Jordan Zietz, founder of the AI company LemonLime, has issued an apology after a promotional event at a startup accelerator resulted in widespread criticism. The company hired a tattoo artist for an afterparty hosted by Y Combinator's Startup School, offering to interview attendees who received tattoos.

In a now-deleted LinkedIn post, Zietz initially framed the initiative as a demonstration of the company's bold approach, stating, "We are bold, we take risks, and we do things that haven't been done before." The post, which included a photo of an attendee getting a tattoo, quickly gained traction on X, formerly Twitter, after being shared by AI platform engineer Sammy Tourani, who commented on the desperation of the job market if permanent body art was required for interviews.

The stunt drew significant backlash, with many users on X labeling it as exploitative and insensitive to the difficult job market. Comments described the action as "disgusting" and an exploitation of "genuine desperation."

Responding to the criticism, Zietz posted an apology on X, acknowledging his misstep. "I messed up," he wrote. "What I thought would be a fun, memorable way to meet people was, in reality, reckless, and instead came across as tying a permanent tattoo to job opportunity, which showed poor judgement."

Zietz clarified that participants chose their own tattoos and were not required to get the LemonLime logo. However, he conceded that the pressure and power dynamic created by linking tattoos to hiring were poorly considered. He stated that the company has removed the promotional posts and spoken with all participants, offering to cover the costs of tattoo removal for anyone experiencing "delayed regret."

Dimple Amitha Garuadapuri, the individual featured in the original LinkedIn post's photograph, also took to X to address misconceptions. She clarified that she had received a personal tattoo, not the LemonLime logo, and that she was not seeking employment, as she is the founder of her own femtech startup, Stri Health.

LemonLime is an AI company that participated in Y Combinator's Startup School, an accelerator program for early-stage startups.