AI Spotlight
Company: Together AI
Valuation: $3.3B
What surprised us: They went both product-led and sales-led — and positioned directly against OpenAI.

Together AI Went from Stealth to $3.3B in 30 Months. Here’s What Surprised Me About Their Go-To-Market Strategy

In the crowded, high-stakes world of artificial intelligence, most startups try to play it safe: find a niche, avoid the giants, and hope to survive long enough to matter.

Together AI didn’t get that memo.

Launched in 2023, Together AI emerged from stealth mode and scaled to a staggering $3.3 billion valuation in just 30 months. It did so not just with strong technical chops — offering a platform for building custom, open-source AI models — but by breaking conventional startup rules around positioning, messaging, and go-to-market (GTM) strategy.

They challenged the biggest player in the space. They said the quiet parts out loud. And they pursued both product-led and sales-led growth with equal intensity.

Here’s how they did it — and what other startups can learn from their approach.

Challenging the Giant: Positioning Against OpenAI

When most founders pitch a startup idea, one question inevitably comes up:
“Who else is doing this?”

If the answer is OpenAI, most VCs raise an eyebrow. Competing with a $300B company that’s synonymous with generative AI seems like a nonstarter.

But for Together AI, that was the whole point.

Instead of trying to differentiate quietly or go around OpenAI, they positioned themselves directly against it. And they did so with clarity and purpose.

• OpenAI was seen as closed, proprietary, and controlled.

• Together AI leaned into being open, customizable, and liberating.

By taking a strong, counter-positioned stance, they attracted developers and enterprises who wanted more transparency, flexibility, and control over their models. They didn’t avoid the elephant in the room — they turned it into their launchpad.

It’s a classic case of challenger branding, executed with precision.

Turning Fear Into Fuel: The Power of Provocative Messaging

In a space as hyped as AI, it’s easy to fall into vague, buzzword-heavy messaging. But Together AI stood out by tapping into something more emotional: fear.

Their marketing strategy revolved around a critical narrative:

Relying on Big Tech for your AI infrastructure is a risk — not just a convenience.

This message hit on several real concerns within enterprise IT and developer communities:

• Vendor lock-in

• Lack of data privacy

• Inability to fine-tune or control models

• Overdependence on black-box systems

Together AI didn’t just whisper these worries. They broadcasted them — through bold LinkedIn posts, panel talks, and media soundbites. One headline that went viral read:

“Together AI and the High-Stakes Race for Generative AI Supremacy”

They leaned into the idea that the AI landscape is a battleground — and framed themselves as the trustworthy, transparent alternative to opaque incumbents.

In a market driven by narrative as much as by technology, this tone of urgency and rebellion made people pay attention.

A Rare Move: Dual GTM Motions from Day One

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Together AI’s rise is that they didn’t pick just one GTM motion — they did both.

1. Top-Down Enterprise Sales

They built a traditional B2B sales engine with enterprise buyers in mind:

• Hired experienced sales leaders from the outset.

• Landed strategic pilots in regulated industries like healthcare and finance.

• Turned those pilots into highly specific case studies, equipping the sales team with targeted proof points for vertical expansion.

This gave them early revenue, credibility with enterprise buyers, and momentum with decision-makers.

2. Bottom-Up Developer Growth

At the same time, Together AI went hard after the developer community:

• Open-sourced their own models like RedPajama to attract attention and trust.

• Built APIs compatible with OpenAI’s — making it easy for teams to switch.

• Acquired CodeSandbox — a beloved online IDE with a massive dev following.

• Hosted community hackathons and launched toolkits to spark experimentation.

This grassroots momentum was crucial. By winning the hearts of developers, they built a user base that could pull them into enterprise deals organically — even as they pushed top-down with traditional sales.

It was a bold decision. Most startups choose one path to conserve focus and resources. But Together AI’s team understood the power of channel diversity — and made the two strategies reinforce each other.

Lessons from a $3.3B GTM Playbook

So what can other founders and operators learn from Together AI’s meteoric rise?

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Stand

Positioning against a dominant player isn’t always a risk — it can be a rallying cry. Together AI’s “anti-OpenAI” identity gave them clarity in the market and energized their community.

2. Speak the Truth — Even If It’s Spicy

They didn’t tiptoe around market tensions. They spoke directly to concerns about control, security, and transparency — and in doing so, earned trust.

3. Consider Hybrid GTM Early

Rather than waiting to evolve from product-led to sales-led (or vice versa), they launched both in tandem. The synergy between these two motions helped them scale faster than most.

4. Own the Narrative

They didn’t just build tools — they told a story. A story about AI independence, open collaboration, and developer empowerment. In an era where storytelling matters as much as shipping, that made all the difference.

Looking Ahead

Together AI’s success doesn’t mean every startup should go to war with OpenAI or copy their GTM playbook verbatim. But it does challenge a lot of standard assumptions about how to build and scale in a market as competitive and fast-moving as AI.

The real takeaway? Be bold. Have a point of view. Build trust through transparency — and don’t be afraid to try both paths when it comes to growth.

With more players like Perplexity AI taking similarly audacious approaches, it’s clear that the next wave of AI innovation may not come from the biggest labs — but from the challengers who dare to think differently.

Curious to see more company spotlights and GTM breakdowns? Follow along — we’re just getting started.