A storm has erupted around Giga, a San Francisco-based AI startup founded by IIT Kharagpur alumni Varun Vummadi and Esha Manideep, after a former employee accused the company of promoting a toxic work culture that demanded 12-hour shifts, seven days a week.

ALSO READ

The controversy began when Jared Steele, who briefly worked at Giga, shared a detailed account on X, alleging false compensation promises, questionable management practices, and restrictive leave policies. Steele said he quit the company after just one day on the job.

ALSO READ

The allegations come barely a week after Giga announced a $61 million Series A funding round, led by Redpoint Ventures in early November. The startup, founded in 2023, specialises in building voice-based AI agents for enterprises and had been making headlines for its rapid growth.

‘Red flags everywhere’

In his X post, Steele, now serving as Chief of Staff at Opal Dex, claimed that he was hired by Giga earlier this year to lead demand generation.

But what he saw upon joining the team, he said, was far from what had been promised. “Red flags everywhere,” he wrote, adding that there were discrepancies in his compensation, job title, and the company’s reported revenue.

Steele also alleged that management at Giga made disturbing remarks during internal discussions. “When we hit $10M ARR, we’re going to spend $100k on [illegal stuff],” he recalled being told, adding that someone even joked about “sacrificing a goat in India.”

Long hours and leave restrictions

One of Steele’s most serious claims was about the company’s relentless work schedule. He said Giga required employees to work 12-hour shifts every day of the week, with paid leave policies that could be altered at the management’s discretion.

Steele said he had informed the company about two weddings he needed to attend and had received approval before signing his contract. However, after joining, he was told to choose only one.

“After I signed the contract, they said, well you need to pick who you’re better friends with because you can’t do both weddings now,” he wrote.

In another part of his post, Steele described a cold first day that cemented his decision to leave. “First day of work, I got in early. The founder walks in my direction, I stand up, extend my hand for a handshake. He snubs me, not even an acknowledgement,” Steele wrote. “I just moved my entire life & drove 26 hours across the country & didn’t even get a ‘welcome to the team’ or a hello.”