OpenAI Alumni Network Drives Billion-Dollar AI Startups

Thinking Machines Lab, an AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has secured a $10 billion valuation following a nearly $2 billion seed round. This funding round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, with additional participation from Accel and Conviction Partners. The company has yet to launch a product, but its focus is on developing AI that enhances human-AI collaboration. The success of Thinking Machines Lab underscores the growing influence of the OpenAI alumni network in the tech industry.

This new group of former OpenAI employees is behind some of the most hyped AI startups, attracting substantial investments despite the absence of tangible products. The network's influence extends beyond startups, with several alumni holding key positions in major tech companies. For instance, Amazon hired multiple founders from the robotics startup Covariant, which was founded by three OpenAI alums. Additionally, David Luan, the former CEO of Adept AI, now leads Amazon’s AI agents division. Margaret Jennings, who co-founded Kindo, is now the head of product and research at the French AI startup Mistral.

The success of Thinking Machines Lab is just one example of the billion-dollar achievements by OpenAI alumni. Anthropic, founded by Dario and Daniela Amodei, has secured billions in funding with a valuation of $61.5 billion as of March 2025. Safe Superintelligence (SSI), founded by Ilya Sutskever, has raised $2 billion with a valuation of $32 billion. Perplexity, an AI-powered search engine co-founded by Aravind Srinivas, is currently raising another $1 billion at an $18 billion valuation. Other notable companies involving former OpenAI employees include Stem AI, Eureka Labs, Living Carbon, Prosper Robotics, Cresta, and Covariant, all of which are attracting funding from top-tier firms.

The OpenAI alumni network's influence is not limited to startups; it also extends into Big Tech. Elon Musk’s xAI, now valued at $113 billion after acquiring X, was co-founded by Kyle Kosic, who previously worked on OpenAI infrastructure. This network's collective expertise and experience are positioning them to define the future direction of artificial intelligence. The pattern of success among these startups suggests that the OpenAI name carries significant weight in the investment community, even in the absence of concrete products or clear plans. This trend highlights the potential for continued growth and innovation within the AI industry, driven by the talent and vision of the OpenAI alumni network.