Cluely, a startup that claims to help users “cheat” in job interviews, exams and sales calls, has raised a $15 million Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz.
Two investors who were not part of the transaction have told TechCrunch, which believes Cluely’s money post money valuation is around $120 million. Andreessen Horowitz declined to comment on the numbers. CEO Roy Lee did not respond to requests for comment.
Cluely’s new funding comes about two months after raising $5.3 million from the Seed Funding co-led by Abstract Venture and SUSA Ventures.
The startup was co-founded earlier this year by 21-year-olds Roy Lee and Neil Shanmugham. He was stopped by Columbia University to develop an undetectable, AI-powered tool called “interview coders” to help engineers cheate technical interviews.
According to multiple posts on Lee’s X and podcast look, the trial is beneficial.
Lee’s provocative social media presence and highly produced, controversial video helped to attract attention and raise Cluely’s brand awareness.
For example, as TechCrunch previously reported, in April, he clearly published Lee’s smooth, polarized launch video, using a hidden AI assistant to lie about his age and even his knowledge of art.
Earlier this week, Cluely wanted to throw a massive afterparty following Y Combinator’s AI Startup School, a two-day event. However, after about 2,000 people tried to enter the venue, police closed the festival, Lee told TechCrunch. After they arrived he told the TC, “We did some cleanups, but all the drinks are waiting for the next party.”
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