Applied Intuition CEO Keeps $15 Billion Startup Humble With Weekly Office Cleanings

Qasar Younis says the practice, inspired by Japan, helps improve the company's engineering culture.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 9:09am

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Qasar Younis, the CEO of autonomous driving software company Applied Intuition, which is valued at $15 billion, requires his employees to clean their own desks and remove their shoes at the office as part of a weekly "cleaning zen" ritual. Younis says the practice, inspired by his time living in Japan, helps instill humility and awareness in his staff, and translates to better-written software.

Why it matters

This unorthodox practice at a high-flying tech startup challenges the typical Silicon Valley culture of growth fueled by venture capital and perks. Younis believes the emphasis on cleanliness and order carries into Applied Intuition's engineering culture, making employees more aware of their surroundings and producing higher-quality software.

The details

Younis cofounded Applied Intuition in 2017, and the company has raised hundreds of millions in venture funding, including a $600 million Series F in June 2025 that valued it at $15 billion. The company's software helps manufacturers like Toyota and Volkswagen develop and test autonomous driving systems, as well as supports defense programs. Younis says the weekly "cleaning zen" ritual, where employees scrub the office themselves rather than relying on janitorial staff, was inspired by the practice in Japan of students cleaning their own classrooms.

  • Applied Intuition was founded in 2017.
  • The company raised a $600 million Series F in June 2025, valuing it at $15 billion.

The players

Qasar Younis

The CEO and co-founder of Applied Intuition, a $15 billion autonomous driving software company.

Applied Intuition

A multi-billion-dollar company that focuses on AI software for cars and planes, founded in 2017.

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What they’re saying

“Sometimes people will come to our office, and they'll say, 'Oh, like, it's like such a clean office, you guys must have like this giant cleaning staff.' And it's like, actually, we clean our office.”

— Qasar Younis, CEO, Applied Intuition (Lenny's Podcast)

“What he's really talking about is the less magnanimous version of that, to be humble and learn from everything around you. I would implore you as a founder to really try to take the best of Japan and the best of Germany, the best of China, the best of Detroit, the best of Silicon Valley.”

— Qasar Younis, CEO, Applied Intuition (Lenny's Podcast)

What’s next

The company's continued growth and expansion into new markets and industries will be closely watched by the tech community to see if Younis' unorthodox management practices can scale alongside the business.

The takeaway

Younis' insistence that Applied Intuition employees clean their own office space, inspired by Japanese practices, challenges the typical Silicon Valley startup culture of growth at all costs. His belief that this humbling ritual translates to better engineering and software quality provides a counterpoint to the lavish perks and rapid expansion often associated with high-flying tech companies.