Harvard-Educated Girlfriend Takes on Multiple Roles for Boyfriend, Sparks Debate

A recent social media post has ignited a heated discussion after a Harvard and Stanford-educated entrepreneur demanded for sweat-equity for supporting her founder boyfriend through the grueling Y Combinator (YC) program.

CC Gong, a co-founder of Montage and a principal at Menlo Ventures, posted on the platform X about her role in ensuring her boyfriend, Mihail Eric, co-founder of Storia AI, is well-fed, his laundry done, and his hair trimmed as he endures the demanding YC schedule.

 Her post included a photo of Eric passed out on the sofa, laptop still open, capturing the exhaustion that often accompanies startup life.

 Gong captioned it: "My boyfriend is in YC, and this is what I come home to on a Friday night. I make sure he’s fed, do his laundry, and cut his hair. I give feedback, customer intros, and encouragement. YC girlfriends should be granted sweat equity."

The post, which has garnered over 2 million views and sparked interest from venture capitalists, has divided opinions.

While some praise Gong for her dedication and suggest that "every founder's girlfriend should have some equity," others have criticized the normalization of women taking on invisible labor roles in support of men's professional success.

Her post raised questions about the gender roles in households. 

Y Combinator, a renowned startup accelerator based in Silicon Valley, is known for its intense three-month program that provides mentorship, funding, and resources to early-stage startups.