Cluely’s Roy Lee is not afraid to mix it up – and he brings that daring energy to Disturbance stage On TechCrunch 2025 Disruptionwhich can happen October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco.
He’ll talk about how he’s building one of the most talked-about AI startups, why stirring up controversy could be a growth strategy, and what it takes to stand out in the noisy consumer technology market. Don’t miss this probability to see Roy Lee turn things around at Disrupt. Sign up here to save up to $444 on your pass and get 60% off per second.
How Roy Lee’s rage led to a $15 million AI startup
Roy Lee is the co-founder and CEO of the company SmartyAI meeting assistant that gives real-time analytics and transforms conversations into searchable and shareable reports. Hundreds of corporations offer similar products, so why are we interested in Cluely? What really sets Lee apart is his mastery of attention. At a time when most startups are struggling to get noticed, Lee has turned his business model into rage-inducing social media content.
Lee initially gained popularity as a Columbia University student who got into trouble for cheating in Big Tech interviews with an AI assistant he created, all of which he documented on social media. Lee then quit and launched Cluely, which was initially billed as “cheating everything at launch.” It was a tagline intended to ruffle feathers and drive engagement — a strategy that Cluely became famous for and others tried to emulate.
Say what you’ll about Lee’s marketing efforts, but Cluely routinely cuts through the noise of social media and press releases, gaining visibility for the startup that corporations 10 times its size struggle to achieve. Lee runs Cluely on the principle that almost all corporations tread too fastidiously and that each one it takes to capture the consumer market is attention.
Cluely raised $15 million in Series A from Andreessen Horowitz earlier this yr and plowed its funding into splashy launch videos, dozens of content creator interns, and a massive office in San Francisco. Lee is one of the founders at the center of the AI bubble and uses it to his advantage.
Learn how stirring the pot is fueling growth – get your pass before prices rise
On TechCrunch 2025 DisruptionLee will share how he thinks about virality as a marketing strategy, his thoughts on the AI bubble, and how Cluely is building a sustainable business based on its social media fame. Sign up now to save up to $444 on your pass and get 60% off per second. Prices increase as the event doors open on October 27.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco
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October 27-29, 2025
