Astronomer Cofounder Breaks Silence on Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot’s Coldplay Kiss Cam Controversy

Astronomer cofounder Ry Walker addressed the company’s CEO, Andy Byron, and Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, seemingly being caught cheating by a Kiss Cam at a Coldplay concert.

“For those asking — I’m no longer involved in @astronomerio — yes I was co-founder and early CEO — not on the team or board since 2022, and have no information on ColdplayGate,” Walker clarified via X on Thursday, July 17.

Walker clearly wanted to distance himself entirely from the controversy, since he also confirmed that he doesn’t even listen to Coldplay.

“I have 704 liked songs in Spotify — none are Coldplay, but I do think Chris Martin is an amazing vocalist,” he insisted.

When an X follower sarcastically asked Walker to “attest to this jury that you have never and will never attend a Coldplay concert under any circumstance,” Walker replied: “Definitely :)”

Byron and Cabot went viral for a very unfortunate reason while attending Coldplay’s show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, July 16, when they were flashed on the jumbotron. Byron — who is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron — had his hands around Cabot’s waist, before ducking out of sight as his employee attempted to hide her face from the camera.

Ry Walker, Andy Byron, and Kristin Cabot. Courtesy of Ry Walker/X; New York Stock Exchange/YouTube; Courtesy of Bain Capital Ventures

Footage of the awkward moment has generated huge media attention, with millions of views on social media and commentary from the likes of Chrissy Teigen, Bethenny Frankel and Katie Nolan, among others.

Astronomer is a =” orchestration and observability platform, which said in a press release that its goal is to “empower your team to build, run and observe =” pipelines that just work, all from one place.”

Byron joined Astronomer as CEO in 2023, which means he may not have crossed over with Walker’s time with the company. The embattled Byron came to Astronomer after serving as tech firm Lacework’s president from 2019 to 2022.

What makes the jumbotron scandal all the more awkward is that Byron personally announced Cabot’s hiring in November 2024. (Cabot joined Astronomer after four years as Chief People Officer at graph =”base management company Neo4j.)

“At Astronomer, our people are the most valuable asset in helping our customers do more to gain a competitive advantage with their =”,” Byron said. “Kristin’s exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory. She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.”

Astronomer Co-Founder Breaks Silence After Viral CEO Scandal — Compensation Figures Leave Internet Stunned

In the wake of a scandal that has gripped the tech and startup community, one of the co-founders of Astronomer, a =” orchestration company, has finally broken his silence. The controversy began when a video surfaced online showing the company’s married CEO in an intimate moment with the firm’s Chief Product Officer (CPO) during a Coldplay concert. The footage, which quickly went viral across TikTok, X, and LinkedIn, sparked a wave of backlash that has since snowballed into full-blown corporate chaos — complete with public resignations, legal threats, and eye-watering financial revelations.

The anonymous co-founder, who has remained silent until now, released a public statement on Tuesday, describing the situation as “deeply disappointing, but ultimately a necessary reckoning.” He emphasized that while the CEO’s actions were “personal in nature,” they have had “professional consequences far beyond what anyone anticipated.”

Viral Fallout, Surging Discussions, and Investor Pressure

According to social analytics firm BrandEcho, mentions of Astronomer surged by 4,200% within 72 hours after the clip went live. Discussions around company ethics, power dynamics in tech leadership, and workplace relationships spiked on platforms like Hacker News and Blind. Some commenters even called for the resignation of not just the CEO, but the entire executive team.

One senior product engineer, speaking anonymously to TechCrunch Insider, shared: “This isn’t just about infidelity or poor judgment — this is about abuse of power and trust in a startup environment. People are pissed because they believed in this company.”

Eye-Watering Contract Compensation: What the Numbers Say

But what truly shocked the public wasn’t just the scandal — it was the explosive revelation of the CEO and CPO’s contract compensation packages, disclosed in internal leaks obtained by The Information.

According to the documents:

The CEO’s severance package is valued at nearly $4.2 million, including accelerated stock vesting and a two-year consulting clause.
The CPO, who has not resigned, is entitled to an “executive retention bonus” worth $1.3 million, triggered due to her key leadership role during a “transition period.”

These numbers have ignited outrage on social media, where users are slamming the leadership for being rewarded despite conduct that many see as unethical.

“This is Silicon Valley’s version of a golden parachute for bad behavior,” wrote one viral Reddit post that received over 17,000 upvotes.

Lawsuits Incoming? CEO Could Face Legal Action

While the CEO tendered his resignation on Monday amid mounting pressure from the board and investors, legal trouble may be far from over. Sources close to the matter suggest that several board members are preparing to file a countersuit, alleging “breach of fiduciary duty, reputational damage, and conflict of interest.”

Attorney Lisa Harvell, a corporate governance expert, commented: “Depending on the terms of his exit, the board may challenge the validity of the compensation package if misconduct is proven to have harmed the company’s valuation or investor confidence.”

In fact, preliminary figures from early investors show that three institutional stakeholders are already reevaluating their positions, and one Series B fund has frozen further investment pending internal audits.

The Astronomer scandal has sparked a broader debate about accountability in startup culture, where blurred lines between professional and personal relationships are often overlooked until a crisis erupts. Some industry veterans argue that this is a wake-up call for clearer HR governance and transparent leadership ethics.

Meanwhile, the company’s co-founder concluded his statement with a pointed reflection: “We built Astronomer to bring structure to chaos in the =” world. It’s time we brought that same clarity to our leadership practices.”

For now, Astronomer’s board is reportedly interviewing interim CEOs while planning a full internal investigation.

One thing is certain: as compensation numbers continue to rise, so do tensions inside and outside the company. And with legal battles looming, this story is far from over.