IIM-educated founder rejects 4 IITians who wanted to join his startup: ‘Something didn't click'
An IIM-educated startup founder's post about rejecting four potential employees who he claimed were graduates from IIT has sparked a mixed reaction on social media. In the video, Dev Taneja explained that he rejected the candidates because their 'vibe' didn't match. A founder and CEO of an Indian startup shared a video about rejecting candidates from IIT. (Instagram/@unicornin2026)
In the video, Taneja says, 'We rejected four IITians from joining our startup and here is the reason why. They were definitely intelligent and I totally respect that grind but something didn't click.'
He then continues to talk more about the startup and what he is looking for in a candidate. According to his LinkedIn, Taneja completed an online course on Strategic Management from IIM Bangalore. Take a look at the video: How did social media react?
The video prompted mixed reactions. While some explained why they would prefer someone from IIT over engineers from other colleges, a few slammed the founder for using the institute's name, claiming he did it only to grab views. Also Read: Indian CEO instantly replies to customer complaining about product quality on X: 'Da*n'
An individual wrote, 'Rejected because you couldn't afford them!' Another asked, 'It feels as if you have a prejudice against IITians?' Taneja responded, 'No no, we just hired someone from IITC today. I love IITians, just these four didn't match the vibe.'
A third added, 'True, not all IITians suit the startup profile but they have that potential to go an extra mile over usual Engg grads from tier 2/3 colleges. But personally, as a founder, I would prefer people who love to figure out things themselves than waiting for others to schedule tasks. Smarter people are more focused on themselves than the societal approvals. They learn, apply and pivot faster than most… that's what makes them a perfect fit for startups. And best wishes for your startup.'
A fourth expressed, 'You could have said that you rejected them because they didn't match your vibe, but you used 'IITians' to grab views. Otherwise, kon dekhta.'
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