OpenAI invests in Thrive Holdings in latest circular deal
What's the story
OpenAI has taken an ownership stake in Thrive Holdings, whose parent company is Thrive Capital, a major investor in OpenAI. The deal was announced on Monday and comes as part of OpenAI's strategy to expand its influence in the private equity sector. The AI giant will send employees from its engineering, research, and product teams to work within Thrive's portfolio companies.
Strategic partnership
OpenAI's role in Thrive Holdings's portfolio companies
The strategic partnership between OpenAI and Thrive Holdings will see the former's employees working on projects across various sectors, particularly accounting and IT services. The goal is to speed up AI adoption and increase efficiency in these industries. This direct engagement model is different from other circular deals in the industry. The idea is that OpenAI will profit when these companies grow, based on the growth its work has helped generate.
Investment model
OpenAI's investment strategy and potential returns
OpenAI's investment strategy is similar to other recent deals it has made with infrastructure partners such as Advanced Micro Devices and CoreWeave. For instance, OpenAI had invested $350 million in CoreWeave, which used the money to buy NVIDIA chips. These chips power OpenAI's operations, boosting CoreWeave's revenue and eventually increasing the value of OpenAI's stake.
Market response
Thrive Holdings defends market response characterization
Thrive Holdings has pushed back against the characterization of its deal with OpenAI as a circular one. A spokesperson for the company said that the agreement is "responding to an unmet need in the market" rather than creating demand. The spokesperson also highlighted organic customer interest from portfolio companies like accounting firm Crete and IT firm Shield, which existed before the formal partnership with OpenAI.
Market impact
Analysts to monitor Thrive-owned firms' long-term success
Analysts will closely watch if Thrive-owned firms can build sustainable, profitable businesses with OpenAI's technology. Or, if the outcome is just inflated valuations based on speculative market potential. The embedded nature of OpenAI's involvement and the overlapping ownership with Thrive Capital on both sides makes it hard to determine whether success comes from real market traction or advantages that may not scale without OpenAI's direct support.