### A Bold Move in Tough Times

AI startup **Groq** faced a significant **cash crunch** a few years ago, prompting CEO **Jonathan Ross** to take drastic measures. In a bid to stabilize the company, he asked employees to **cut their cash salaries**. This decision was not taken lightly, but it was necessary as Groq struggled for years to find its **product-market fit**, which ultimately led to financial difficulties before a crucial funding round.

![Jonathan Ross](https://i.insider.com/667c062250b021b5cae98bd9?width=700)

> *When Groq faced a cash crunch a few years ago, CEO Jonathan Gross asked staff to cut their cash salaries.*  
> AP

This approach echoes strategies from **World War II fundraising**, highlighting the lengths to which startups may go to ensure their survival in challenging economic climates. Ross's leadership during this period showcases the resilience required in the competitive landscape of **entrepreneurship** and **startups**.

CEO Jonathan Ross said that it took the company years to find product-market fit, which led to a cash crunch before a funding round.

How Groq's CEO Faced a Cash Crunch and Inspired Staff to Make Sacrifices

Last year was a **monumental year** for the AI industry in the U.S. and beyond. In **2024**, there were **49 startups** that raised funding rounds worth **$100 million** or more, with three companies raising more than one **mega-round** and seven raising rounds at **$1 billion** or larger.

**How will 2025 compare?** It's still early in the year, but the number of U.S. AI companies that have raised more than **$100 million** is almost in double digits, and there has already been one round larger than **$1 billion**.

Here are all the U.S. AI companies that have raised more than **$100 million** so far this year:

## March
- **Anthropic** raised **$3.5 billion** in a Series E round that valued the startup at **$61.5 billion**. The round was announced on March 3 and was led by **Lightspeed** with participation from **Salesforce Ventures**, **Menlo Ventures**, and **General Catalyst**.

## February
- **Together AI**, which creates open source generative AI, raised **$305 million** in a Series B round, valuing the company at **$3.3 billion**. 
- **Lambda**, an AI infrastructure company, raised **$480 million** in a Series D round, valuing the startup at nearly **$2.5 billion**.
- **Abridge**, an AI platform for transcribing patient-clinician conversations, raised **$250 million** in a Series D round, valuing it at **$2.75 billion**.
- **Eudia**, an AI legal tech company, raised **$105 million** in a Series A round.
- **EnCharge AI**, which specializes in AI hardware, raised **$100 million** in a Series B round.
- **Harvey**, another AI legal tech company, raised **$300 million** in a Series D round, valuing it at **$3 billion**.

## January
- **ElevenLabs**, a synthetic voice startup, raised **$180 million** in a Series C round, valuing the company at more than **$3 billion**.
- **Hippocratic AI**, developing large language models for healthcare, raised **$141 million** in a Series B round, valuing it at over **$1.6 billion**.

The momentum in the AI sector shows no signs of slowing down, with innovative startups leading the charge towards a **technologically advanced future**.

U.S.-based AI startups continue to rake in venture funding with multiple companies already raising impressive rounds in 2025.

Discover the 9 US AI Startups That Raised Over $100M in 2025 – The Future of Innovation!

**The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs**  
There’s been a growing movement among women in business to **reject the term “female founder.”** The argument is that their work should **stand on its own merit**, free from what feels like a DEI qualifier. This backlash is similar to the response to “girl boss,” with women asserting: “I’m just a boss.”  
  
**Understanding the Resistance**  
The resistance to the term is understandable. Female entrepreneurs often have to fight for recognition, and the label “female founder” can imply tokenism rather than distinction. It suggests that being a woman is the defining characteristic of success, rather than the ability to innovate and lead.  
  
**Women-led Businesses Excel**  
However, the data tells a different story. Women-led companies perform **63% better than all-male founding teams** according to First Round Capital. Additionally, companies with a woman CEO produced **226% better returns than the S&P 500**. These statistics show that women-led teams generate **35% higher returns on investment** than their male-led counterparts.  
  
**The Impact of Female Leadership**  
Beyond financials, female leaders drive **stronger workplace engagement**. A 2015 Gallup report indicated that female managers outperform male counterparts in engaging employees. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that women leaders score higher in nearly every leadership competency.  
  
**Reframing the Conversation**  
The term “female founder” should not be seen as a limitation but rather as an **indicator of higher performance** and exceptional leadership. Instead of distancing from the term, we should **own it** as a mark of excellence.  
  
**Challenges Persist**  
Despite their success, women-led companies still receive only **2% of venture capital funding**. This disparity highlights the systemic barriers that exist in the business landscape.  
  
**Flipping the Script**  
Some female founders, like **Sarah Blakely of Spanx**, embrace their identity as a competitive advantage, proving that being underestimated can fuel success.  
  
**A Call to Redefine**  
What if “female founder” became synonymous with **outperforming expectations** and leading with excellence? There’s power in owning the term and the data that supports it. Being a female founder isn’t a limitation—it’s a **superpower**.

More women entrepreneurs want to drop “female” from “female founder.” Here’s why they shouldn’t.

Why the Label 'Female Founder' Should Be Celebrated, Not Shunned

### The Unexpected Government Crackdown
In February, **David Casem**, CEO of **Telnyx**, an internet voice call carrier, faced an unexpected challenge when the **FCC** accused his company of failing to properly vet customers who made scam robocalls targeting the FCC itself. The proposed fine? A staggering **$4.5 million**.

### A Bold Decision to Fight Back
Typically, tech executives might opt to pay the fine or negotiate a settlement, especially in the face of such a serious enforcement action. However, with **President Trump** in office, Casem decided to take a stand against what he perceived as unjust regulation. The Trump administration's **anti-regulation** stance gave him the courage to fight back.

### Rallying Support in D.C.
Casem enlisted the help of lobbyists and political consultants, including **P2 Pathway Public Affairs**, known for its association with **Elon Musk**. He traveled to Washington D.C. to gather support and allies in Congress. Recently, Telnyx publicly demanded that the FCC rescind the proposed fine, arguing that the company is a victim of unjust regulation under the Biden administration.

### Leveraging Executive Orders
In his defense, Casem pointed to two **Trump executive orders** aimed at increasing transparency in federal enforcement actions and eliminating unconstitutional regulations. He expressed hope that the FCC would reconsider its stance, stating that the enforcement action contradicts the President's agenda.

### A Wider Trend of Resistance
The atmosphere in Washington has shifted since Trump took office, emboldening businesses to push back against regulatory actions. For instance, the **SEC** recently withdrew several lawsuits against crypto exchanges that were initiated under Biden. Telnyx’s actions may set a precedent for other companies looking to challenge regulatory decisions.

### The Robocall Scam Incident
The controversy surrounding Telnyx stems from a robocall scam that targeted FCC officials, including Chairman **Brendan Carr**. Despite following best practices for fraud detection, Telnyx was caught in the crossfire of this enforcement action, which surprised Casem as he believed the FCC was investigating the robocallers, not his company.

### The Future of Regulatory Appeals
Casem has hired additional groups to bolster their appeal to the Trump administration and has expressed confidence that their arguments align with the President’s agenda. If Telnyx succeeds in overturning the FCC's action, it may encourage other companies to adopt similar strategies in dealing with regulatory challenges. As **Kevin Werbach**, a law professor at Wharton, noted, this could become a common practice in the coming years.

Telnyx, an internet voice call carrier, is trying to use Trump’s anti-regulation agenda to get an enforcement action by the FCC overturned.



How a Startup is Leveraging Trump's Anti-Regulation Strategy to Challenge the FCC

### Reflection AI Launches with Major Funding

**Reflection AI Inc.**, a groundbreaking startup founded by former Google DeepMind researchers, has launched with **$130 million** in early-stage funding. This impressive capital was acquired through two rounds, starting with a **$25 million seed investment** led by **Sequoia Capital** and **CRV**, followed by a significant **$105 million Series A** round co-led by **Lightspeed Venture Partners**.

![Reflection AI](https://d15shllkswkct0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/07/C1-2059-7-x-96x96.jpg)

### High-Profile Investors

The funding rounds attracted notable investors including **Nvidia Corp.’s** venture capital arm, **Reid Hoffman** (LinkedIn co-founder), and **Alexandr Wang** (CEO of Scale AI). **Reflection AI** is currently valued at **$555 million**.

### Leadership and Vision

The startup is co-founded by **Misha Laskin**, who serves as CEO and was instrumental in developing the training workflow for **Google’s Gemini** large language model series, and **Ioannis Antonoglou**, who specialized in Gemini’s post-training systems. Their goal is to create **superintelligence**, defined as an AI system capable of performing a majority of computer-related tasks.

### Initial Focus on Autonomous Programming Tools

As a first step, **Reflection AI** is developing an **autonomous programming tool**. The company believes that the technical foundations required for this tool are also applicable in the creation of a superintelligence. The team aims to develop AI agents that automate specific programming tasks, including:
- **Scanning code for vulnerabilities**
- **Optimizing memory usage**
- **Testing for reliability issues**

Additionally, the technology will generate **documentation** for code snippets and manage application infrastructure.

### Innovative Approach to AI Training

According to a recent job posting, **Reflection AI** plans to utilize **LLMs** (large language models) and **reinforcement learning** to power its software. This approach simplifies the creation of datasets by eliminating the need for explanatory data points. The company is also exploring **novel architectures** beyond the traditional **Transformer** neural network, potentially utilizing the **Mamba architecture**, which offers improved efficiency.

### Future Developments

The company’s plans include training its models with a vast array of graphics cards and developing **vLLM-like platforms** for non-LLM models, aimed at enhancing memory usage during model operation. As the company progresses, their agents are expected to take on increasingly complex tasks, boosting productivity and efficiency within software development.

**Investors from Sequoia Capital** envision a future where autonomous coding agents alleviate workloads, allowing teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. 

### Photo Credit: Sequoia Capital

Superintelligence startup Reflection AI launches with $130M in funding - SiliconANGLE

Reflection AI Secures $130M to Pioneer Superintelligence Development

### Sensay's Revolutionary Job Posting

AI startup **Sensay** has made headlines by posting what it claims is the **world's first job advertisement** for a **Full Stack Developer (AI Agent)** on LinkedIn. This unique listing seeks a fully autonomous AI capable of creating code, testing software, fixing bugs, and writing technical documentation—all without the need for a human developer.

### A New Approach to Hiring

Instead of hiring human talent, Sensay is inviting developers to submit **fully functional code**. They plan to offer an **annual salary**—the amount unspecified and open to negotiation—for the work that goes into creating this AI agent. Sensay specializes in crafting **lifelike digital replicas** or AI clones that can perform tasks on behalf of users, such as sending emails and participating in video calls, with over **half a million interactions** occurring daily.

### Not Expecting AI Applications

Despite the job being aimed at AI, **Sensay** clarified to *Entrepreneur* that they don't expect AI to apply for the position. This job posting stands out from the **tens of thousands** of listings for human AI engineers, as Sensay is solely interested in the software rather than the full-time contributions of human developers.

### CEO's Vision for the Future

Dan Thomson, Founder and CEO of Sensay, expressed excitement about this step, emphasizing the potential for **AI and humans** to work collaboratively in the future. The AI agent will function autonomously, assisting in the development of other AIs. At the time of writing, the listing had garnered **over 100 applicants**, seeking an AI program with a strong background in software development and machine learning.

### Integration into Communication Channels

Sensay plans to integrate the AI agent into various communication platforms, including **email, WhatsApp,** and **Slack**, allowing it to respond to feedback and contribute to software development as a human employee would. However, they humorously noted the importance of ensuring that their new AI hire doesn’t create its own LinkedIn profile!

### Challenges in the Job Market

Amidst this innovative approach, many job seekers face challenges, including the prevalence of **fake job listings** and now competition with AI applicants. According to a recent **LinkedIn Workforce Confidence survey**, American workers report feeling increasingly insecure about their job prospects, a sentiment echoed by users on platforms like **Reddit**, who highlight the hurdles faced in the job application process. 

For more insights on the evolving landscape of AI in the workplace, check out related articles discussing the productivity potential of AI agents and the implications of AI in hiring practices.

AI startup Sensay claims to have published the world's first job posting for an AI agent — and not a human AI developer — on LinkedIn.

AI Takes the Spotlight: Sensay's Groundbreaking Job Ad for an AI Agent

**Introduction to Freedom Cities**  
In a bold move, the architects behind projects like **Próspera** are advocating for the creation of **Freedom Cities** in the U.S., which would operate free from federal regulations. As **Allen** notes, there is abundant capital and political will, but the significant barrier remains the stringent regulations that stifle innovation.  
  
**The Debate Around Freedom Cities**  
However, not everyone is on board. **Gil Duran**, a political consultant, raises concerns about the implications of such cities, questioning what it means to exist outside the law. He warns that these cities could lead to the **hollowing out** of other areas, creating a divide between those who benefit from deregulation and those who do not.  
  
**Tax Structure and Regulation**  
Unlike **Próspera**, which has a distinct tax structure from Honduras, Freedom Cities in the U.S. would likely follow similar tax obligations as other American cities, with the primary difference lying in their regulatory framework.  
  
**The Rise of Biotech and Longevity**  
One of the companies poised to thrive in this environment is **Minicircle**, a biotech firm focused on **gene therapies** aimed at extending human lifespans. Backed by prominent figures like **Thiel** and **Sam Altman**, Minicircle has its roots in both Texas and Próspera, with its innovative **clinical trials** being possible only in deregulated spaces. Co-founder **Mac Davis** envisions a future where a ‘**longevity city**’ could see widespread adoption of gene therapies.  
  
**American Dynamism and New Industries**  
The industries targeted for growth in Freedom Cities include **energy**, **nuclear**, **semiconductors**, and **defense technology**—sectors that venture capital is increasingly focusing on. Allen refers to this trend as **American Dynamism**, a concept highlighted in a manifesto by **Andreessen Horowitz**. The venture capital landscape has seen over **$100 billion** invested in defense tech startups since 2021.  
  
**Nuclear Power and AI Data Centers**  
In an effort to support energy needs for **AI data centers**, major tech companies are exploring **nuclear power**. Amazon, Google, and Meta are among those making significant strides in this area, recognizing the potential of nuclear energy to meet their growing demands.  
  
**Manufacturing and Housing Innovations**  
Deregulation could also facilitate the establishment of manufacturing hubs and shipbuilding ports, bypassing environmental review processes. Partners like the **American Enterprise Institute** are eager to leverage Freedom Cities to address housing shortages.  
  
**Concerns About Democracy and Workers' Rights**  
Despite the potential advantages, Duran cautions that the same deregulation could lead to **cities without democracy** and **workers' rights**, where corporate interests dominate. This raises critical questions about the implications of creating such sovereign entities at the expense of broader societal freedoms.

The architects of projects like Próspera are drafting legislation to create US cities that would be free from federal regulations.

Unlocking the Future: How 'Freedom Cities' Could Transform American Entrepreneurship

### Overview
Recent developments suggest that the **office deal** involving Sam Altman’s crypto startup in San Francisco may be in jeopardy. This situation could have significant implications for both the startup and the local business landscape.

### Key Details
The deal, which was anticipated to bolster the startup's presence in the vibrant tech hub of San Francisco, is now facing uncertainties. Factors contributing to this potential fallout include market fluctuations and internal company dynamics that may hinder the transaction's completion.

### Implications for the Startup Ecosystem
If this deal falls through, it could affect not only the startup itself but also the broader **crypto industry** in the area, highlighting the challenges faced by emerging companies in securing physical space amidst an evolving market.

Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops. **The outcome of this deal could reshape the landscape for startups in the tech sector.**

How Groq's CEO Faced a Cash Crunch and Inspired Staff to Make Sacrifices

Summary:

A Bold Move in Tough Times

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