies of any size.
What motivated the launch of the company, and what market need were you aiming to address?
Freenow by Lyft was founded in 2009 as MyTaxi, and three years later, in 2012, we began operating in Spain. In Valencia, we launched our activity in 2015, always with the same objective: to offer taxi drivers top-level technology that enables them to compete on equal terms with the other actors in the mobility sector. Our motivation is to provide taxi drivers—who have a strong public service vocation—with the best digital tools and platforms to work with every day.
Proof of their satisfaction is that more than 11,000 taxi drivers now operate with us in 16 cities across Spain. In Valencia, we currently have more than 1,000 active taxi drivers and expect continued growth.
How do you define your vision of mobility in a context where technology is transforming everything?
As a technology company, our commitment to the taxi sector implies leading its digitalization, enabling the entire process—from requesting a ride to payment—to be carried out digitally.
In recent years, we have observed a shift in demand toward digital solutions, and at Freenow by Lyft, we work daily to transform mobility and make it more comfortable, safe, and connected.
We see great potential in the use of data analytics and technology to optimize operations, reduce traffic congestion, and contribute to more sustainable mobility solutions. That is why we understand mobility as a space where innovation must make it more efficient, accessible, and responsible.
Since our beginnings, we have promoted and strengthened the taxi sector through technology, placing taxi drivers at the center of our activity and shaping our service around their challenges, needs, and professionalism. We offer them the best technological solution to facilitate and optimize their working days.
As a key actor in the sector, how do you imagine mobility ten years from now, and what milestones do you believe will shape that evolution?
It is expected that 50% of urban trips will be electric or multimodal by 2030, so our goal is to increase micromobility options and expand electric fleets to meet this demand. We have been moving in this direction for years: Freenow by Lyft enables multimodal mobility by offering scooters, bicycles, electric motorcycles, carsharing, and vehicle rentals in our app, thanks to technological integration with nearly twenty external providers.
Regarding electrified vehicles, more than 60% of taxi drivers operating through our app already use this type of engine in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, and the figure continues to rise. In Valencia, 81% of trips in 2024 were carried out in fully or partially electrified vehicles, exceeding the national average.
We know that the future of urban mobility depends on reducing emissions. The taxi, as a key public service, helps reduce the number of vehicles in circulation, and thanks to technology, we also reduce the empty kilometers driven by taxis.
Freenow operates on a global scale. What differences do you observe between mobility in North America and Europe, especially in Spain and Valencia?
Mobility responds to different realities in each region, and at Freenow by Lyft, we adapt to them thanks to our experience in Europe and our recent alliance with Lyft.
In North America, dependence on private cars is very high, with more than 90% of trips made by car, while public transportation covers only a small share of journeys, according to Cornell University. In Europe, and particularly in Spain, mobility is more diverse: public transportation represents around 15% of travel, and urban density encourages sustainable alternatives such as cycling or shared mobility.
In Valencia, for example, 99.98% of the urban population has access to some mobility service within less than five minutes on foot, making integrated and multimodal solutions especially relevant.
Since its beginnings, Freenow by Lyft has had a strong presence in Europe, where the sector is regulated and oriented toward public transportation, and where multimodal integration and sustainability are key pillars. We work alongside taxi drivers, who know each city better than anyone. This experience enables us to offer solutions tailored to local needs, optimizing routes and promoting the adoption of more sustainable vehicles. Alongside Lyft, we expand our technological and operational capacity to improve urban connectivity.
What challenges and opportunities does the mobility sector present today for the Spanish tech ecosystem? And for Valencia?
The taxi and mobility sector is undergoing a transformation that opens numerous opportunities but also presents challenges that must be taken into account.
– Commitment to multimodality:
This responds to user demand, as shown by our study with the Mobility Institute RACC: in both Barcelona and Madrid, users believe that fare integration with public transportation would facilitate multimodal connection and make the service more accessible, rating it 7.6 and 7.4 out of 10 respectively. To move in this direction, public–private collaboration is essential to build smarter and more efficient cities.
Valencia is an optimal setting to advance this commitment. In a context of constant innovation, it is essential to analyze each initiative to integrate it effectively and in a way that benefits citizens. From Freenow by Lyft, we contribute our experience to promote safe and efficient innovation.
– Technological advances:
The main opportunity lies in leveraging technology to improve urban mobility, making it more accessible, sustainable, and user-centered. The Sustainable Mobility Law contemplates the creation of sandboxes for innovative projects, which could significantly boost the Valencian ecosystem. In addition, technological advances allow for fixed-price taxi fares, which are highly demanded by passengers. Regulation should offer this option as a complement to the taximeter, especially for APC trips.
– Electrification and sustainability:
The future of mobility can only be connected and sustainable. In 2024, 64% of new taxis added to Freenow by Lyft were electric, with year-over-year growth of 6%. Valencia stands out for having a higher percentage of electrified trips than the national average.
Cities do not need more vehicles, but better use of the existing ones. Platforms like Freenow by Lyft allow for aggregated mobility options and make transportation more efficient and sustainable. We promote regional sustainability criteria to define the optimal number of vehicles with drivers in each area, which is key to an efficient transition toward greener mobility—especially in cities like Valencia, with high activity and tourism.
Sector challenges:
– Regulation and European standards:
The absence of a clear legislative framework creates legal uncertainty and may hinder investment and innovation. Although some cities are taking steps toward regulating the sector, there is still no specific regulation for intermediary platforms. It is essential that this regulation be based on common European standards and incorporate sustainability criteria.
– Technological integration:
There are still barriers to integrating digital platforms, fleets, and public transportation, making efficient multimodal solutions difficult. In Valencia, initiatives are beginning to emerge from local authorities, but further investment is needed in AI specialists, STEAM qualifications, and greater representation of women in the sector.
– Effective control and protection of the sector:
The taxi is an essential public service that must be protected. At Freenow by Lyft, we contribute to this goal by working to ensure that taxi drivers operate under fair and equitable conditions compared to other mobility options, something that the Valencian taxi sector has advocated for in recent months.
What led you to join Startup Valencia as a Supporter?
Valencia has established itself as one of the most dynamic tech hubs in the country. The growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the arrival of new companies, and international talent generate mobility needs that are fast, reliable, and sustainable.
As a technology company, we understand perfectly the fast pace at which startups operate: teams constantly on the move, strategic in-person meetings, events, and activities that require agile and frictionless travel. In that context, we want to be close and offer them corporate mobility that matches that pace.
Valencia is also a key city for Freenow by Lyft in Spain. We have a very active community of taxi drivers with high availability on the platform, serving thousands of passengers daily and prepared to meet growing demand. Becoming a Supporter of Startup Valencia reinforces our commitment to the city and its business ecosystem.
What kind of synergies do you hope to generate with the Valencian tech ecosystem?
Our goal is to help Valencian startups focus on growing, innovating, and scaling while we facilitate their corporate mobility. We hope to generate synergies in three directions:
– Improving operational efficiency for companies, offering mobility solutions that save time and reduce administrative workload.
– Supporting the entrepreneurial community by participating in events and connecting with founders, operations teams, and international talent arriving in the city.
– Exploring technological collaborations that allow us to continue innovating and adapting to the real needs of the ecosystem—from intelligent travel management to more sustainable urban mobility solutions.
Ultimately, we want to be a reliable partner for an ecosystem that moves fast, grows with ambition, and is positioning Valencia as a national and international benchmark.
What role do you think VDS plays in positioning Valencia as an international tech hub?
VDS is a key catalyst in consolidating the city as an international tech hub. For companies like Freenow by Lyft, which combine technology, sustainable mobility, and public–private collaboration, VDS is a strategic meeting point that drives innovation and the exchange of talent.
Initiatives like VDS are essential for progressing toward more efficient, connected, multimodal, and environmentally friendly mobility, and for reinforcing the role of cities like Valencia in Europe’s technological transformation.
Our commitment to technological talent in Spain is clear: in 2019, it was decided to establish one of our three technological hubs in Barcelona. In this Tech Hub, more than 180 employees of 23 nationalities work, 150 of whom are highly qualified technicians dedicated to developing new features and continuously improving the application.
