‘This game is rigged': Indian-origin Berkeley graduate experiments with fake founder persona, fools 27 investors using buzzwords

Time of India

6 days ago

Bhavye Khetan
, an Indian-origin graduate from UC Berkeley, recently set the internet ablaze after revealing a bold
social experiment
aimed at exposing the perceived superficiality of the startup and
venture capital
(VC) ecosystem. With no product, pitch, or even a business idea, Khetan invented a fictional founder, slapped on a few high-profile affiliations—Stanford Computer Science, ex-Palantir—and sprinkled in the magic word 'AI' a few times.
Then came the true test: he sent cold emails to 34 venture capitalists.
The result? A staggering 27 responded. Four even asked to jump on a call. All without a single slide deck, prototype, or business model. Just a fake persona and the right blend of tech-world jargon.
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'This game is rigged in ways most people don't understand,' Khetan declared in a now-viral post on X (formerly Twitter), drawing thousands of views and triggering a cascade of reactions from amused netizens to outraged professionals.
— bhavye_khetan (@bhavye_khetan)
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Khetan's post struck a nerve—especially among aspiring founders and industry veterans who have long suspected that surface-level credentials often weigh heavier than genuine innovation in early-stage startup conversations.
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'Who would have thought having shiny logos on a résumé makes people more likely to wanna talk to you?' one user quipped.
Another compared Khetan's stunt to a real-life case where someone allegedly fabricated their entire CV, climbed the corporate ladder by offloading tasks, and now sits as CFO at a Fortune 500 firm, drawing half a million dollars a year.
To many, the experiment confirmed a frustrating truth: in a world of 'pitch decks' and buzzword bingo, branding often beats brilliance.
Not Everyone's Amused: Critics Call Out the Ethics
However, not all reactions were impressed or entertained. Some accused Khetan of crossing a moral line, arguing that his deception—though clever—undermined real credentials and credibility.
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'This is stupid. You lied. Stanford is meaningful. Palantir is meaningful. AI is meaningful. The only person acting inappropriately is you,' one X user wrote bluntly.
Others added that while clickbait-worthy, the stunt wouldn't have passed the second layer of due diligence. 'Of course they'll take your call,' wrote another. 'But I think you won't get past that when they figure out you are lying pretty quickly.'
Even more intriguing was the question raised by curious commenters: What happens
after
the email reply? Would the VCs ask for proof of the degree, a working demo, or a product walkthrough—or simply go by the impressive names on a digital résumé?
Buzzwords, Branding, and the Brutal Truth of Startup Culture
Khetan's experiment, while controversial, casts a revealing spotlight on the culture of venture capital, especially in an era where certain universities, companies, and buzzwords act like cheat codes to attention.
Many netizens pointed out that this dynamic doesn't stop at founders. Recruiters, too, have reportedly sidelined candidates from non-elite universities regardless of experience, insisting on Ivy League or top-tier degrees even for sales roles.
As one commenter lamented, 'Once people have some work experience, it's a mistake to judge them solely by the name of their college.'
A Wake-Up Call or a PR Stunt?
Whether you view Bhavye Khetan as a provocateur, a whistleblower, or a clever opportunist, his post has undeniably forced a conversation about the criteria for success in the modern tech world.
Is the startup ecosystem really as meritocratic as it claims to be? Or is it just a well-dressed masquerade where image, not innovation, wins the opening round?
As the dust settles, one thing is certain: a little bit of Stanford, a sprinkle of Palantir, and a few AI references can still open doors—regardless of what's actually behind them.