A former employee has leveled serious allegations against Giga, an artificial intelligence startup founded by IIT Kharagpur alumni, accusing the company of maintaining a toxic work environment that required grueling 12-hour shifts throughout the week.
Shocking Allegations Surface
Jared Steele, who briefly joined the San Francisco-based AI startup, resigned after just one day, citing multiple red flags including misleading compensation promises, questionable management practices, and arbitrarily changing leave policies. The allegations emerge shortly after Giga secured $61 million in Series A funding led by Redpoint Ventures in early November.
Founded in 2023 by Varun Vummadi and Esha Manideep, Giga specializes in developing voice-based AI agents for corporate clients. Steele, now serving as chief of staff at Opal Dex, revealed his troubling experience in a social media post on platform X.
Disturbing Workplace Claims
According to Steele, who was hired in 2025 to lead demand generation, he encountered immediate discrepancies between what was promised during recruitment and the reality he witnessed. These included variations in compensation, job title, and the company's reported revenue figures.
Among the more alarming claims was an alleged statement from company representatives that "When we hit $10m ARR, we're going to spend $100k on [illegal stuff]," accompanied by comments about performing goat sacrifices in India.
The work expectations were described as exceptionally demanding, with employees reportedly required to work 12-hour shifts daily, including weekends. Steele emphasized that the company culture expected employees to "always be working," with paid leave policies subject to management's discretion without notice.
Personal Experience Highlights Issues
Steele's personal experience particularly underscored the company's problematic leave policies. Before accepting the position, he had informed Giga about two weddings he needed to attend and received approval for time off. However, after signing the employment contract, he was told he could only attend one event and had to choose "who you're better friends with."
The situation worsened on his first day when Steele claimed the founder completely ignored him. "I just moved my entire life & drove 26 hours across the country & not even a 'welcome to the team' or a hello," Steele recounted, describing how the founder walked past him without acknowledging his extended hand for a handshake.
Broader Work Culture Context
These revelations surface during ongoing global discussions about work-life balance, particularly relevant in India where recent comments from industry leaders about extended work weeks have sparked debate. The timing highlights the growing tension between traditional work expectations and modern employee well-being concerns in the startup ecosystem.
LiveMint has reached out to Giga's founders for comment, and the story will be updated when their response is received.
