San Francisco, California, USA: Giga, an AI-driven startup founded in 2023 by Indian-American IIT Kharagpur graduates Varun Vummadi and Esha Manideep, has come under public scrutiny after an American employee quit within a day of joining, citing a deeply toxic work environment.
The controversy surfaced after Jared Steele, who was hired in April 2025 as Head of Demand Generation, shared his experience on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). In his post, Steele accused the company of unethical and potentially illegal practices, claiming he left after identifying “red flags everywhere” on his very first day.
Steele alleged that during discussions with the leadership, he heard comments suggesting potential misuse of company funds. He also claimed that Giga’s reported Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) figures were inflated—alleging that actual numbers were nearly six times lower than those presented to employees.
Adding to the list of grievances, Steele said that Giga had initially approved his paid time off before joining but later revoked those approvals, stating that company policy could be changed at management’s discretion. He also accused the startup of expecting employees to work 12-hour days, seven days a week, leaving no room for personal time or work-life balance.
The situation escalated when Steele described how he was instructed to relocate from Austin, Texas, to San Francisco, California, within just three days. Despite uprooting his life and driving across the country, he claimed that one of the founders ignored him on his first day, refusing even a handshake or greeting.
Sharing his disappointment, Steele wrote that his experience reflected “everything that’s wrong with today’s tech and AI culture,” expressing concern about how ambitious startups often sacrifice ethics and employee welfare in the race for rapid growth.
The allegations have gained attention because they surfaced soon after Giga announced its $61 million Series A funding led by Redpoint Ventures. The situation has sparked broader discussions about burnout, toxic leadership, and questionable practices in the fast-growing AI startup ecosystem.
