In 2025, ChatGPT topped Apple’s charts as the most downloaded app in the United States, outperforming household platforms like Instagram and TikTok. For someone like me, a serial entrepreneur with over two decades of experience and a track record in STEM, these trends provide a unique lens into how users, especially founders like us, are reshaping their digital preferences.
Why Does ChatGPT’s Success Matter for Entrepreneurs?
Back in 2023 when it first launched as a mobile app, ChatGPT was already creating ripples among freelancers and solopreneurs looking for ways to simplify their work. By 2025, it wasn’t just about saving time; it had become a go-to tool for brainstorming, customer interaction, ideation, and even pitch creation. The rise to the top is no random success, it’s a pivot point, especially for founders navigating limited resources. Let’s explore how such tools are reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape.
The Numbers: How Did ChatGPT Outsell Competitors?
Apple’s annual app ranking showed that ChatGPT landed as the No. 1 free iPhone app in the US, towering over Threads and Google. These apps ranked second and third, respectively, reinforcing that people still favor dynamic, multi-purpose platforms. Tools like TikTok and WhatsApp adjusted their functionalities to stay relevant, but OpenAI's AI-first strategy proved unbeatable.
To put things in perspective:
- In 2024, ChatGPT held fourth place.
- By 2025, it became dominant, accumulating millions of installs globally.
This trajectory speaks directly to where users are focusing their attention, adaptability coupled with AI-driven ease of use.
Lessons Learned If You’re a Female Entrepreneur in Europe
From my experience bootstrapping startups and interacting with founders through my Fe/male Switch startup game, here’s what we can take away:
1. AI Drives Success If Used Correctly
AI isn’t just about replacing work; it’s about identifying where it can help scale your efforts. Entrepreneurs can use ChatGPT for everything from analyzing market feasibility to automating customer FAQs. If you're wearing multiple hats as a founder, technology like this can add structure to your chaos.
2. Engagement Outweighs Legacy
Social and utility-driven apps like Instagram lost significant ground this year because users moved toward platforms offering immediate, practical value. This is another reminder that transactional engagement, direct problem solving, beats legacy branding in growth stages.
3. Costs Limits Busters
While many people view AI tools as “expensive toys for big businesses,” ChatGPT’s free and subscription tiers broke that myth. It made technology feel approachable, and by doing so, it empowered entrepreneurs who might’ve dismissed it as out of budget.
Designing Your Startup Around Growing AI Adoption
So, how do we, as European founders, take proactive steps in this evolving space? You don’t need a budget the size of OpenAI’s; you just need clarity on how these changing behaviors affect your niche.
Here’s a Quick Guide for Starting:
-
Identify Your Processes:
Reflect on where your time typically goes. Tasks like content creation, customer follow-ups, or product brainstorming are low-hanging fruits for AI solutions. -
Experiment with Advanced Tools Early:
Beginner-friendly applications like ChatGPT offer integrations with CRMs, email platforms, and scheduling tools. Review how apps like Calendly manage their APIs to get ideas for connecting your ecosystem. -
Train, Don’t Just Implement
I’ve been through too many projects where founders buy tech with no internal strategy. If you introduce something like ChatGPT into your business, train your team on its boundaries and strengths. Hands-on trials get your processes AI-ready. -
Measure Practical ROI:
For instance, if ChatGPT can reduce your writing time by 40%, calculate how that saved time converts into extra billable hours for you or your team.
The Most Common Mistakes to Avoid with AI
While it’s tempting to see these tools as plug-and-play solutions, many founders end up misusing them. I’ve noticed these patterns repeatedly:
- Skipping Question Refinement: ChatGPT responds to how you ask. If you input poorly thought-out queries, you'll likely end up in a loop of wasted iterations. Practice breaking your requests into narrower parts.
- Over-automating Human Tasks: Some founders get so enthusiastic about automation that they lose genuine human interaction. For example, no chatbot can replace savvy, gut-driven negotiations with big clients.
- Ignoring Privacy Management: We’re in Europe, where GDPR compliance needs deeper attention. Before integrating any AI-based services, always fine-tune their privacy settings or risk penalties later.
Broader Trends Impacting Startup Founders in 2025
As ChatGPT entrenches itself among user preferences, broader behavioral patterns are worth watching.
- AI Usage is Becoming Collective: Employees and founders alike are leveraging apps for entire workflows. Founders are using them not only for decisions but also for training interns or junior staff on repetitive tasks.
- Creativity-Oriented Companies Are Thriving: Apps like Procreate (ranked top paid app) remind us that art, design, and creativity still matter in tech; startups building collaborative tools for these industries will flourish.
What Entrepreneurs Can Do Next
The data is clear, people are embracing multitasking platforms powered by AI. Founders in Europe looking for their edge must ask themselves: “Am I building something adaptable like ChatGPT? Can my product branch out into everyday use seamlessly?”
For those not building tech itself, integrating the right mix of tools will still define success. Couple that with piecing together strategies your competitors are ignoring, and that’s an opening you can capitalize on.
This rise in ChatGPT gives us a formulaic reminder that innovation means nothing without accessibility. Build like that, and you’re one step ahead.
FAQ
1. What made ChatGPT the most downloaded app in the US in 2025?
ChatGPT achieved the top position by offering versatile AI-driven solutions, such as answering questions, brainstorming ideas, and simplifying workflows, making it a go-to tool for millions. Read more about ChatGPT's rise
2. How does ChatGPT outperform competitors in terms of features?
ChatGPT integrates voice commands, multi-platform compatibility, and natural language processing, allowing users to ideate, draft, and interact dynamically. Learn about ChatGPT’s features
3. What were the top downloaded apps alongside ChatGPT in 2025?
Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Google Maps ranked just below ChatGPT in Apple’s app chart. Check top app rankings for 2025
4. How do entrepreneurs use ChatGPT effectively?
Entrepreneurs use ChatGPT for tasks like market analysis, automating FAQs, generating pitch decks, and scheduling customer interactions efficiently. Find entrepreneurial use cases
5. Is ChatGPT affordable for startups and individuals?
Yes, ChatGPT offers free tiers and subscription-based options, making AI technology accessible and cost-effective for all users. Learn about ChatGPT’s pricing model
6. What were the market trends that made 2025 a pivotal year for ChatGPT?
2025 highlighted a shift from social media dominance to AI utility apps, with users prioritizing value-driven platforms over legacy apps. Explore 2025 market trends
7. What mistakes should startups avoid when adopting AI tools like ChatGPT?
Avoid poorly refined queries, over-automation of human tasks, and failing to ensure GDPR compliance in Europe. Training your team ensures effective usage. Understand AI adoption pitfalls
8. What kind of apps dominated the paid downloads in 2025?
Procreate Pocket, HotSchedules, and Minecraft topped paid app charts due to their robust capabilities and niche appeal. Discover trends in paid apps
9. Which broader trends are shaping startups in 2025?
AI adoption is collective, with founders and employees leveraging tools for workflow optimization. Creative collaboration apps like Procreate also flourished. Check startup trends for 2025
10. What lessons can European female entrepreneurs learn from ChatGPT’s success?
AI drives scalability, practical engagement outcompetes legacy branding, and affordability breaks barriers for smaller startups to leverage technology. Learn lessons for female entrepreneurs
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
