Astronomer now household name: New CEO's first statement after kiss-cam scandal

6 days ago

Data and AI startup Astronomer has appointed co-founder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO after its former chief executive stepped down following a controversy involving a Coldplay concert.Andy Byron stepped down as CEO of AI company Astronomer, days after a video of him and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot appearing on a 'kiss cam' at a Coldplay concert near Boston went viral.'Surreal spotlight': From quiet startup to centre of attentionIn a public note posted on LinkedIn, Pete DeJoy acknowledged the 'unusual and surreal' attention the company has received over the past few days.'The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies—let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter,' he wrote. 'While I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name.'DeJoy, who co-founded Astronomer and has been a key figure in shaping its direction since the beginning, said he stepped into the role of interim CEO 'over the weekend.' He said his focus will be on supporting the team and ensuring customer trust remains intact.A company built through challengesFounded in Cincinnati, Ohio, Astronomer started out as a platform helping organisations make the most of Apache Airflow, an open-source tool used to manage complex data pipelines. Over time, the startup has grown into a major player in the DataOps space, working on backend data infrastructure for everything from sports analytics and AI chatbots to autonomous vehicle training.DeJoy said that the company had survived tough moments before, from banking crises to scaling during a pandemic, and that the current moment was just another test of resilience. 'At Astronomer we have never shied away from challenges; a near-decade of building this business has tested us time and time again, and each time we've emerged stronger,' he wrote.DeJoy hinted at a renewed focus on values and internal trust. 'Astronomer is built by people who live to solve hard problems, stay late to fix what's broken, and care deeply about doing things the right way,' he said.The company has reportedly taken internal steps to reinforce its culture and support employees following the media storm. Several team members have expressed support for the transition, highlighting DeJoy's long involvement in shaping Astronomer's growth story.DeJoy said that despite the noise around the leadership change, Astronomer's mission remains intact. 'Our opportunity to build a DataOps platform for the age of AI remains massive. And our story is very much still being written,' he said.The statement ended on a note of reassurance to employees, customers, and the broader open-source community around Apache Airflow: 'To our team: thank you for your resilience & commitment to building something great. And to our community and customers: thank you for your trust. We won't let you down.'- EndsMust Watch
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Microsoft SharePoint hacked; Astronomer CEO and HR head resign; Realme and iQoo launch phones, AI talent war heats up and other top tech news of the week

Time of India

10 hours ago

Time of India

Microsoft SharePoint hacked; Astronomer CEO and HR head resign; Realme and iQoo launch phones, AI talent war heats up and other top tech news of the week

A massive cyberattack has hit Microsoft SharePoint servers globally, putting thousands of organizations at risk. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot have resigned following a viral 'Kiss Cam' incident at a Coldplay concert. Meanwhile, the AI talent war intensifies as Microsoft continues to poach top Google DeepMind staff, including a key Gemini chatbot engineer. On the consumer tech front, OnePlus, Realme, and iQoo have launched new smartphones and tablets in India, expanding their affordable offerings. Amidst these developments, Intel plans to lay off 24,000 employees. All this and more in the tech news of the week. Microsoft SharePoint hacked: What the company has to say Microsoft is scrambling to contain a widespread cyberattack targeting SharePoint servers worldwide, with cybersecurity experts warning that over 10,000 companies could be at risk. The software giant confirmed that hackers are actively exploiting previously unknown security flaws in on-premises SharePoint servers used by government agencies, universities, and major corporations to share internal documents. Read More. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot resign after 'Kiss Cam' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 1 minute and see why everyone is addicted. Undo Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot have stepped down. Both resigned after the fallout from the recent 'Kiss Cam' incident which happened at the Coldplay concert in Boston. Both the executives were caught by the camera cuddling each other during a recent Coldplay concert. The couple after being captured by the camera looked startled, with Cabot turning away and Byron ducking. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin also said jokingly, "Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy." The clip soon went viral and garnered millions of views. Microsoft poaches top Google DeepMind staff in AI talent war Microsoft has recruited more than 24 artificial intelligence (AI) employees from Google's DeepMind research division in recent months, marking the latest escalation in a talent war that has taken on deeply personal dimensions between two childhood friends who co-founded the Al lab that became the industry's most influential name. Amar Subramanya, the former head of engineering for Google's Gemini chatbot, became the latest high-profile defection when he announced his appointment as corporate vice-president of Al at Microsoft. Read more here. OnePlus Pad Lite launched in India: Price, specs and more OnePlus has expanded its range of products in India with the launch of OnePlus Pad Lite. The new tablet comes equipped with an 11-inch display with a Hi-Res Audio-certified quad-speaker system. The tablet is claimed to deliver up to 80 hours of music playtime and boasts of a 9,340 mAh battery. Priced at Rs 14,999 onwards, OnePlus Pad Lite will be available in the country starting August 1, 2025, at 12 PM onwards. Here's everything you need to know about the new OnePlus tablet. Realme NARZO 80 Lite 4G launched in India Realme Narzo 80 Lite 4G smartphone is here. Realme has expanded its Narzo smartphone series with the launch of Realme Narzo 80 Lite 4G smartphone in India. The affordable Realme smartphone is powered by a Unison chipset and runs Android 15 operating system. The smartphone also comes with military-grade durability, armor shell protection, and toughened corners built to withstand real-life drops and usage. Here's everything you need to know. Realme 15 series launch in India: Price and other details Realme 15 Pro 5G and Realme 15 5G have been launched in India. Positioned as the "Al Party Phone," these new devices aim to offer camera features, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and overall performance, catering to the young users. The Realme 15 series gets a triple 50MP Ultra-Clear camera system on the Pro model and dual 50MP cameras on the standard version, both supporting 4K 60FPS video recording. Here's all you need to know. iQoo Z10R launched in India: All details here iQoo Z10R is now official. iQoo has expanded its Z-series of smartphones with the launch of iQoo Z10R smartphone in India. The smartphone packs an FHD+ display and is powered by a MediaTek chipset. The smartphone packs a 50MP main camera and is backed by a 5700 mAh battery. iQoo Z10R runs Android 15 operating system. Details. Intel to lay off 24,000 employees, cancel billions in factories Intel will slash around 24,000 employees this year - roughly a quarter of its workforce - while scrapping major expansion projects in Germany and Poland as CEO Lip-Bu Tan implements sweeping cost-cutting measures to revive the struggling chipmaker's fortunes. The semiconductor giant, which employed 99,500 core workers at the end of 2024, plans to finish 2025 with just 75,000 employees following what Tan described as "hard but necessary decisions" in his memo to staff Thursday. Read the memo. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's memo to staff on job cuts Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed the company's massive job cuts in a candid memo to employees, acknowledging that recent layoffs affecting over 15,000 workers this year, have been "weighing heavily" on him while defending the cuts as necessary for the Redmond giant's Al transformation. Read the memo. Google Pixel 10 series India launch date out: All details Google Pixel 10 series of smartphones' India launch date has been revealed. The lineup - which is expected to include the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold - will be unveiled in India on August 21. The company has sent emails to registered users, including some in the TOI tech team, about the exclusive Pixel 10 series offer as well as listed benefits of buying Pixel smartphones from Google Store that was unveiled in India earlier this year. Click here for more details. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

Gwyneth Paltrow's Astronomer paycheck may have run into millions, biographer reveals

The Hindu

11 hours ago

The Hindu

Gwyneth Paltrow's Astronomer paycheck may have run into millions, biographer reveals

Gwyneth Paltrow's brief but buzzy stint as the face of crisis-hit tech firm Astronomer has sparked fresh headlines over how much she was paid. While neither the company nor the actor-entrepreneur has disclosed official figures, Paltrow's biographer claims the paycheck may have reached 'millions.' In a video posted on July 26, journalist and author Amy Odell, who wrote Gwyneth, said Paltrow's partnership with Astronomer was short but lucrative. 'She was likely paid in the millions,' Odell said, noting that this was in line with other high-value endorsements the Shakespeare in Love star has taken on in recent years. Among them: a $1.6 million appearance fee at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia and a reported $1.25 million partnership with Swarovski. Paltrow also attended the SKIMS x Swarovski launch last year, showcasing jewellery reportedly valued at up to $250,000. According to Odell, she's previously earned similar figures for endorsing brands like Copper Fit. Astronomer, a cloud data platform, drew attention earlier this month when its former CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristen Cabot were caught in an alleged affair on the Coldplay concert jumbotron in Boston, appearing close and then ducking out of the frame. The incident went viral, eventually leading to both executives stepping down. For crisis management, Astronomer brought on Paltrow — who is Coldplay frontman Chris Martin's ex-wife — as a temporary spokesperson. In a video posted by the company on July 25, Paltrow addressed the public with humour, saying: 'I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300+ employees at Astronomer.' She sidestepped the controversy and instead promoted the company's core services in data workflow automation. Astronomer's new CEO, Pete DeJoy, later addressed the media storm on LinkedIn, noting that while the attention was unexpected, the company remained focused and resilient.

Astronomer has got a lot of questions in the last few days, am here to answer most common ones, says Astronomer's new temp hire Gwyneth Paltrow, ex-wife of Coldplay's Chris Martin

Time of India

13 hours ago

Time of India

Astronomer has got a lot of questions in the last few days, am here to answer most common ones, says Astronomer's new temp hire Gwyneth Paltrow, ex-wife of Coldplay's Chris Martin

Data automation company Astronomer has hired Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow as its "very temporary spokesperson" following a viral scandal that led to the resignation of its CEO and HR chief. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Oscar winner, who was married to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin for over a decade, appeared in a tongue-in-cheek promotional video posted Friday night to help the company navigate public scrutiny. "Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones," Paltrow said in the video, addressing viewers while wearing a simple black top. The actress, who describes herself as hired on a "very temporary basis," represents the company's 300-plus employees during this turbulent period. Kiss Cam controversy: CEO and HR Chief resign after Coldplay concert Viral moment The New York-based company became an internet sensation after CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught in an intimate embrace during a Coldplay concert's kiss cam segment. When the married executives tried to hide from cameras at Boston's Gillette Stadium, Martin joked from the stage, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." The footage exploded across social media, generating countless memes and parody videos. Both Byron and Cabot, who are reportedly married to other people, have since resigned from their positions. Astronomer launched a formal investigation, stating that "our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met." Ex-Wife of Coldplay singer tackles PR crisis with strategic video campaign In the promotional video, Paltrow masterfully sidesteps scandal-related questions, instead focusing on Astronomer's data automation services. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now When on-screen text shows questions like "OMG what the actual f," she enthusiastically responds about Apache Airflow and data pipeline management. "We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation ," she said. The casting choice appears calculated and ironic – Paltrow's connection to Martin adds layers of entertainment value while helping redirect attention to the company's AI and data automation tools. Social media users praised the move as "genius" and a "PR masterclass," with one commenting that hiring "the ex-wife of the lead Coldplay singer to deliver this message is absolutely savage." 'Genius' PR move turns viral scandal into brand awareness opportunity Astronomer's interim CEO and co-founder Pete DeJoy acknowledged the unprecedented attention, noting that the company is "now a household name" despite the circumstances. The strategic use of humor and celebrity endorsement represents an unconventional crisis management approach, transforming viral notoriety into potential brand awareness. Paltrow, who "consciously uncoupled" from Martin in 2014 while maintaining a close friendship, concluded the video by promising a return to normalcy: "We will now be returning to what we do best — delivering game-changing results for our customers." The company also promoted its upcoming Beyond Analytics event in September, demonstrating its commitment to moving forward professionally.