Lovable exec says 'big boys and girls' like OpenAI and Anthropic worry her more than other vibe coding startups

Elena Verna, head of growth at Lovable, has expressed significant concern regarding larger tech companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, rather than smaller competitors in the vibe coding sector. In a recent appearance on the "20VC" podcast, she stated, "I always worry about the big boys and girls in the world," emphasizing the unparalleled distribution power these industry giants hold. Lovable, a Stockholm-based startup, recently achieved a valuation of $6.6 billion following a funding round led by CapitalG and Menlo Ventures. The company finds itself in competition not only with emerging vibe coding startups like Cursor and Replit but also with more established players like OpenAI and Anthropic, which have developed their own AI coding tools. In a market where products increasingly resemble one another, Verna believes that effective distribution and growth strategies are crucial for success. She noted, "Whoever has the best distribution that is earned, competitively defensible, sustainable, and predictable, is going to be the winner in the market. I worry about the companies that have that figured out." Verna’s concerns come in the wake of harsh critiques comparing vibe coding products to Anthropic's Claude Code. Following the launch of Anthropic’s newest model, Opus 4.6, feedback on platforms like X revealed that some users are opting to cancel their subscriptions to Cursor and Lovable in favor of Claude Code. Despite these challenges, Lovable continues to thrive. Reports indicate that the startup’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) has seen a remarkable increase of over 30%, jumping from $300 million to $400 million in just one month. Ryan Meadows, Lovable’s chief revenue officer, announced plans to significantly expand the company's workforce, aiming to grow from 146 to 350 employees by the end of 2026. He further highlighted the surge in activity within the vibe coding space, noting that at least 200,000 new projects are initiated every day.