College Social App Fizz Accuses VC of Sharing Confidential Data with Rival Sidechat
In a new filing, Fizz alleges that venture capitalist Jerry Lu of Maveron met with Fizz under the guise of a potential investment, then shared non-public information with competitor Sidechat.
Lawsuit Twist
A years-long lawsuit between college-focused social apps Fizz and Sidechat over unfair competition has taken a new turn. In a recent filing, Fizz accuses investor Jerry Lu, who is with venture capital firm Maveron, of meeting with Fizz under the pretext of exploring an investment, but then sharing Fizz’s confidential information with its rival Sidechat.
New Allegations
Fizz claims it only learned of Lu’s involvement through the legal discovery process, which revealed his role in obtaining and transmitting Fizz’s confidential information to Sidechat’s owner, Flower Ave Inc., which also acquired Yik Yak in 2023. The filing also alleges that Lu continued to act as a conduit, funneling information about Fizz’s fundraising efforts and other matters to Sidechat.
A screenshot of a text attached to the filing shows Lu sharing notes with Flower after meeting with Fizz in March 2022, according to the complaint. In that meeting, Fizz founders Teddy Solomon and Ashton Cofer shared non-public information about Fizz’s business strategy, growth plans, campus-launch playbook, user metrics, ambassador program, fundraising efforts, and product roadmap.
Per PitchBook data, Lu invested in Sidechat’s second seed round in October 2023. However, Fizz claims Lu had been in discussions with Sidechat as early as 2022. Additionally, Fizz claims that Jack Burlinson, an acquaintance of both the founders and Lu, shared confidential information — including Fizz’s investor deck and its fall summary for investors — with Lu, who then passed it directly to Sidechat.
Responses
Requests for comment sent to Lu and Maveron were not returned. Fizz declined to comment. Kyle Venn, CEO of Yik Yak and Sidechat, said: “These are allegations, not court findings. We deny any wrongdoing and will address this through the legal process. The alleged events happened before the current Sidechat team acquired the business in 2025 and inherited the lawsuit. No one on today’s operating team was involved. We’re currently focused on making a great product, not suing other apps.”
