Want a big tech job? Startups may be your best shot now - here's why

AI is changing the tech job market, making startups attractive hiring options. Smaller companies are increasingly offering significant AI roles. This shift matters as it opens new career paths beyond big tech firms.

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PublishedMonday, June 29, 2026 at 2:31 PMJun 29, 02:31 PM

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AI is reshaping tech hiring, and smaller companies may offer some of the best opportunities today.

Launching a startup or small company can be a calculated gamble, but the innovation pouring out of this sector is astounding. Evidence suggests there are more opportunities for tech professionals at startups or for people launching their own companies, especially as hiring at larger tech firms flattens. However, research also suggests these fresh opportunities depend on multiple, complex factors.

When it comes to innovation, consider the latest innovation from Midjourney, a business launched on a community model with no investors or venture capital funding, which is disrupting the medical imaging space. The company, which at last report had 184 employees, recently announced it has built a low-cost method based on sound-based imaging rather than radiation or magnets.

Such examples highlight this is a good time for smaller tech innovators, with a range of opportunities for IT professionals.

Nearly 50% of 2025 VC funding targeted AI-related startups, according to a report from Ventureburn AI. Funding for AI startups reached $202 billion globally in 2025, up 75% year over year, the study found. There was even sizable growth in AI-focused startups, growing from 245 to 308 during the year.

The opportunities are such that many tech professionals are even thinking about micro-sized opportunities. The most recent US Census data reported that there are 29.8 million solopreneurs (one- or two-person businesses), and applications to start new businesses keep coming in. More than four million solopreneurs are in the professional, technical services, and scientific space. Another 400,000 are in the information sector.

The US Small Business Administration estimated that about 81% of businesses, or more than 28 million firms, have no employees. In contrast, there are about 20,000 large businesses across the country. The survey reported 16% of businesses established in 2022 (the most recent data available) were startups compared with 13% in 2019.

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Want a big tech job? Startups may be your best shot now - here's why

Original article excerpt