A Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium has unexpectedly thrown Astronomer CEO Andy Byron into the spotlight after a viral “kiss cam” moment with a colleague raised eyebrows and sparked online controversy.
The viral video, which has garnered millions of views across TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), shows Byron sharing a seemingly intimate moment with Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s Chief People Officer, during the band’s performance on Wednesday night.
As Coldplay frontman Chris Martin introduced the popular ‘kiss cam’ segment to entertain the crowd, the stadium jumbotron zoomed in on Byron and Cabot, who appeared to be holding each other closely. The duo quickly turned away, with Cabot covering her face and Byron ducking behind a barrier. The awkward moment took a turn when Martin jokingly commented, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy,” triggering laughter from the audience — and setting social media ablaze.
What appeared to be a light-hearted concert interlude quickly evolved into what many are calling “the internet’s biggest scandal.”
Andy Byron: CEO of Astronomer and Former Lacework Executive
Andy Byron has been leading Astronomer, a New York-based data infrastructure startup, since July 2023. The company, which specializes in managing Apache Airflow data pipelines through its flagship platform Astro, helps enterprise clients optimize data reliability and workflow efficiency.
Prior to joining Astronomer, Byron held senior leadership roles at several notable software companies including Lacework, where he served as president and advisor. He also worked at Cybereason as Chief Revenue Officer and previously held executive positions at Fuze, Vericenter, and BMC Software.
Byron, 50, resides in Northborough, Massachusetts, with his wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, and their two children. Public speculation around the viral video intensified after internet users noticed that Megan had removed “Byron” from her social media profiles following the incident.
Who is Kristin Cabot?
Kristin Cabot joined Astronomer in November 2024 as Chief People Officer. Based in Boston, she leads the startup’s human resources operations and is responsible for employee engagement, company culture, and workforce development. Cabot previously held leadership roles at HR-driven companies such as Neo4j, Proofpoint, and ObserveIT, and is recognized in the tech industry for advocating diversity hiring and inclusive work environments.
A graduate of Gettysburg College, Cabot has built a reputation as a thought leader in people operations and organizational culture. Her involvement in the scandal has raised concerns over workplace ethics and professional boundaries at tech firms.
Is the Viral Apology Statement Real?
Following the incident, a statement purportedly from Byron circulated online, expressing regret over the “deeply personal mistake” and apologizing to his wife, family, and colleagues. The message read, in part:
“What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage… This is not who I want to be or how I want to represent the company I helped build.”
However, X’s Community Notes later clarified that the account sharing the apology was a parody, and the authenticity of the statement could not be verified. No official comments have been made by Byron, Cabot, or Astronomer at this time.
Andy Byron’s Net Worth and Astronomer’s Valuation
Astronomer recently completed its Series D funding round in May 2025, with a reported valuation between $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion. Based on standard executive equity structures, Byron may own between 1% and 5% of the company, giving him an estimated net worth between $12 million and $65 million. Factoring in his previous roles, stock options, and compensation packages, his total net worth could reach $70 million, though these figures are speculative and not publicly confirmed.
What’s Next for Astronomer’s Leadership?
The fallout from the incident has fueled online speculation about potential HR investigations and executive shakeups at Astronomer. Given that both Byron and Cabot hold top-tier positions at the company, questions about corporate governance, code of conduct, and company reputation are mounting.
As of now, Astronomer has not issued an official statement addressing the situation, and it’s unclear what — if any — internal actions have been taken.