Andy Byron, CEO of data startup Astronomer, has stepped down after a Coldplay concert “kiss cam” caught him in a viral moment with his chief people officer, Kristin Cabot. The clip, which triggered over 22,000 news mentions in 24 hours, sparked massive social media debate. The company placed both execs on leave before confirming Byron’s resignation. Astronomer admitted their leadership failed to meet standards and emphasized that despite the buzz, their core work in DataOps remains unchanged. Honestly, it’s a strange case of personal moments spiraling into corporate chaos — and a reminder of how brutal viral fame can be in the startup world.
Credit: TechCrunch
