Bhavye Khetan sparks backlash after admitting to creating fake startup founder profile to test VC ecosystem
In a viral social media post, Bhavye Khetan, an Indian-origin UC Berkeley graduate, claimed he managed to get the attention of dozens of venture capitalists (VCs) by posing as a fake founder — without having a product, pitch, or even a business plan, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Khetan says he faked a profile with Stanford, Palantir credentials and got responses from 27 out of 34 investors he contacted.
According to Khetan, he built a false persona claiming to have studied Computer Science at Stanford and worked at Palantir. He cold-emailed 34 venture capitalists using this identity, and 27 of them responded — with four even offering to jump on a call. Khetan concluded that “the game is rigged in ways most people don’t understand.”
His real LinkedIn profile lists him as a UC Berkeley graduate with experience in New Delhi. He also previously called himself the founder of a multi-card payment solution — a claim yet to be verified.
Online users criticize the stunt, calling it dishonest and misleading while dismissing its message.
Khetan’s post triggered widespread criticism on social media. Many users said that taking investor meetings isn’t unusual and doesn’t prove a broken system. “Stanford is meaningful. Palantir is meaningful. The only person acting inappropriately is you,” one user commented.
Another added, “I don’t think it’s rigged. If you lie, of course they’ll take your call, but they’ll quickly realize the truth.” Others pointed out that while American founders might find it easier to gain early interest, misleading people erodes trust in the ecosystem.
The controversy comes at a time when debates over foreign worker visas and startup funding ethics are intensifying across the U.S. tech sector
The incident has gone viral amid growing tension in the tech industry, with U.S. workers expressing frustration over H-1B hiring practices and alleging companies are laying off domestic staff to hire cheaper foreign workers. Khetan’s post, though intended as a critique of the startup funding model, has instead reignited discussions on integrity, access, and privilege in venture capital.
