Vinay Hiremath had it all. Co-founder and CTO of Loom, the video messaging platform that sold to Atlassian for a cool $975 million last October. But now? He’s studying physics and hunting for engineering internships alongside teenagers. Yeah, you read that right.
After pocketing an estimated $50-70 million from the Loom sale, Hiremath made a decision that would make most people’s heads spin: he walked away from an additional $60 million retention package that Atlassian offered him to stay on board for four years.
“I am rich and have no idea what to do with my life,” Hiremath confessed in a brutally honest blog post that’s been making waves across tech circles. He’s 33. No income. And apparently, no clue what comes next.
The Loom Journey
- Founded in 2015
- Scaled to 30+ million users worldwide
- Raised $200 million in funding
- Recorded 1.5 billion minutes of video content
- Secured 200k+ paid customers
But success hasn’t brought clarity. Far from it.
Since the acquisition, Hiremath describes his life as “a haze.” He’s spending 5-8 hours daily studying physics. He’s hanging out in Discord groups with 18-year-olds discussing physics problems. And now, he’s actively searching for internships in mechanical and electrical engineering.
It’s not like he hasn’t considered other options. There was a brief flirtation with starting a robotics company. He even spent time working on a cryptocurrency project related to DOGE. Nothing stuck.
The timing of Loom’s sale to Atlassian is worth noting. While $975 million sounds astronomical, it actually represents a markdown from the company’s 2021 Series C valuation of $1.5 billion. Still, the exit stands as one of the largest startup cashouts of 2023.
Loom’s pandemic-era growth was explosive. As remote work became the norm, their asynchronous video messaging tool found its moment. From a niche productivity app to an essential communication platform, Loom rode the work-from-home wave perfectly.
But success didn’t equal fulfillment for Hiremath.
“I’ve achieved wealth beyond what I ever imagined possible, but I’m struggling to find purpose,” Hiremath wrote in his blog.
The irony isn’t lost on anyone. While millions hustle for financial freedom, here’s someone who achieved it only to discover it doesn’t solve everything. Actually, it created a whole new set of problems.
For now, Hiremath continues his unusual post-exit journey. From tech founder to physics student. From billionaire entrepreneur to internship applicant. It’s not your typical success story – and maybe that’s exactly the point.
What comes next for the millionaire academic hopeful? Nobody knows, probably not even him. But his story offers a fascinating glimpse into the complicated reality behind those gleaming tech success stories we’re used to hearing.
Sometimes hitting the jackpot just leads to more questions.
