GRIFTBATCH W25AR / HARDWARE
Pickle logo

Pickle

Stole GPL code, then launched AR glasses that might be CGI.

Undisclosed
Capital Raised
2+ YRS
Lifespan
Open source trust + $799 preorders
Body Count

AUTOPSY REPORT

A YC W25 company with two separate controversies. First, co-founder Daniel Park released 'Glass,' a real-time conference AI assistant, under Apache 2.0. Developers discovered it was a near-verbatim copy of 'CheatingDaddy,' a GPLv3-licensed open source project — identical code, comments, and library versions relicensed without attribution . After 700+ upvotes on Hacker News, they changed the license back. Then Pickle launched $799 'Pickle 1' AR glasses marketed as a 'soul computer.' Tech analysts accused the demo of being CGI — impossible battery specs, a Korean restaurant in the demo that doesn't exist, and mismatched UI data. SF Standard asked: 'Is it vaporware?'

DAMAGE: Open source trust + $799 preorders

TIMELINE

2024Founded, joins YC W25
2025-07Glass project exposed as GPL code theft on Hacker News
2026-01Pickle 1 AR glasses launch accused of CGI fraud

SOURCES

→ HN: My Open Source Project Was Relicensed by a YC Company→ SF Standard: Is Pickle's 'Soul Computer' Vaporware?→ HN: Pickle 1 AR Glasses May Be Fraudulent
← Miso RoboticsOptifye.ai →

Satirical project. Not affiliated with Y Combinator. All information from public records.