Cluely CEO Roy Lee admits to lying about revenue numbers

Lee says the $7 million in annual recurring revenue he shared last summer was a lie, contradicting his own previous advice.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Cluely co-founder and CEO Roy Lee admitted on X that the $7 million in annual recurring revenue he shared with TechCrunch last summer was a lie. Lee said this was the "only blatantly dishonest thing" he's said publicly, though he misrepresented how the original interview with TechCrunch came about. At the time, Cluely was a viral startup that let users secretly look up answers during video calls, and the company had raised $5.3 million in seed funding. Cluely has since rebranded as an AI-powered meeting note-taker.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the pressure on startup founders to exaggerate or misrepresent their company's performance, especially in the early stages when building hype and attracting funding is crucial. It also raises questions about the ethics of viral marketing tactics and the tech industry's tendency to reward bold claims over sustainable business practices.

The details

In a post on X, Lee admitted that the $7 million in annual recurring revenue he shared with TechCrunch last summer was a lie. However, he mischaracterized the original interview, claiming he got a "random cold call" when in fact Cluely's PR representative had proactively reached out to TechCrunch to arrange the interview. At the time, Cluely had raised $5.3 million in seed funding from Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures, and the company was known for its viral "cheat-on-everything" product that let users secretly look up answers during video calls. Cluely later raised a $15 million Series A from Andreessen Horowitz, and Lee even discussed the company's successful "rage-bait marketing" tactics at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2025. Cluely has since rebranded as an AI-powered meeting note-taker.

  • In the summer of 2025, Cluely was the 'cheat-on-everything' phenomenon.
  • In June 2025, Cluely raised a $15 million Series A from Andreessen Horowitz.
  • In October 2025, Lee discussed Cluely's successful "rage-bait marketing" tactics at TechCrunch Disrupt.

The players

Roy Lee

The co-founder and CEO of Cluely, who admitted to lying about the company's revenue numbers.

Cluely

A startup that was known for its viral "cheat-on-everything" product, which allowed users to secretly look up answers during video calls. The company has since rebranded as an AI-powered meeting note-taker.

Abstract Ventures

A venture capital firm that invested $5.3 million in Cluely's seed funding round.

Susa Ventures

A venture capital firm that invested $5.3 million in Cluely's seed funding round.

Andreessen Horowitz

A venture capital firm that invested $15 million in Cluely's Series A funding round.

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What they’re saying

“this 'is the only blatantly dishonest thing i've said publicly online, so this is my formal retraction.'”

— Roy Lee, Co-founder and CEO, Cluely (X)

“got a random cold call from some woman asking about numbers and told her some bs, did not expect an article about it”

— Roy Lee, Co-founder and CEO, Cluely (X)

“What I've learned is you should never share revenue numbers”

— Roy Lee, Co-founder and CEO, Cluely (TechCrunch Disrupt 2025)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the pressure on startup founders to exaggerate or misrepresent their company's performance, especially in the early stages when building hype and attracting funding is crucial. It also raises questions about the ethics of viral marketing tactics and the tech industry's tendency to reward bold claims over sustainable business practices.