Building Cluely: The Viral AI Startup that raised $15M in 10 Weeks
Powered by ChatGPTWhat if virality wasn’t a tactic — but the entire product?
In this episode, a16z General Partners Erik Torenberg and Bryan Kim sit down with Roy Lee, cofounder and CEO of Cluely, one of the most talked-about consumer AI startups of 2025. Cluely didn’t raise a mega round or drop a feature suite to get traction - it broke through by turning distribution into design: launching viral short-form videos, pushing polarizing product drops, and building in public with speed and spectacle.
We cover:
– Why virality is Cluely’s moat
– Building a brand-native AI interface
– The Gen Z founder mindset
– What most startups get wrong about attention
– Why creators are the new product managers
– Cluely’s long-term vision for ambient AI
Cluely is a glimpse at the next generation of startups, where the line between product and performance is disappearing.