Inside the world of California startups Corgi girls — unhinged dating calls for, bizarre posts and outrageous online behavior | Latest Tech News
A California tech startup identified for hiring “hot” girls devolved into public chaos after staffers’ spicy social media takes seemingly sparked a crash-out.
San Francisco insurance-tech startup Corgi has gained an outsized rep, not for its risk-underwriting but reasonably for unhinged dating calls for, “mean-girl” staffers and public infighting — as its CEO issued awkward assertion defending the $4 billion firm’s tradition.
Brooke LeBlanc, Corgi’s head of group, nuked her X account this week after her outrageous record of dating “non-negotiables” went viral.
Brooke LeBlanc, an govt at tech company Corgi, is pictured in this undated picture. LeBlanc caught appreciable heat after posting her laundry record of necessities on X.
Brooke LeBlanc. Instagram/mbrookeleblanc
Then, another Corgi staffer who goes by Nicole Clash, was called out for repeatedly calling people “retards” online and showing to dismiss the use of the N-word in a now-deleted tweet, prompting a colleague to condemn the feedback.
“Reading is hard for the retarded it’s ok I understand,” wrote Clash, recognized as a Corgi advertising staffer by Insurance Business, on Sept. 20.
X/nicole _clash
In another post that has since been deleted, the Corgi worker shared that she would “not attempt to police” those who use the N-word — which spurred livid X posts labeling her a “mean girl” and an obvious condemnation by another staffer, Ella Schlaghecke. (The Post didn’t see the live X post, but reviewed screenshots.)
“There is a distinct difference between believing that society should not censor people and deciding that we have no responsibility to challenge language that dehumanizes others,” wrote Schlaghecke, who’s described as a partnerships supervisor on Linkedin.
Clash said she eliminated some of the offending posts “after reflection” when reached for remark, and said they don’t characterize the views of her employer.
Nico Laqua and Emily Yuan are pictured in this undated picture. Corgi is popping out of stealth with a whole of $108M raised to give startups better insurance coverage. Linkedin
Nico Laqua, left, and Emily Yuan are pictured as Corgi comes out of stealth with a whole of $108 million raised to give startups better insurance coverage. Linkedin
The dust-up got here in the wake of LeBlanc’s laundry record of dating must-haves that demanded her future husband be “post economic (still hardworking),” “fit and sober,” “healthy masculine” and between the ages of 35 and 42.
“Sorry, I don’t want to date a loser!” she wrote.
LeBlanc, 29, claimed the viral record gained her 5 suitors before deleting her X account.
The company’s 26-year-old CEO, Nico Laqua, then posted a screed railing against “cancel culture” in response to LeBlanc’s viral feedback.
Ella Schlaghecke, who works in startup partnerships at Corgi, is pictured in this undated picture. LInkedin
“If I’ve learned one thing about startups, it’s that VCs and very online figures care mostly about press and social media. However, real hackers and builders care about making a durable business, and that’s what we’re doing at Corgi,” Laqua wrote in the X post.
The startup later clarified that Laqua’s post defending free expression got here before Clash’s controversial posts, saying he does “not support that kind of language, and neither does Corgi.”
The brouhaha has left many questioning what it all has to do with insurance coverage.
“Suddenly, people were looking at Corgi for all the wrong reasons,” said PR veteran Chris Harihar of the backlash to LeBlanc’s post. “Now, you’re the company known for provocative or offensive posts, not insurance.”
While edgy posts might be efficient in getting consideration, Harihar said a controversial image could make it more durable to appeal to more conventional clients: “At some point, the wrong kind of attention costs you money,” he added.
Brooke LeBlanc, head of group at Corgi, left, and creator Jay Yang are pictured at Founders School on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. Courtesy of Founders School
Brooke LeBlanc, an govt at tech company Corgi. LeBlanc caught appreciable heat after posting her laundry record of necessities on X.
The startup, which describes itself as an “AI native, full-stack” platform that underwrites and sells insurance coverage instantly to other corporations, has gained infamy for its promotion of the hustle-culture credo that techies ought to work 12 hours a day, including on weekends.
“If your days off happen to be Saturday and Sunday every week, you will not have a place at Corgi,” Laqua boasted on the 20vchq podcast, alleging he sleeps 3-4 hours per night time on an workplace mattress.
The startup’s growth also spawned the time period “Corgi girls” for its rumored use of “hot” and “extremely online” ladies as a advertising tactic — including “a steady stream of photogenic women announcing their marketing and growth roles in viral X posts,” according to the web site SFisms.
Corgi called this rumor “false” in a assertion supplied by attorney Jeremy Eisemann.
“We hire people for their ability to contribute to our business. Characterizing our colleagues as a marketing tactic is disrespectful to them and misrepresents our culture,” he said.
very completely happy to announce that i’m becoming a member of @UseCorgi to work on advertising, growth & occasions in NYC 🙂
corgi is an insurance coverage provider that cuts out the broker and makes use of AI to underwrite insurance policies instantly for startups and companies – and they’re killing it
we’re also opening a 24/7… pic.twitter.com/6FhBu2xIUE
— Abril Zucchi (@abrilzucchi) July 14, 2026
Corgi announced lofty plans to open 100 “Corgi Cafes” working 24/7 to serve smoothies and snacks to fellow late-night techies — but reportedly eliminated the staffer in charge of that enlargement this week.
The 400-person company said it stays dedicated to the cafe expansions and is also increasing its merchandise to embrace “admitted insurance and reinsurance,” among other choices.
“There is a good amount of eye-rolling in their direction. A lot of people in tech and VCs are like, this is ridiculous,” one San Francisco enterprise capitalist told The California Post.
“But to give them some amount of credit, consumer insurance and fintech at the end of the day is brand driven. Their play clearly seems to be are we going to get a certain kind of customer to our insurance products with a non-corporate, Gen Z voice,” the investor continued.
Aaron Peskin, a former metropolis supervisor and critic of San Francisco’s tech industry, said Corgi’s cafes — which have been lambasted online as “smelly” and poorly maintained — left him questioning, ““What the f— is going on in this town?
“Look, immature, silly people and organizations are not a new thing on the planet Earth,” Peskin said. “It’s like watching a train wreck.”
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