Every independent artist knows the routine. You write the track, record it, design the cover, pitch it, book the show and answer the emails, often in the same week. There is no label to split the load and no team to call when something breaks at 2am.
More and more companies now start the same way, with one person doing every job. A new petition asks the world to notice. It calls for 11.11 to be recognized every year as Solo Founders’ Day, a day to celebrate the people who build alone, whether they ship apps, brands or records.
The petition on Change.org was started by Relve, an AI intelligence platform for SaaS and AI-native founders, which is also its first signatory. It asks accelerators, investors, founder communities and tech companies to mark the day, spotlight solo-built products and share solo founders’ stories using #SoloFoundersDay.
“Solo founders are heroes without capes. They hustle day and night with passion and belief, and they are the people who can create immense wealth and impact for all of us,” the company said.
Building alone is no longer the exception
The numbers back the idea. Carta’s Solo Founders Report 2025 found that the share of new US startups with a solo founder rose from 23.7 percent in 2019 to 36.3 percent in the first half of 2025. Solo-led companies made up 30 percent of startups founded in 2024, yet received only 14.7 percent of the cash raised in priced equity rounds that year.
Anyone who follows independent music will recognize the pattern. More artists now step away from labels to call their own shots, as Callum Beattie did when going fully independent. Tools that once sat behind a label or a studio are now on a laptop. One person can write, produce, release and market work that used to need a whole team.
The catch is the same in both worlds. Some creators now hold every role at once, like Olly Sholotan, who works as an actor, producer, musician and indie label founder. More freedom means more jobs land on one desk, and less funding means every choice has to count.
Why 11.11
The date was chosen with care. Four ones side by side stand for one person, one idea, one product and one shot. Each stands on its own, which is what solo founders do every day.
11.11 also carries deep meaning as Remembrance Day and Veterans Day in many countries. The petition is clear that Solo Founders’ Day should sit alongside those observances with respect, not replace them.
It is Singles’ Day too, the shopping festival that began in China. While others celebrate being single, the petition celebrates building solo.
The hardest part is choosing the tools
For people who build alone, the work is only half the battle. The other half is picking the tools that make the work possible. More than 1,340 AI tools were added to the same platform’s tracking in Q3 2026 alone. Most “best tools” lists read the same for every reader and ignore the job and the budget in front of them.
Every hour spent comparing tools is an hour not spent building. That is the problem Relve’s ToolStack Builder™ sets out to fix. It works like a Tinder for Tools. You pick the jobs you need done, set your budget as a dealbreaker and swipe through matching tools, one card at a time.
Each card shows a match score, why the tool fits and its plans. The tool is free, and no credit card is required. For 11.11, matched cards also carry a special pick for the day, so a solo builder can leave with a stack that fits the job and the budget.
How to celebrate Solo Founders’ Day
You do not need to run a startup to take part. The petition suggests a few simple ways to mark the day:
- Sign the petition and share it with one solo builder you admire.
- Try or buy something made by a solo founder. An independent artist’s record counts too.
- Share a solo founder’s story on social media.
- If you build alone, post what you’ve made and tag #SoloFoundersDay.
- If you invest or run a program, open your door to solo founders for the day.
A day for the people who go it alone
Solo builders rarely get a stage. They launch quietly, fix things late at night and keep going without applause. A day of recognition puts that work in view and gives the rest of us a simple reason to back them with attention, customers and support.
“Your co-founder is you. Your team is also you. Building alone takes a different kind of courage, and it deserves a day of its own,” the company said. This 11.11, that sounds like a cause worth signing.
