Cluely, a startup co-founded by two former Columbia University students, Chungin “Roy” Lee and Neel Shanmugam, recently announced a $5.3 million seed funding round led by Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures. Cluely's flagship product, Interview Coder, an AI tool dubbed a "cheating device for interviews," allows users to discreetly leverage artificial intelligence in various scenarios, including exams, sales calls, and job interviews.
The tool's development stemmed from a popular post on X (formerly Twitter) by Lee. He revealed that he and his co-founder were suspended from Columbia University for creating Interview Coder. The core of the tool is a hidden browser window that operates outside the interviewer's or examiner's view, providing real-time information and assistance.
Lee, now Cluely's CEO, mentioned in an interview that the AI tool has already surpassed $3 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) this month. He credits the tool with helping him secure an internship at Amazon. While Amazon hasn't commented on his specific case, the company emphasizes that all interviewees are prohibited from using any unauthorized tools.
Co-founder Neel Shanmugam, also 21 and a former Columbia University student, serves as Cluely's COO. Both faced disciplinary action from the university for their involvement in the tool's development. According to the Columbia Daily Spectator, they have since officially withdrawn from the university. The university declined to comment, citing student privacy concerns.
Initially, Cluely aimed to help programmers solve LeetCode coding problems, often considered outdated and time-consuming by some programmers. Lee claims the AI tool helped him land his internship, sparking a debate about the ethical implications of using AI tools in job interviews.
interviewcoder: https://www.interviewcoder.co/
Key Highlights:
💼 Cluely secures $5.3 million in funding, launching the "interview cheating device" Interview Coder.
🎓 The two founders were suspended from Columbia University for developing the tool and have since withdrawn.
💰 Lee used the tool to secure an Amazon internship, and the company's ARR has exceeded $3 million.
