Read, Watch or Listen

StackBlitz, a struggling startup, faced an ultimatum in late 2023: show progress or face closure. Instead of focusing on acquisition, co-founders Simons and Pai experimented with AI coding, initially abandoning the project. However, Anthropic's Sonnet 3.5 model proved a game-changer. StackBlitz launched Bolt.new, an AI-powered coding tool allowing non-technical users to build apps using plain English. Within weeks, Bolt generated millions in annual recurring revenue (ARR), transforming StackBlitz from near-failure to a $700 million valuation. The company now boasts millions of users and significant ARR, fueled by its unique WebContainers technology, and faces competition from Figma's new offering.

Prepared by Jonathan Pierce and reviewed by editorial team.