ZenBusiness Passes 1 Million Businesses Started, Adds AI Tools
ZenBusiness says it has officially started 1 million businesses and is using insights from those companies to expand its AI tools for entrepreneurs. The Austin-based platform is moving beyond formation and compliance with features designed to help founders plan, fund and launch their businesses.
- ZenBusiness says it has started 1 million businesses.
- The company has handled more than five million filings in all 50 states.
- Velo has handled more than 3.17 million conversations since July 2025.
- New tools cover business plans, market analysis, grants and launch announcements.
- Velo Blueprint was released in June 2026 as a free, step-by-step planning tool.
A decade of lessons from business founders
ZenBusiness said on Nov. 10 that it has supported the creation of 1 million businesses after a decade of operations. The company also said it has handled more than five million filings across all 50 states.
The milestone comes as business formation remains strong in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 5.67 million new business applications were filed in 2025. ZenBusiness said access to professional advice remains a barrier, citing its 2026 State of Entrepreneurship Report, which found that 37% of current or aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford any outside professional help and 76% say fear is holding them back from starting.
According to ZenBusiness, the company has seen founders struggle with paperwork, deadlines and unexpected questions as they move from an idea to an operating business. Those observations have helped shape ZenBusiness Velo, its personalized AI guide for small business owners.
New Velo tools target early business hurdles
ZenBusiness is rolling out several Velo features aimed at helping prospective and current business owners take practical steps. The Business Plan Generator helps users develop and understand a plan that is ready for investors, partners and other parties. The Market Analysis Tool creates reports on similar businesses, allowing prospective owners to assess whether an idea holds up.
The Grant Finder searches for grants a business may qualify for, while the Launch Announcement Writer creates messages for websites, emails and social media. ZenBusiness also listed a mission builder, content starter, insurance researcher and marketing plan generators among the additional tools.
Velo launched in July 2025 and has handled more than 3.17 million conversations, according to ZenBusiness. In June 2026, the company released Velo Blueprint, a free, step-by-step plan intended to help founders develop an idea into a business.
From formation to ongoing support
ZenBusiness CEO and Co-Founder Ross Buhrdorf said the tools respond to a lack of clarity and confidence among prospective founders. “Most of the people we talk to already have the idea for their business. What they're missing is a clear first step and the confidence that they're doing it right,” Buhrdorf said in the company announcement.
The company presented customer examples covering different stages of business ownership. Faith Tinker-Phelps, Founder & CEO of Faith TP and Co., said ZenBusiness helped her take the step from an idea to a company. Victor Bilgen, Founder & CEO of BridgeLayer Analytics, described ZenBusiness as an administrative partner and said it helped him switch from a standard LLC to an S Corp designation.
ZenBusiness said its goal is to support owners from their first question through their first customer and beyond. The company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Entrepreneurs can try Velo and the Blueprint tools at zenbusiness.com/velo.
PR Newswire: /C O R R E C T I O N - ZenBusiness/
