Young engineer quits Microsoft to launch AI-powered financial guidance startup
2–3 minutes
How Treasury came to be
25-year-old software engineer Junead Khan left a Microsoft job paying over $200,000 annually, including bonuses and stock options, to start his own company. In Seattle, he’s developing Treasury, an AI-based financial guidance tool, without a technical co-founder or venture capital funding.
The company has already generated over $6,000 in revenue, despite being in its early stages. The case, reported by Business Insider, highlights how AI tools reduce the effort needed to turn an idea into a product.
How to learn to use AI in your professional practice
Khan conceived Treasury during his final year of college and began developing it before joining Microsoft. He describes the product as an AI-powered financial coach and continued working on the project alongside his job.
A graduate in computer science and biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he interned at Google, worked at JPMorgan, and was hired by Microsoft in 2023, according to Storyboard18.
Before resigning, he applied to accelerators like Y Combinator, planning to leave his job if accepted. He also waited to receive his Microsoft stock and bonuses before officially resigning.
He says AI programming tools like Claude Code and Codex gave him the confidence to proceed without a co-founder. These systems generate and review code based on text instructions, reducing manual development work.
What influenced the decision
In a video posted on social media, Khan shares the conversation where he tells his manager about his resignation. The manager calls it a big step and says he’ll miss Khan. For the engineer, the main reason was the fear of regretting not having tried.
What the numbers show
The over $6,000 in revenue represents initial traction. Since the money generated stays within the company, Khan continues to live off his personal savings accumulated before leaving Microsoft and remains the sole person responsible for Treasury.
Without investors, growth depends on reinvested revenue and the work of one person. The case reflects a shift in software development, but Treasury’s viability still needs to be proven through increased revenue.
Options for those who want to study AI
For those looking to start studying the subject, Saint Paul’s AI Pre-MBA program, offered online with a practical focus, is an option.
