In an audacious experiment that sent ripples through the startup ecosystem, Bhavye Khetan, an Indian-origin graduate from UC Berkeley, successfully piqued the interest of 27 venture capitalists with nothing more than a buzzword-laden pitch for a fictitious startup. Khetan’s aim was simple: expose the vulnerabilities and superficiality in how early-stage startups are evaluated by investors.
The Startup That Never Was
Khetan crafted a startup profile filled with the latest jargon: AI-powered solutions, Web3 integration, decentralized data pipelines, and more. The website was sleek, the LinkedIn page looked active, and the messaging was polished but there was no product, no team, and no actual business model.
Despite the complete absence of a real offering, within weeks, Khetan reported that 27 VCs expressed interest in funding or exploring the venture. Some even offered to schedule follow-up calls based solely on the pitch deck and landing page.
What This Reveals About the VC Landscape
The stunt has reignited a long-standing debate in the venture capital world are investors chasing genuine innovation, or just the next shiny object filled with tech buzzwords?
Khetan’s findings indicate that, in the race to discover the next unicorn, many VCs are prone to making snap judgments based on hype and market trends, rather than solid due diligence. The situation raises concerns about how capital is allocated and whether truly innovative founders, especially those without polished PR or Ivy League networks are being overlooked.
A Wake-Up Call for Founders and Funders
It serves as a stark reminder to venture capitalists that depending just on superficial information and going along with the herd might harm their finances and reputation.
What’s Next for Khetan?
Bhavye Khetan claims that he would not carry on with the deceptive startup. Rather, he thinks that this social experiment will lead to fresh conversations about transparency, assessment techniques, and individual prejudices in funding choices.
Sincerity is essential in this age of invention; dishonesty is a metaphor for the venture capital industry. It is more than just a shrewd manoeuvre; it is an essential moment for the industry to examine its methods in order to make investments for the future.
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