.jpg)
Zoom today announced the inaugural Zoom Solopreneur 50, a recognition and grant program honoring AI-powered businesses of one across the United States, and released new data from its "Rise of the Solopreneur" report. Together, the program and research highlight how independent professionals are using artificial intelligence to build and scale sustainable businesses without traditional teams, reflecting a broader shift in how work is structured and executed.
50 honorees selected from nearly 3,000 U.S. applicants; 5 grant recipients awarded $30,000 each.
82% of honorees use AI for client communication and meetings; 78% for automation and operational efficiency.
62% of applicants operate active, revenue-generating businesses; median founding year 2022.
12 industries represented, led by Services & Consulting (20%), Health & Wellness (14%), and Social Impact (12%).
California (13%) and New York (10%) lead by state; Atlanta leads all cities (8%).
More than 30 million small businesses in U.S., with 82% operating without employees (US Chamber of Commerce).
For decades, small business growth has been defined by increasing overhead and scaling operations through headcount. The emergence of AI-powered solopreneurs represents a different model: individuals using artificial intelligence and integrated platforms to replace functions historically handled by full teams. Instead of managing people and tools, these operators are assembling capabilities and automating communication, production, and workflows to run efficient, revenue-generating businesses independently. Headcount used to be the measure of scale. But AI is decoupling growth from hiring. A new generation of solopreneurs operates with the capabilities of full teams without the overhead.
The Rise of the Solopreneur report reveals that AI is replacing core business functions for solopreneurs: client communication and meetings (82%), automation and operational efficiency (78%), collaboration with partners and contractors (71%), delivering services or products virtually (46%), and content creation and audience building (46%). This shift is driven by platforms that integrate communication and execution into a single workflow, including Zoom Workplace and Zoom AI Companion, designed as a system of action that captures context from conversations and automatically generates next steps, follow-ups, and deliverables without requiring additional tools.
Selected from nearly 3,000 U.S.-based applicants, the Zoom Solopreneur 50 recognizes individuals who leverage AI and digital tools to turn creative ideas into outcomes. Five grant recipients each received $30,000: Cierra Gross (Worklution), Derek McCracken (The Owl's Nest), Angela Morrison (Cakes by Angela), Michael Odokara-Okigbo (NKENNE), and Dana Snyder (Positive Equation). Honorees were selected by a jury including leaders from Upwork, Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, and Zoom.
About Zoom
Zoom is a system of action for modern work, turning live collaboration into completed results. From entrepreneurs to global enterprises, customers choose Zoom to seamlessly collaborate, communicate, and drive outcomes across meetings, phone, contact center, and more — all with the built-in assistance of Zoom AI Companion.
TechIntelPro empowers B2B technology decision-makers with the latest industry trends, deep insights, leadership perspectives and actionable intelligence to drive both organizational and professional milestones—and thrive on the tech pulse.