The Rise of Solo Founders

Solo entrepreneurship has become a global movement. From London to Algiers, Beijing to Paris, the idea of building a business alone no longer feels radical, it feels normal. According to a 2023 report by Stripe Atlas, over 60% of new startups are launched by solo founders. But this isn’t just a U.S. trend. In the UK, I’ve seen consultants and brand strategists quietly pivot into solo SaaS or content-led ventures. In France, communities like Indie Makers and bootstrapped builders are creating profitable micro-startups that thrive without external capital.

In Algeria, where traditional employment paths often feel limiting, more young people are finding their way online, freelancing, running AI-powered TikTok accounts, or selling digital goods and services, they’re building futures with what’s available. That mindset resonates deeply with me. I’ve watched people turn lack of infrastructure into ingenuity.

I used to believe that starting something solo meant you hadn’t found the “right” partner or team. But over time, working across Europe, Asia, and North Africa, I realized that going solo often means having more clarity, more speed, and fewer compromises. Sometimes, independence isn’t plan B, it’s the most powerful plan A you can have.

How AI Is Rewriting the Rules

One of the biggest accelerators of this solo revolution? Artificial intelligence. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Devin, and Midjourney are no longer novelties, they’re essential infrastructure.

In China, I’ve seen solo e-commerce operators automate everything from customer service to product descriptions using AI tools integrated directly into WeChat mini-programs. In the UK and France, AI-enhanced design and writing workflows are turning creatives into one-person agencies. Even in Algeria, I’ve spoken to students using free or pirated AI tools to land international freelance gigs, copywriting, branding, even small app builds.

When I first started out in marketing and PR, I used to spend hours designing pitch decks or writing dual-language press releases and spend even more time dispatching them. Now, I can complete the work in half the time, and in three or four languages that I speak I must add as well, by using the right automation stack. That’s not just productivity; that’s absolute power.

Why Solo Is Not Just Possible, It’s Strategic

Being solo today isn’t just about having fewer people on payroll, it’s about having fewer bottlenecks. I’ve lived in France and China long enough to know that bureaucracy can kill momentum. As a solo founder, you can skip the waiting game and just ship.

When I was building Sociio.io, which I’ve renamed Getsociio.com one of the most liberating moments was realizing I could test ideas, redesign interfaces, and write content myself, without looping in four departments and by only getting the help of a few colleagues located all over the world as opposed to an in-site team. That same freedom has helped me consult for others across industries, because I’ve learned to move fast and keep quality high.

Another key point? Cost. In Algeria, for example, most people may not have the initial capital to hire teams but they have talent. Solo doesn’t mean small; it means focused. With $100, an internet connection, and the right tools, someone in Algiers, Oran or Tebessa can now compete with startups in London or Dubai and get juicy contracts from companies in Saudi Arabia or the US.

And creatively, there’s a deep satisfaction in not having to dilute your vision. I’ve worked on campaigns where too many opinions killed a good idea. When you’re solo, you answer to your market, not to a room full of maybe’s and raised eyebrows.

Facing the Loneliness, and Building Community

That said, solo is not the same as isolated. The emotional challenges are real, especially if you’re operating in an environment where entrepreneurship is misunderstood or unsupported. In Algeria, I’ve seen brilliant people give up, not because they lacked ideas, but because they had no one around them who got it. In China, the breakneck pace means if you fall behind, you’re invisible and no one would bat an eye at your idea or concept.

I’ve felt this myself, being based between China and Europe, sometimes with no physical team around, no daily feedback loop, and no clear roadmap, the temptation to overwork or overthink is real. But I’ve learned that community doesn’t have to be physical. A Twitter DM, a Slack channel, a voice note with a friend building their own thing, those touchpoints matter more than we realize.

That’s why I started being more open about my own journey online. Once I stopped pretending I had everything figured out, I found others who were walking the same path. You don’t need a co-founder to feel supported, you need connection.

Looking Ahead: The Global Solo Movement

The future of solo entrepreneurship won’t be limited to the “indie dev” in New York or the TikToker in LA. It’s going to be the French designer who speaks Arabic, the Chinese developer launching a GPT-powered product for Africa, the Algerian coach building a Substack in English.

And it’s people like us, multicultural, multilingual, and deeply hybrid, who are positioned to lead it.

The tools are already here. The barriers are already falling. The only thing missing is sometimes permission. But if I’ve learned anything from working across cultures, industries, and platforms, it’s this:

No one is coming to give you permission. You have to decide.

And when you do, you’ll realize that solo doesn’t mean alone. It means unlocked.