Cluely’s ARR doubled in a week to $7M, founder Roy Lee says. But rivals are coming

Cluely, an AI-driven productivity startup, has seen its annual recurring revenue (ARR) jump from $3 million to $7 million in just one week, founder Roy Lee told TechCrunch. This rapid growth follows the launch of Cluely’s enterprise product, which introduces features like team management and advanced security aimed at business users in sectors such as sales, customer support, and remote education.

Cluely’s technology stands out by providing real-time meeting notes, contextual insights, and suggested questions directly to users as conversations unfold. According to Lee, this immediacy and relevance have contributed to high user engagement, setting Cluely apart from competitors that only offer post-meeting summaries.

The company’s momentum is further underscored by a recent $500,000 annual contract with an unnamed public company, Lee confirmed. Cluely’s backers include Andreessen horowitz Ventures and Susa Ventures.

However, the competitive landscape is shifting. Open-source challenger Pickle has launched Glass, a free tool that replicates many of Cluely’s core features. Glass quickly attracted attention in the developer community, earning over 850 GitHub stars and nearly 150 forks shortly after launch.

Cluely’s origins trace back to Lee’s days at Columbia University, where he was suspended for developing an early version of the tool, initially marketed for job interview preparation. The company has since rebranded to emphasize productivity and compliance.

With the entry of open-source competitors like Glass, Cluely faces new challenges in maintaining its growth trajectory as the market for AI-powered meeting tools becomes increasingly crowded.