Are one-person billion-dollar companies possible in the AI era?

In its August 11, 2025 issue, The Economist introduced a striking new concept:
the “one-person unicorn” — a company founded, run, and scaled by a single person to a valuation of over $1 billion.

Today, an entrepreneur no longer needs:

• a software team

• a marketing agency

• an accounting office

• a design studio

AI agents are taking their place.
They develop products, find customers, prepare proposals, and manage advertising.

In other words:

One person + Artificial Intelligence = a full-scale company

This shift is not limited to software. It is transforming engineering, construction, energy, industrial zones, and manufacturing as well.

At Tolay Engineering, we already see this in practice:
A single project manager, supported by AI-driven structural, cost, and proposal systems, can now handle the workload that once required a team of ten.

But there is a crucial warning.

While AI makes everything faster and cheaper, it also makes copying easier than ever.
Real competitive advantage now comes from:

• deep industry expertise

• project experience

• and the ability to deliver in the field

AI provides speed — but trust, references, and engineering judgment are still human.

In the next decade, the winners will not be those with the biggest teams,
but those with small, intelligent structures and a clear vision.

#AI #Entrepreneurship #Solopreneur #ArtificialIntelligence #Engineering #Industrial #TolayEngineering #FutureOfWork #Startup