Founder worked 100-hour weeks to keep his AI startup alive. Now, it's worth $1.3 billion

Recalling some of his toughest times, Gecko Robotics's CEO Jake Loosararian said his early prototypes, designed to inspect power plant boilers, frequently malfunctioned, requiring him to work in 'dirty and horrible' conditions.

Edited by : Ankita Sengupta

July 13, 2025 / 15:00 IST

Jake Loosararian is the co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics in Pennsylvania. (Image credit: LinkedIn)

The founder of an AI robotics startup in the US has shared that he often had to work 100-hour weeks and almost go bankrupt to keep his business alive. Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Pennsylvania-based Gecko Robotics, told CNBC Make It he faced immense struggles, but a decade later, his perseverance has paid off, with the company now valued at $1.25 billion.

Loosararian's journey began in 2013, right after graduation. Against the strong advice of his family and professors who told him, "Don’t f---ing do it," he decided to turn a school project into a full-time business. For nearly three years, he bootstrapped Gecko, often sleeping on friends’ couches and battling financial woes.

"I was down to my last dollars. My best friend was living in a crummy basement apartment. There was a section behind his couch and I was like, 'Can I take that?' I laid the mattress down. That was where I slept for, like, two and a half years," the 34-year-old told CNBC Make It.

Moreover, his early prototypes, designed to inspect power plant boilers, frequently malfunctioned, requiring him to work in "dirty and horrible" conditions.

Despite considering giving up multiple times, Loosararian remained convinced that building his own company was preferable to working for others. His resolve was bolstered by direct engagement with customers. "What helped me get through it was spending time with customers and hearing how important the problem was to solve... That gave me the encouragement I needed to feel I wasn’t just fooling myself."