Photoroom co-founder quits executive role

One of the co-founders of French AI photo editing app Photoroom, Eliot Andres, has resigned from his executive position at the Y Combinator alumni startup. Andres, who co-founded Paris-based Photoroom with CEO Matthieu Rouif in 2019, aimed to democratize photo editing with an easy-to-use app. Photoroom utilizes AI to help brands and individual sellers transform shots into professional-looking visuals in seconds.

Andres, who spent most of his time as CTO, transitioned to a contributor role this year. In a LinkedIn post, Andres announced his departure, stating that after seven years, it was time for him to step back, though he would remain involved in strategic decisions as a board member. He expressed confidence that the time was right for his departure.

Andres' long-term goal, as stated in their Y Combinator application, was to enable anyone to make professional edits without any training, a dream he believes is becoming a reality thanks to their work and advances in AI. He explained that he is taking some time to reflect on his next projects, which will likely remain focused on AI and apps.

Rouif commented, "Excited to keep partnering with you as a founder and board member." Andres will be replaced as CTO by Javier Sotelo, a former Groupon executive who joined Photoroom at the beginning of the year. Photoroom, valued at €500 million, raised €43 million in a Series B funding round in 2024. The startup's enterprise clients include DoorDash, Wolt, and Decathlon.