Remi Chauveau Notes

Aisling Ryan and Patrick Ryan, the couple leading Ryans Cleaning, have played a key role in shaping the company's success and commitment to sustainability. They represent the essence of a family business, combining innovation with a strong connection to the community.

Technology🚀

The OpenAI Mafia: 15 Notable Startups Founded by Alumni

Charles Rollet 26 April 2025

Move over, PayPal Mafia—there’s a new powerhouse in Silicon Valley.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has not only revolutionized artificial intelligence but also sparked a wave of entrepreneurial ventures by its former employees.

Dubbed the "OpenAI Mafia," these alumni have founded some of the most innovative and ambitious startups in the tech world, reshaping industries and pushing the boundaries of AI.

Anthropic: A Rival with a Focus on AI

Safety Siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, along with OpenAI co-founder John Schulman, established Anthropic in 2021. With a mission to build “safe AGI,” Anthropic has quickly risen to become OpenAI’s biggest competitor, boasting a valuation of $61.5 billion as of March 2025.

Safe Superintelligence: A Bold Vision for AI

Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s co-founder and former chief scientist, launched Safe Superintelligence (SSI) in 2024. Despite having no product or revenue, SSI has raised $2 billion and is valued at $32 billion, driven by its singular goal of creating a safe superintelligence.

Thinking Machines Lab: Customizable AI for the Future

Mira Murati, OpenAI’s former CTO, founded Thinking Machines Lab in 2025. The startup aims to develop AI that is more customizable and capable, attracting top talent and raising billions in funding despite being in its early stages.

Perplexity: Redefining AI Search

Aravind Srinivas, a former OpenAI research scientist, co-founded Perplexity in 2022. This AI search engine has drawn high-profile investors like Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, positioning itself as a major player in the search industry.

xAI: Musk’s AI Empire

Expands Kyle Kosic, an OpenAI alumnus, played a key role in Elon Musk’s xAI, which recently acquired X (formerly Twitter). The combined entity is valued at $113 billion, showcasing the influence of OpenAI alumni in shaping the future of AI and social media.

1. Anthropic

Founders: Dario Amodei, Daniela Amodei, and John Schulman

Founded: 2021

Description: Focused on AI safety, Anthropic aims to develop "safe AGI" (Artificial General Intelligence). It has become a major competitor to OpenAI, with a valuation of $61.5 billion as of 2025.

Safe Superintelligence (SSI)

Founder: Ilya Sutskever

Founded: 2024

Description: SSI is dedicated to creating a safe superintelligence. Despite having no product or revenue, it has raised $2 billion and is valued at $32 billion.

Thinking Machines Lab

Founder: Mira Murati

Founded: 2025

Description: This startup focuses on building customizable and capable AI systems. It has attracted significant funding and top talent from the AI community.

Perplexity

Founder: Aravind Srinivas

Founded: 2022

Description: An AI-powered search engine designed to redefine how users interact with search technology. It has gained attention from high-profile investors.

xAI

Contributor: Kyle Kosic (OpenAI alumnus)
Founded: 2023

Description: Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, focuses on advancing AI technologies and recently acquired X (formerly Twitter), creating a powerful AI-social media entity.