In 2016, 17% of US startups had a solo founder.
In 2025, it is 36%.
A co‑founder added for optics becomes a co‑founder conflict within 12 months.
At the pre‑seed stage the five archetypal roles of a mature AI‑enhanced product team collapse into a single founder.
The founder acts simultaneously as prototyper, builder, and sweeper, with AI accelerating each function.
I observe that this consolidation speeds the journey from prototype to product launch compared to traditional multi‑person teams.