Eclipse CEO Neel Somani steps down amid sexual assault allegations
Eclipse CEO and founder Neel Somani announced that he will temporarily step back from his role at the company in light of renewed sexual harassment allegations against him.
The allegations against Somani, which include inappropriate comments and a serious accusation of sexual assault by a female venture capital partner at a tech conference, have stirred controversy within the tech and Web3 communities. This has led to calls questioning his suitability to lead a tech enterprise. Somani’s account, known for its inappropriate social media behavior, has particularly come under scrutiny for not aligning with the professional standards expected of a company leader.
When he grabbed my waist and pulled towards him even after I said NO and pushed him away, I knew that this will happen one day.
Thank you for speaking up ser. https://t.co/cDjYT3n7uv— Jiwoo Jun (@jiwoo_jun) May 8, 2024
In response to the backlash, Somani stated, “I’ll be temporarily reducing my role as a public face for Eclipse. It isn’t fair for the team at Eclipse, our investors, or our ecosystem of developers to have this situation weighing on their reputations.” He also mentioned that he is actively working to clear his name and defend himself against these allegations.
Eclipse is known for its ambition to bridge Ethereum and Solana through a high-performing blockchain. Despite the ongoing controversy, the company promised to provide more details about its senior leaders in the coming days to ensure transparency and maintain trust within its community.
Serious allegations have been made against me on Twitter in the last week. These allegations are false, but serious allegations about sexual misconduct warrant a serious and thoughtful response. You’ll find that response in the thread below:
— neelsalami.eth 🌑 (@neelsalami) May 9, 2024
Furthermore, Somani’s recent decision to conduct a $10 million token sale without consulting investors beforehand has compounded the ethical concerns surrounding his leadership. This move was seen as a breach of standard protocols of transparency and trust, and has left stakeholders feeling sidelined and raised questions about governance within Eclipse.
