In December 2025, a pivotal event took place in the AI industry: OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block joined forces under the Linux Foundation to establish the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF). As someone who has built startups from scratch without venture capital, I recognize the importance of this initiative for entrepreneurs, especially solo founders and small teams. This collaboration represents a shift towards creating shared standards in an industry where proprietary approaches often dominate. Let’s explore what this means for entrepreneurs looking to use AI agents in their businesses.
Understanding the Move to Standardize the AI Agent Era
Before diving into the core details, let’s clarify what AI agents are. Unlike chatbots, which primarily respond to prompts, AI agents can act autonomously, complete complex workflows, and connect with other tools or data seamlessly. Sounds great, right? But here’s the catch: until now, the lack of universal standards made it difficult and expensive for developers to build agents that worked smoothly across multiple platforms.
The Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) emerged to address this problem. By pooling their foundational technologies, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block contributed tools designed to make AI agents interoperable, more secure, and scalable. OpenAI provided a developer-friendly instruction guide called AGENTS.md, Anthropic shared its Model Context Protocol (MCP) for connecting agents to data sources, and Block brought its agent-building framework, Goose. These tools are viewed as the “USB-C for AI,” enabling universal connectivity and compatibility across platforms.
The focus here isn’t just collaboration among tech giants but also ensuring startups and smaller developers can access these tools without the need for massive budgets. After all, democratization of technology is what open-source initiatives under entities like the Linux Foundation aim to achieve.
What This Means for Entrepreneurs
If you’re a small business owner or a solopreneur like me, you may wonder: "What’s in it for us?" The formation of AAIF matters because it levels the playing field for entrepreneurs who want to integrate AI agents into their operations. Without a standardized system, businesses often waste precious resources building custom integrations or managing compatibility issues.
Here are some benefits this development offers to the entrepreneurial community:
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Lower Costs
Standardized protocols reduce the time and money needed to connect AI agents with your existing tools. Whether you’re running a bootstrapped SaaS company or managing a small e-commerce store, this standardization can remove technical barriers. -
Scalability for Startups
As your business grows, you can use AI tools that comply with these shared standards without worrying about compatibility as you add more tools or expand to new regions. -
Easier Collaboration with Freelancers and Developers
Hiring a developer to build AI solutions will become smoother. Clear guidelines and standards eliminate guesswork, saving time and resources. -
Boosting Credibility
Interoperable and secure AI agents build trust with your customers by ensuring safety and transparency, something small businesses can struggle to achieve on their own.
How to Use These AI Advancements in Your Business
Here’s how you can start tapping into the benefits of AI agent standardization:
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Adopt Open Standards Early
Start researching tools that operate within the new Agentic AI guidelines. Keep an eye on resources like OpenAI’s AGENTS.md or Anthropic’s MCP for a thorough understanding of what’s possible. -
Define Your AI Needs Clearly
Outline specific tasks AI agents could manage in your business. For example:- Automating customer follow-ups via email or SMS.
- Generating real-time business analytics from multiple data sources.
- Recommending products based on customer preferences.
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Collaborate with Tech Communities
Get involved in open-source platforms or forums like Linux Foundation’s community spaces. As a female founder, I’ve found such environments welcoming and full of opportunities for networking. -
Experiment with Small Projects
Start with low-stakes AI tests before overhauling core operations. Test how agents enhance productivity in non-sensitive areas like marketing automation or simple data queries.
Mistakes Entrepreneurs Should Avoid
As tempting as it may be to move fast with AI, here are common pitfalls you’ll want to steer clear of:
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Skipping Team Alignment
Ensure your entire team, employees, developers, and even freelancers, understands how to make the most of shared AI standards. -
Relying Too Much on Proprietary Systems
Don’t lock yourself into tools that can’t support these standards. While some big platforms may promise end-to-end solutions, they often come with hidden costs and long-term disadvantages. -
Neglecting Compliance & Privacy
Just because you’re using open standards doesn’t mean you can forget compliance. Double-check your agent integrations to avoid potential legal issues, especially in sensitive industries like healthcare or finance. -
Not Tracking Updates
Open standards grow quickly. Take a proactive role in monitoring advancements in MCP or similar protocols. Subscribing to updates from organizations like the Linux Foundation can help.
Lessons for Female Entrepreneurs in Europe
Joining AAIF is proof that even direct competitors in the tech industry can cooperate for the greater good. As a female founder, this speaks to me personally. Collaboration is key when you’re building with limited resources, whether you’re creating a startup in AI or any other field.
Looking at this example, here are a few lessons that resonate deeply with me:
- Strength in Unity: Don’t hesitate to reach out to competitors for partnerships that could benefit both sides.
- Act Now: Adopt and familiarize yourself with new technologies early. Being ahead of the curve lets you compete with bigger players.
- Knowledge is Power: Investing in understanding technical standards, such as those from AAIF, could give you a significant edge.
Conclusion
For European entrepreneurs, and especially women, the launch of the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) opens opportunities to incorporate AI into businesses without battling technical obstacles. Whether you’re bootstrapping a deep-tech project, scaling a SaaS model, or launching a passion project in STEM, these open standards drive equal opportunities across industries.
Use this chance to get ahead. Learning from the democratization of AI tools, like those contributed by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block, could empower your business to thrive in an AI-driven economy. Want to start today? Begin exploring AGENTS.md or the Linux Foundation's evolving catalog of AI initiatives. The future belongs to creators who can adapt and collaborate. Let’s build it, together.
FAQ
1. What is the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF)?
The Agentic AI Foundation is a Linux Foundation initiative aimed at creating open standards for AI agents, founded by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block, with contributions of technologies like MCP, Goose, and AGENTS.md. Learn more about AAIF’s formation
2. What technologies are being donated by founding members to AAIF?
Anthropic donated its Model Context Protocol (MCP), OpenAI contributed AGENTS.md, and Block provided its Goose framework, key tools for AI agent interoperability and standardization. Read about these contributions
3. How does AAIF benefit developers?
AAIF reduces the complexity of custom integrations, enabling developers to build AI agents that seamlessly connect to tools and data across platforms. Explore developer benefits
4. What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?
MCP is a system developed by Anthropic that allows AI agents to connect to data sources in a standardized way, described as the “USB-C for AI.” Learn more about MCP
5. What is AGENTS.md?
AGENTS.md is OpenAI’s instruction guide that simplifies AI coding tool interactions by defining behaviors for AI agents. Discover AGENTS.md
6. What is the Goose framework by Block?
Goose is an open-source agent-building framework that facilitates the creation and management of AI agents. Read about Goose
7. Who are the other supporting members of AAIF?
Organizations like AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Cloudflare have joined AAIF to help advance open standards for AI agents. View supporting members
8. Why is AAIF necessary for AI standardization?
AAIF addresses challenges in AI agent interoperability, aiming to prevent proprietary silos and ensure open collaboration for better industry-wide practices. Understand AAIF’s necessity
9. Does AAIF involve governance beyond founding members?
Yes, AAIF employs neutral, open technical governance under the Linux Foundation to evolve standards collaboratively. Learn about AAIF governance
10. What are the implications of AAIF for businesses?
For businesses, AAIF reduces vendor lock-in risks, ensures interoperability across platforms, and promotes open collaboration with AI tools. Check out business implications
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.
