Alibaba.com says new data from its global startup competition suggests artificial intelligence is accelerating the shift toward solo entrepreneurship, with a growing share of founders building businesses without teams.
The business-to-business e-commerce platform reported that 71 per cent of more than 15,000 applicants to its CoCreate Pitch competition identified as solo founders, up from 40 per cent a year earlier.
The figures point to a broader shift in how companies are being launched, with AI tools allowing entrepreneurs to operate with fewer resources and reduced reliance on specialized staff.
Of those solo founders, 89 per cent said AI tools are essential to their entrepreneurial efforts, helping them address gaps in areas such as industrial design, coding and marketing.
The company said the findings reflect the emergence of what it describes as an “agentic business” model, where AI systems take on tasks that previously required teams, lowering barriers to entry and allowing businesses to scale with leaner operations.
Adoption of AI tools among entrepreneurs appears to be widespread across age groups. More than 70 per cent of applicants reported using AI in building their businesses, with usage rates exceeding 80 per cent among Gen Z, millennials and Gen X founders.
The data comes as Alibaba.com prepares for the return of its CoCreate Pitch competition, which includes a prize pool of more than $1 million. The competition has attracted applicants from 132 countries, with finals scheduled in the United States and Europe later this year.
The company said this year’s competition reflects a shift tied to the introduction of Accio Work, an AI tool designed for small and medium-sized enterprises. According to Alibaba.com, the technology is contributing to changes in how businesses are conceived and launched.
“This year’s application trends show that AI is rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship and fueling the rise of one-person companies, making it possible for one person to accomplish in a single day what used to require multiple specialists,” said Liz Wang, Global Head of Commercial Strategy at Alibaba.com.
“We reduced the CoCreate Pitch application form to just six fields because AI can understand the depth behind even a simple pitch, instantly identifying pain points, logic and potential. This points to the future of agent-to-agent commerce, where AI can interact with suppliers, logistics providers and factories on a business owner’s behalf, helping small businesses compete and win in the next era.”
The company said the shift also reflects changing patterns in how entrepreneurs approach business creation. In the United States, nearly 35 per cent of applicants cited burnout from their current jobs as a reason for starting their own ventures.
Among U.S. applicants, 40.5 per cent had not secured a contract manufacturer but had already developed brand websites and 3D product renderings, indicating an emphasis on early-stage concept development supported by digital tools.
In the United Kingdom, the applicant pool included a notable share of professionals transitioning into entrepreneurship. Nearly 12 per cent of applicants work in healthcare, while 10 per cent are employed in engineering or technology and six per cent in finance or consulting.
Applicants from France and Germany showed a different focus, with 19 per cent of projects centred on environmentally friendly or sustainable products, according to the company.
The competition is divided into three categories: a general small and medium-sized enterprise track, a “0-to-1” startup track and a student track. The 0-to-1 category, which focuses on early-stage ideas developed using AI tools, accounts for 65 per cent of applications.
Alibaba.com said the structure reflects growing interest among founders in using AI to move from initial concept to product development and launch.
The finals for the competition are scheduled to take place during CoCreate 2026, with events planned in Los Angeles on Sept. 9–10 and in London on Nov. 19–20.
The company said the competition offers a view into how global trade may evolve as AI becomes more integrated into business operations, particularly in interactions between companies and suppliers.
“This points to the future of agent-to-agent commerce, where AI can interact with suppliers, logistics providers and factories on a business owner’s behalf, helping small businesses compete and win in the next era,” Wang said.
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