NYC AI Agent Unicorns on Hiring Sprees
Two NYC-based AI agent startups, now valued over $1B each, are aggressively hiring engineers. One, a tax automation unicorn that just raised $100M at a $1.15B valuation, has 19 open engineering roles. Another, a YC-backed marketing agent platform for clients like Spotify and Ramp, has 45 roles open for AI/ML and backend engineers.
The NYC-based AI agent unicorn, Basis, secured its $100M Series B at a $1.15B valuation in a round led by Accel and GV. This funding is aimed at expanding their team to further develop AI agents that automate complex accounting workflows, including financial statement preparation and tax filings. The platform is already in use by 30% of the top 25 U.S. accounting firms, signaling a significant shift towards agentic AI in regulated industries. For engineers looking to build similar AI-native applications, frameworks like LangGraph, CrewAI, and AutoGen are becoming the industry standard. LangGraph allows for building robust agents as a state graph, which simplifies debugging complex workflows. CrewAI focuses on orchestrating multi-agent systems, enabling teams to prototype collaborative AI agents quickly. These tools provide the core components for memory, task management, and integrating with external APIs, which are crucial for developing sophisticated AI agents. The fundraising landscape in NYC for AI startups is robust, with the city's VC firms investing $42.3 billion across more than 1,800 deals in 2025, with AI companies capturing 22% of that capital. VCs like Union Square Ventures, Lux Capital, and Insight Partners are actively funding enterprise AI. The average seed round for an AI company in New York is between $2.5M and $4M, higher than other sectors due to the significant compute costs involved in training models. For those drawn to consumer and social apps, the growth playbook for 2026 is centered on short-form video and user-generated content. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels are the primary channels for user acquisition, with algorithms rewarding consistent posting. Successful strategies involve creating authentic, community-building content that encourages engagement and interaction, rather than focusing solely on follower counts. Engineers building a side project while employed can draw inspiration from indie hackers like Tony Dinh, who grew his solo venture to ~$45k a month in two years. The key is to start small with a minimum viable product to validate the idea quickly. Successful employed founders typically dedicate 15-20 hours a week, focusing on the 20% of tasks that drive 80% of the progress, such as customer acquisition over perfecting a logo. Vertical SaaS presents a significant opportunity, particularly in industries with analog-heavy workflows like healthcare, construction, and logistics. These specialized SaaS products offer deep, industry-specific functionality, which creates a strong competitive advantage and higher customer retention compared to horizontal solutions. The trend is moving towards AI-native vertical SaaS that embeds AI directly into the core workflows of a specific industry.
