In the past few years, a wave of OpenAI alumni have turned entrepreneurs. They’re creating the startups that are focused on artificial intelligence and its many, many applications. These rule-breaking innovators are creating the future of technology today while having large amounts of money thrown at them by big-name investors. Emmett Shear, David Luan, and Ilya Sutskever are part of the current AI landscape. Each is helping to build a smarter, greener, more sustainable world with courageous investments baked into their entrepreneurial ventures.
Emmett Shear, who co-founded Prosper Robotics in London in 2021, has focused his company on creating a robot butler specifically for home use. This cutting-edge technology is designed to help people with household tasks, adding convenience and efficiency to everyday tasks around the house. Shear is juggling his time with a new, stealth startup, Stem AI. The company has already generated a boat-load of buzz and early funding from superstar venture capital Andreessen Horowitz. This combined emphasis on robotics and AI reflects Shear’s belief that great art moves technology forward.
AI Tools for Employees
David Luan, the next most visible leader in this AI entrepreneurship wave, is co-founder of a company called Argo AI. In 2021 he started Adept AI Labs. The firm is focused on developing AI technologies that will equip workers to do their best in a rapidly evolving workplace. Adept AI Labs employs the most innovative algorithms and machine learning technologies. Their mission is to increase productivity and make workflows easier in all industries. The startup’s novel approach is part of a wider trend, as there is increasing demand for AI solutions designed specifically to enhance human performance in the workplace.
The future demand for innovative, smart ways to get work done is exploding. Luan’s dedication has positioned Adept AI Labs as one of the leading emerging companies in the AI tool space. The startup focuses on developing user-friendly applications that integrate seamlessly into existing systems, making it easier for employees to harness the power of AI in their daily tasks.
Safe Superintelligence and Customizable AI
In March 2024, Ilya Sutskever, a co-founder of OpenAI, became disillusioned with the organization’s direction and departed the nonprofit to start Safe Superintelligence. That start is off to a fast start in attracting investment from high-profile interests including Jeff Bezos and Nvidia. Sutskever’s vision for Safe Superintelligence involves developing highly advanced AI systems that focus on safety and ethical implications. His expertise in the field makes the startup one of the best qualified — if not the best qualified — to be a principal actor in building a beneficial superintelligent AI.
A second powerful force and example of entrepreneurship is Mira Murati, who recently left OpenAI to co-found Thinking Machines Lab. Emerging from stealth mode in February 2025, this startup focuses on developing customizable and capable AI solutions for various applications. Murati’s leadership aims to create adaptable technologies that can cater to diverse industries, reflecting the growing demand for personalized AI tools.
Expanding Horizons in AI
For one, OpenAI alumni have been launching successful multiplier startups across the board. There are so many amazing innovators doing great work out there! Jonas Schneider, who co-founded Daedalus after leaving OpenAI in 2019. This startup’s goal is the creation of “smart factories” specifically optimized for high-potential precision components, illustrating a distinct marriage of AI and manufacturing.
Maddie Hall co-founded Living Carbon, a San Francisco-based startup focused on developing engineered plants that fight climate change. Founded in her wake from OpenAI in 2019, Living Carbon is one such company that displays AI’s potential to promote environmental sustainability.
Dario and Daniela Amodei created a stir after their 2021 exit from OpenAI to establish Anthropic. AI safety has become the primary focus of this company, driving the growth of its valuation to a historic $61.5 billion in March 2025. Their commitment to making sure AI is safe before it rolls out has taken the tech community by storm.
After a stint at OpenAI, Aravind Srinivas co-founded Perplexity in 2022. He set out to build the first AI search engine meant to radically change the way we search for information. Currently raising approximately $1 billion at an impressive $18 billion valuation, Perplexity is positioned to be a major player in the search engine market.
Emerging Ventures and Continued Collaboration
The entrepreneurial spirit among OpenAI alumni goes even deeper with innovations like Kindo — co-founded by Margaret Jennings. This relatively unknown startup brands itself as the enterprise-grade AI chatbot and has attracted more than $27 million in funding. Kindo’s solution is uniquely positioned to meet the rapidly increasing demand for automated customer support systems across all industries.
Tim Shi, an early member of OpenAI’s team dedicated to building safe artificial general intelligence (AGI), later co-founded his own startup focused on advancing AGI technology. His background with OpenAI gives him unique insight into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead within this space.
Kyle Kosic departed OpenAI in early 2023 to co-found xAI, which is led by head of infrastructure, Elon Musk. This partnership represents an ongoing dedication of former OpenAI members to push the boundaries of AI tech in meaningful ways.
The founders of Covariant, a Berkeley-based startup that’s building AI for industrial robots, transitioned from OpenAI to Amazon. This change further evidences large companies’ intense competition for talent, particularly with the recent emergence of OpenAI. Amidst this flurry of activity, in 2024, John Schulman left OpenAI for Anthropic, dedicating himself to the mission of creating “safe AGI.” His move underscores the deep commitment among alumni to further responsible AI development.
Shariq Hashme’s path has certainly been an incredible one. After a short-lived employee misclassification odyssey at OpenAI in 2017, he later co-founded a successful startup and returned to his OpenAI home in 2024. His experience underscores the dynamic nature of talent movement within the tech industry as professionals seek new challenges while maintaining connections to their roots.
