Bhavye Khetan, a UC Berkeley graduate of Indian origin, ignited widespread debate on social media after he claimed to have exposed the superficiality of the venture capital (VC) ecosystem using a fake founder persona. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khetan revealed that he had created a fictional tech entrepreneur profile and reached out to venture capitalists with nothing more than a fabricated background and some well-placed buzzwords.
“I made a fake founder persona. No product. No pitch. No deck. Just: - Stanford CS - Ex-Palantir - Used the word ‘AI’ 3 times. Sent cold emails to 34 VCs. 27 replied. 4 asked for a call. This game is rigged in ways most people don't understand,” Khetan wrote in a post that has since gone viral.
According to Khetan, the experiment was meant to highlight how the presence of prestigious academic affiliations and corporate credentials could attract interest in the absence of any actual business plan or prototype. He did not disclose the names of the venture capital firms that responded.
Khetan’s post triggered a wave of reactions across the platform, with some users agreeing that his demonstration laid bare the structural superficiality of the startup and investment landscape, while others sharply criticised his approach, calling it deceptive.
One user responded, “I heard about a guy who faked his CV with/ similar founder, tech nonsense & landed major consulting & then executive jobs this way. The entire climb up the ladder, he delegated key tasks he had no idea how to do himself to underlings. Now he's CFO at a Fortune 500, clearing 500K a year.”
Others accused Khetan of undermining the credibility of legitimate achievements. “This is stupid. You lied. Stanford is meaningful. Palantir is meaningful. AI is meaningful. The only person acting inappropriately is you,” said one commenter.
Another remarked, “I don't think it's rigged. If you lie, of course, they will take your call. But I think you won't get past that when they figure out you are lying pretty quickly.”
Some used Khetan’s experiment to draw attention to wider hiring biases in the tech and startup ecosystem. A commenter noted, “It doesn't stop there. Some of these founders only consider candidates who graduated from elite universities. We've received specific requests for sales positions where graduating from a top-tier school is a non-negotiable requirement. Candidates from other schools won't even be considered, regardless of work history. I get it if you're hiring for an entry-level role. But once people have some WE, it's a mistake.”
Khetan’s stunt was seen by some as a necessary provocation. Supporters argued that it forced a reckoning with the overemphasis on educational pedigree and brand-name affiliations in both hiring and investment. His post also underscored a longstanding criticism in startup circles: that the world of venture capital often rewards founders based more on their credentials and networks than the merits of their ideas.
Khetan did not appear to follow through with any actual meetings or pitches and clarified that the exercise was intended to illustrate a point rather than manipulate or scam any investors. Nonetheless, the post has sparked renewed scrutiny of the gatekeeping practices within startup funding.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
