Surge AI's CEO: Product Managers and Data Scientists Don't Belong on Founding Teams

Surge AI's CEO, Edwin Chen, believes that product managers and data scientists have no place on a founding team. Chen, a former data scientist, says data scientists add little value in the early days of a company, and product managers become useful only when engineers no longer have the time to drive product direction. Chen suggests that founders and engineers should own the product and focus on making 10x or 100x changes.

Surge AI's CEO, Edwin Chen, has sparked a debate in the startup world with his recent assertions about the role of product managers and data scientists in early-stage companies. In an episode of the "No Priors Podcast," Chen argued that these roles are not essential in the initial stages of a company's growth [2].

Chen, who has a background as a data scientist, believes that data scientists add little value in the early days of a company. He contends that their primary function—optimizing products by small percentages—is not what founders should focus on when aiming for significant changes. Instead, he advocates for founders and engineers to own the product and drive 10x or 100x changes [2].

Similarly, Chen dismisses the need for product managers in the early stages. He argues that founders and engineers should be the ones driving product direction, as they have a more hands-on approach and are better equipped to make high-impact decisions. Product managers, he suggests, become more valuable as companies grow and engineers' time and capacity become limited [2].

Chen's views are part of a broader debate in the startup world about the role of product managers. While some see them as crucial for bridging communication gaps between different departments, others argue that they add little value in the early stages and can slow down decision-making. Microsoft and Snap are among the companies that have been rethinking their need for product managers [2].

Chen's perspective aligns with his company's approach to efficiency. Surge AI, a data labeling startup, has achieved significant growth without traditional sales or PR teams, which Chen credits as a key factor in its lean operations. The company has reportedly reached $1 billion in revenue, largely through the efforts of a single-person startup that generated $10 million in revenue [1].

Chen's focus on high-impact changes and efficiency underscores his belief in the potential of "10x engineers" and "100x engineers" in the age of AI. He suggests that AI can significantly enhance the capabilities of top-end engineers, multiplying their productivity and enabling lean startups to reach new heights [1].

References:
[1] https://www.aol.com/10x-engineer-old-news-surges-131630343.html
[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/surge-ai-product-manager-data-scientist-startup-hire-edwin-chen-2025-7