Meta Offered $1 Billion to Buy Her AI Startup. She Said No — So Zuckerberg Paid One of Her Co-Founders $1.5 Billion to Leave Instead.

Mira Murati turned down Meta's reported $1B offer for her AI startup. Zuckerberg then spent up to $1.5B trying to hire her co-founders away instead.

Mira Murati photographed in profile at the 2026 Met Gala, hair swept back, wearing a gold sequined gown
Mira MuratiCo-founder & CEO, Thinking Machines Lab
1,049+ founder stories100K+ monthly readersSince 2017 · the founder publication

Featured founders

1,049+ founders, on the record.

A few of the people we’ve sat down with. You could be next.

Nick Riley of Driftwood Builders Roofing on Building Trust in AustinAnantharaj Appanan’s Professional Journey: From Law to Leadership“The Entrepreneurial Mind” – An Interview With Successful Entrepreneur Andrew DuplessieInterview with Brian Underwood, CEO of PrüvitTony Robbins Interview – How to Achieve Your Highest PotentialOne interview with GeryC .Interview with Judge Graham: Digital Marketing and Culture ExpertHow Starting A Podcast Helped Ben Gothard Interview Powerhouse EntrepreneursHow John Danes Built a Top 100 Business Podcast in 10 MonthsSuccess Interview With Content Creator Jun Yang AKA JefoInterview with Lyle Hauser, visionary CEO of the Vantage GroupInterview With Healthcare Entrepreneur, Joel Landau

Your turn

Be the founder
others read about.

An editor-written profile, a permanent indexed page, and a credential worth keeping. Join the 1,049+ founders we’ve featured.

The newsletter

Join the inside track.

Founder stories, capital moves, and the signals shaping the next era of business — weekly.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.