Fabrizio Rinaldi
@linuz90 Portugal22K followers
Designer and co-founder of Typefully; previously built and sold Mailbrew
Typefully, Mailbrew, Boxy Suite +3Typefully: ~$2M ARR
exit story · 2022 · productivity tools
How Fabrizio Rinaldi Sold Mailbrew to Ev Williams (2022)
Mailbrew was built by Fabrizio Rinaldi and sold to Ev Williams in 2022.
Key facts
- Buyer
- Ev Williams
- Year
- 2022
- Price
- Undisclosed
- Revenue at sale
- —
- Years operated
- 2 years
- Channel
- Direct sale
Why they sold: Rinaldi and co-founder Francesco Di Lorenzo decided to focus on their newer product, Typefully.
The story of Mailbrew
Mailbrew turned sources such as Twitter, Reddit, RSS feeds, YouTube and newsletters into personalized daily email digests. Fabrizio Rinaldi and Francesco Di Lorenzo launched it publicly in March 2020 after about six months in private beta. It got more than 2,000 sign-ups at launch and was making about $2K a month shortly afterwards.
As their Twitter writing tool Typefully took off, the founders decided to focus on it. Twitter co-founder Ev Williams, a Mailbrew user who had invested in Typefully in 2022, offered to take Mailbrew off their hands. Rinaldi's profile already listed Mailbrew as sold in 2022, and in January 2023 users got an email signed by Williams confirming the change of ownership and saying the product was now free.
Mailbrew later moved to Upnext. In November 2025 it was acquired again by the venture studio Evernomic, which said it had more than 70,000 users.
Lessons Fabrizio Rinaldi shared
- 1.Rinaldi has said a long private beta was key to a strong launch, because it helped them understand users and positioning.
- 2.He has said their weak spot was neglecting growth, content marketing and SEO early on, and that they had a habit of rushing launches.
Paraphrased from the maker's public posts and interviews (see sources).
The maker
See the Mailbrew product page or Fabrizio Rinaldi's full profile for everything they have built since.
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Sources
- news.ycombinator.com — news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34375477
- evernomic.com — evernomic.com/press/we-re-bringing-mailbrew-back/
- failory.com — failory.com/interview/mailbrew
- x.com — x.com/linuz90/status/1562099785175339008
Facts are taken from the maker's and buyer's public statements and press coverage. Prices and revenue are shown only when publicly stated; self-reported figures are not independently verified.
Keep exploring
Mailbrew acquisition FAQ
Who bought Mailbrew?
Mailbrew was acquired by Ev Williams in 2022 from Fabrizio Rinaldi.
How much did Mailbrew sell for?
The price was not publicly disclosed.
Why did Fabrizio Rinaldi sell Mailbrew?
Rinaldi and co-founder Francesco Di Lorenzo decided to focus on their newer product, Typefully.
How long did it take Mailbrew to get acquired?
Mailbrew was sold about 2 years after launch, through a direct sale (sold directly to a buyer, often a competitor, customer or acquirer that reached out).
What did Fabrizio Rinaldi learn from selling Mailbrew?
Rinaldi has said a long private beta was key to a strong launch, because it helped them understand users and positioning. He has said their weak spot was neglecting growth, content marketing and SEO early on, and that they had a habit of rushing launches.