Publications
Publications
- February 2024 (Revised January 2025)
- HBS Case Collection
AGENTS.inc: Pathways to Growth at an AI Startup
By: Frank Nagle, Manuel Hoffmann, Karoline Ströhlein and Susan Pinckney
Abstract
The case describes the history of AGENTS.inc. Despite being a small startup, with only four employees, that had never had a funding round, the company boasted an impressive client portfolio including multiple Fortune 500 companies. While AGENTS.inc had been an early mover in the AI agent space, the company faced increased and well-funded competition in 2024. The founders needed to raise a seed funding round, to decide if they should continue their B2B model or change to focus on creating a digital agent store, and if they should release their software to open source. If they did so, they needed to decide what to make open source and what to retain as proprietary.
Keywords
Business Growth and Maturation; Business Model; Business Startups; Small Business; Transformation; Customer Focus and Relationships; Decisions; Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Financial Strategy; AI and Machine Learning; Digital Platforms; Technological Innovation; Copyright; Management; Growth and Development; Market Timing; Ownership; Risk and Uncertainty; Competition; Open Source Distribution; Entrepreneurial Finance; Computer Industry; Europe; Germany
Citation
Nagle, Frank, Manuel Hoffmann, Karoline Ströhlein, and Susan Pinckney. "AGENTS.inc: Pathways to Growth at an AI Startup." Harvard Business School Case 724-444, February 2024. (Revised January 2025.)