After the recent controversy, Data and AI startupAstronomerhas appointed its co-founder, Pete DeJoy, as interim CEO. The change comes after the company's former chief executive, Andy Byron, stepped down following a viral video incident that put the startup in an unusual media spotlight.

The controversy unfolded after a video surfaced showing Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot appearing on a "kiss cam" during a Coldplay concert near Boston. The clip quickly went viral, drawing attention from across social media and tech circles.

Addressing the situation publicly on LinkedIn, Pete DeJoy described the past few days as “unusual and surreal” for the company. “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 has been with Astronomer since its founding, officially stepped in as interim CEO over the weekend. His top priority now is to support the team and rebuild any lost trust with customers.

Founded in Cincinnati, Astronomer is known for helping companies manage complex data pipelines using Apache Airflow, an open-source platform used by many modern tech systems. Over the years, Astronomer has played a key role in powering systems ranging from AI tools and sports analytics to autonomous vehicle training.

Despite the recent distraction, DeJoy said the company has faced and overcome many challenges before, from the pandemic to banking uncertainty. He sees this as just another test of the team’s strength. “We’ve never shied away from challenges,” he said, adding that the company is focused on rebuilding trust and moving forward.

Internally, Astronomer has taken steps to strengthen its company culture and support employees in the wake of the controversy. Many team members have shown confidence in DeJoy’s leadership and long-standing role in shaping the company. “The mission remains the same,” DeJoy added. “We’re building something big for the AI era, and our story is far from over.”