What startups are building next, according to OpenAI’s Head of Startups - Equity Recap

Podcast: Equity

Published: 2025-11-12

Duration: 32 min

Summary

In this episode, OpenAI's Mark Manara discusses how AI startups are evolving and the rapid development cycles in the AI space. He emphasizes OpenAI's commitment to both consumer and enterprise AI, highlighting the collaborative efforts with startups to enhance product functionalities.

What Happened

In a live interview from TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Russell Brandom sits down with Mark Manara, OpenAI's head of startups, to explore the evolving landscape of AI-native companies. They discuss the common perception that OpenAI primarily focuses on consumer AI through its ChatGPT product, while enterprise AI is often attributed to competitors like Anthropic and Cohere. Manara counters this notion, asserting that OpenAI is heavily invested in B2B initiatives, particularly by supporting innovative startups building on their platform.

Manara highlights the importance of feedback from startups, noting that they are vocal about the areas needing improvement in OpenAI's models. Key concerns include cost, latency, and the capabilities of models to effectively call external tools. He elaborates on the significance of tool calling in enhancing the performance of AI agents and emphasizes the need for models to provide context to users, particularly in coding applications. As the tech landscape evolves, Manara underscores that OpenAI is committed to refining its models based on the specific needs of startups, ensuring that they remain competitive and responsive to market demands.

Key Insights

Key Questions Answered

What is OpenAI's focus in the B2B sector?

Mark Manara clarifies that OpenAI is heavily invested in the B2B side of its business, working closely with enterprises and innovative startups. He emphasizes that the company is not solely a consumer-focused entity, but is actively supporting startups building on their platform, ensuring that their needs are met through targeted investments and a dedicated team.

How do startups influence OpenAI's model development?

According to Manara, startups are very vocal about their experiences and requirements regarding OpenAI's models. He points out that these companies provide crucial feedback on areas where the models fall short, which in turn informs OpenAI's development priorities. This feedback loop is essential for improving model performance and aligning product capabilities with startup needs.

What are the main concerns startups have about AI models?

Startups have expressed concerns about cost and latency, which are ongoing issues in AI development. Additionally, there is a strong focus on the ability of models to effectively call external tools, which is critical for enhancing the performance of AI agents. Manara notes that these factors are at the forefront of discussions with startups, as they seek to optimize their products.

What challenges do startups face with coding applications using AI?

Manara discusses the importance of user experience in coding applications, highlighting that models need to provide context when making tool calls. Without this context, the user experience can suffer, particularly if a model is executing multiple actions without explanation. He emphasizes that addressing code quality and the personality of models is vital for improving user interactions.

How does OpenAI prioritize startup needs in its model development?

OpenAI is taking a proactive approach to prioritize the feedback from startups by building a team dedicated to understanding their needs. Manara mentions that this team comprises former founders and operators who can empathize with the challenges startups face. This collaborative effort aims to refine OpenAI's models and ensure they are equipped to meet the evolving demands of the startup ecosystem.