Fireflies Built a $1B AI Business Without Burning VC Cash

“There are companies out there that will burn hundreds of millions of dollars to get to a billion-dollar milestone,” says Krish Ramineni, co-founder and CEO of Fireflies AI. “They’re burning $5 for every $1 that they make. And that’s not the right approach.”  Fireflies has taken a more deliberate path. Since its founding in 2016, the company has grown into a $1 billion business by staying lean, betting early on voice AI, and avoiding the urge to overspend for growth. In an interview with AIM Media House, CEO Krish Ramineni shared how Fireflies got there, and where it's headed next. “Sometimes when you take venture capital when you don’t need it, it can lead to bad habits.” “We did raise funding previously, our seed and Series A,” Ramineni says. “B