Fake Twitter Worker ‘Rahul Ligma’ Is a Real AI Engineer Backed by Harvard
▼ Summary
– Rahul Sonwalkar, a former Uber engineer, went viral for pretending to be a laid-off Twitter employee named “Rahul Ligma” after Elon Musk’s acquisition.
– Sonwalkar is the founder of Julius, an AI data analyst startup that simplifies data science for users and has over 2 million registered users.
– Harvard Business School adopted Julius for its Data Science and AI course after it outperformed competitors like ChatGPT in evaluations.
– Julius has a team of 12 employees and has secured a seed funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, though details remain undisclosed.
– Sonwalkar noted that his viral prank provided some early exposure for Julius but had limited impact on its recent growth.
The viral “Rahul Ligma” Twitter prank turned out to be more than just internet humor as it introduced the world to a legitimate AI entrepreneur with Harvard backing. When reporters spotted two men carrying boxes outside Twitter’s headquarters after Elon Musk’s takeover, one jokingly claimed to be a laid-off engineer named Rahul Ligma. The man behind the stunt, Rahul Sonwalkar, wasn’t actually a Twitter employee but had serious tech credentials, including engineering experience at Uber and participation in Y Combinator.
Now 27, Sonwalkar has shifted focus to Julius, his AI-powered data analytics startup. The platform simplifies complex data science tasks, allowing users to analyze datasets, create visualizations, and run predictive models using natural language commands. Since its launch two years ago, Julius has gained over 2 million registered users, standing out even alongside established tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
Harvard Business School took notice, with assistant professor Iavor Bojinov advocating for Julius to be integrated into the school’s new Data Science and AI for Leaders course. After rigorous testing against competing platforms, Julius outperformed rivals in functionality and ease of use. This endorsement from a top-tier institution, which shapes future business leaders, marks a significant milestone for the 12-person startup.
Behind the scenes, Julius secured a seed funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, though Sonwalkar remains tight-lipped about specifics. While his viral prank initially opened some doors, he admits its impact has waned as Julius’s real-world applications take center stage.
What began as a lighthearted joke has evolved into a serious venture, proving that sometimes, the most unexpected stories lead to genuine innovation.
(Source: TechCrunch)
