What was supposed to be a cheeky, unofficial after-party for a major AI event in San Francisco has now become the stuff of startup legend not for what happened inside, but for what never happened at all. Roy Lee, the controversial founder and CEO of AI startup Cluely, found himself at the center of a viral storm Monday night, when a supposed low-key gathering spiraled into a full-blown street takeover, eventually shut down by police before a single guest could get through the door.
“It would have been the most legendary party in tech history. And I would argue that the reputation of this story might just make it the most legendary party that never happened,” Lee said.
The setting was perfect for hype: Y Combinator’s AI Startup School, a two-day event featuring tech icons like Sam Altman, Satya Nadella, and Elon Musk, had drawn massive crowds from across the startup scene. Though Cluely isn’t a YC startup, Lee seized the moment with the kind of mischief that’s become his brand. He posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), camping out by YC’s now-iconic sign and promoting an after-party. The message? DM for an invite.
The invite-only part, however, was mostly smoke and mirrors. “We only invited friends and friends of friends,” Lee explained to TechCrunch. But the video—and Lee’s more than 100,000 followers—did the rest. Word spread, the tweet went viral, and before long, droves of people had decided they were going to the Cluely party.
The result? Chaos. Lee estimates that about 2,000 people showed up, and lines started wrapping around blocks in San Francisco’s already congested streets. The party never even got off the ground. Police soon arrived, citing traffic concerns, and shut the whole thing down before it began. According to witnesses, Lee shouted outside as the cops moved in: “Cluely’s aura is just too strong!”
While attendees were left stranded outside and the drinks remained untouched inside, Lee didn’t seem fazed. Instead, he embraced the myth-making. “The story’s better than the party would’ve been,” he told TechCrunch. Whether it was disappointment or genius PR spin, the narrative worked. The “party that never happened” became instant startup folklore—complete with memes, tweets, and outlandish rumors about what might have gone down.
Lee is no stranger to online chaos. He first made waves in San Francisco’s tech scene with a tweet claiming he’d been suspended from Columbia University after building an AI tool that helped people cheat on job interviews. That tool evolved into Cluely, an AI product that runs a hidden browser window designed to give users an edge in high-stakes situations like interviews or tests, without being detected by proctors or hiring managers.
Their original marketing leaned into the controversy with bold claims like, “Cheat on everything.” That shock-value approach paid off with attention and traction, leading to a $5.3 million seed round in April. Since then, Cluely’s messaging has been toned down, now summarizing its utility more subtly: “Everything you need. Before you ask.”
