The newest San Francisco startup tradition drama occurred on Monday night time. And it centered round “probably the most legendary get together that by no means occurred,” Cluely founder and CEO Roy Lee tells TechCrunch.
Cluely had hoped to throw an after-party for a Y Combinator occasion occurring on Monday and Tuesday known as AI Startup School. The occasion drew crowds because of scheduled audio system like Sam Altman, Satya Nadella, and Elon Musk.
Cluely is an AI startup born of controversy and rage-bait comedy marketing. True to type, Lee posted a satirical video on X promoting his after-party. It exhibits him camped out by the famed Y Combinator signal — the one all of the YC founders take selfies with. (Cluely just isn’t a YC startup.)
The tweet marketed the get together to his greater than 100,000 followers and stated to DM for an invitation. Lee tells TechCrunch that he didn’t truly ship invitations out to the hordes. “We solely invited mates and mates of mates,” he stated.
Nevertheless it grew to become the get together, and other people shared the small print. When it was set to start, so many people were standing outside the venue that the traces wrapped round blocks. “It simply blew up method out of proportion,” Lee says. What regarded like 2,000 individuals confirmed up, he added.
A celebration that large may need gotten uncontrolled, however it didn’t get the prospect. The traces have been blocking site visitors, so the cops confirmed up and shut it down. “Cluely’s aura is simply too robust!” Lee was heard shouting exterior because the cops busted it up.
“It could have been probably the most legendary get together in tech historical past. And I’d argue that the popularity of this story would possibly simply make it probably the most legendary get together that by no means occurred,” Lee tells TechCrunch, concurrently proud and bummed.
Lee grew to become identified in San Francisco when he posted a viral tweet on X saying he was suspended by Columbia College after he and his co-founder developed an AI device to cheat on job interviews for software program engineers.
They turned that device right into a startup that provides a hidden in-browser window that may’t be seen by an interviewer or proctor. The startup additionally went viral for its advertising that promised to assist individuals “cheat on every part.” In April, Cluely raised a $5.3 million seed spherical, and its advertising is now rather less in-your-face: “All the things you want. Earlier than you ask.”
The get together and its demise by legislation enforcement naturally grew to become the topic of jokes, memes, and ingenious rumors. Lee’s clarification of the crowds exterior is probably extra boring than what some individuals imagined. After the cops confirmed, “We did some cleanup, however the drinks are all there ready for the subsequent get together,” he guarantees.
