Zoom’s $150,000 Bet on Solo Founders

Zoom is putting its money where its platform is.

The video communications giant told Fortune this weekend that it is awarding a total of $150,000 in cash grants to five independent business owners—$30,000 each—who have made their mark in the “business of one” economy.

The no-strings-attached grants are the centerpiece of the Zoom Solopreneur 50, an initiative designed to celebrate the most innovative individual operators in the United States. “‘One person’ isn’t just a headcount,” Zoom says on the list’s homepage, “it’s a powerful business model.”

While the $26 billion company has long been associated with corporate remote work, this new national index showcases Zoom’s belief that there’s been a notable shift in the corporate landscape, from massive enterprise teams to a growing number of agile, AI-empowered solo founders.

“The Solopreneur 50 is our way of recognizing that shift early,” said Kimberly Storin, Zoom’s chief marketing officer. “It highlights a new class of builders who are redefining what a company looks like and proving that ambition today is shaped more by focus and capability than by size.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports there are more than 33 million self-employed workers nationwide—and 82 percent of them have zero employees.

“This program reflects where work is going—and the people already building there,” Storin said. “This isn’t about building billion-dollar companies. It’s about building sustainable, profitable businesses that support a life. That’s a modern version of the American dream, where ownership, independence, and control are all enabled by technology.”