OpenAI has restructured the governance of its venture capital fund, altering the ownership structure to remove CEO Sam Altman’s control, as disclosed in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 29. Previously, Altman’s ownership of the OpenAI Startup Fund sparked scrutiny due to its unconventional setup, where Altman raised funds from external limited partners and made investment decisions. Although marketed akin to a corporate venture arm, Altman has clarified that he does not hold a financial interest in the fund. Axios first reported on the ownership change, indicating a shift in control to Ian Hathaway, a partner at the fund since 2021. Hathaway will take over as the general partner, while Altman steps away from the fund’s management. This move, according to OpenAI, provides further transparency, as the fund, with $175 million in investments from partners like Microsoft, operates independently from OpenAI itself.
Altman’s relinquishment of control underscores a strategic shift for OpenAI and aims to streamline the fund’s operations under Hathaway’s oversight. Hathaway, who has spearheaded the fund’s accelerator program and led investments in various companies, including Harvey, Cursor, and Ambience Healthcare, is poised to navigate the fund’s future endeavors. Altman, renowned for his tenure at startup accelerator Y Combinator, has faced previous scrutiny for his extensive investment ventures outside OpenAI, spanning from cryptocurrency startups like Worldcoin to fusion energy endeavors like Helion Energy. This restructuring not only clarifies the fund’s management but also reflects OpenAI’s commitment to optimizing its investment strategies for the burgeoning AI startup landscape.