Indian-origin woman featured on Forbes exposes shady startup stories of fraudulent ‘desi' founders
'Have met two founders in SF this month. Both fraud: 1. Is subletting a rented apartment and showing that as revenue for his startup. 2. Is claiming Amazon and Google are clients who have signed LOIs when they have never even heard of them,' Ash Arora wrote.
'What's common among them? Both desi men Beware of these people!' she continued, adding, '4 VCs have pinged me correctly guessing both these founder names. Is this Soham Parekh 2.0? We need a BS radar community out here.'
Take a look at the post:
What did social media say?
An individual suggested, 'Agent to detect and keep a LIVE list if the company's fundamental patterns indicate that it's a fraud.' Another remarked, 'A sample of two. What's the point of including their race?' Arora replied, 'Because it breaks my heart that Indians are doing this and ruining the reputation of my country.'
A third posted, 'The 'desi men' part is a spicy take, but honestly, the patterns of fraud in SF are pretty universal. Desperation or greed, it always comes back to the same stuff.' Arora responded, 'Idk, man, maybe my network, but both of them being Indian, above 30, mid backgrounds and extremely arrogant threw me off. I didn't see it coming. Even 2 years ago when I met a YC startup that was completely fraudulent, and after our diligence, even YC threw them out - a desi male founder. Why this pattern.'
A fourth wrote, 'Even in crypto, people avoid projects who have desi founders. That is the sad reality and we all know why.'
Who is Ash Arora?
According to a Forbes report, Arora rose from a Delhi refugee colony. As per her LinkedIn profile, she is an alum of Lady Shri Ram College For Women in Delhi and started her career as an associate at a bank.
Over the years, she assumed various roles in different fields associated with trading and blockchain. She is currently staying in London.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
25 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Landmark Cars stock jumps 6% as B&K Sec initiates coverage, 60% upside seen
Landmark Cars share price: Shares of premium automotive retailer Landmark Cars were in focus on Monday, July 14, 2025, rising as much as 6 per cent to hit an intraday high of ₹539.65 after domestic brokerage B&K Securities initiated coverage on the stock with a bullish outlook, driven by strong growth potential and improving profitability over the next two years. The brokerage initiated coverage on Landmark Cars with a 'Buy' rating and a target price of ₹820 per share, implying a 60 per cent upside from Friday's closing levels. At 3 PM, the stock was trading at ₹531, up 4.5 per cent from its previous day's close of ₹507.85. In comparison, the benchmark NSE Nifty50 was trading lower by 73.55 points or 0.3 per cent at 25,080.3 levels. According to analysts at B& Securities, while Landmark Cars' proforma and reported revenues grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, from FY23 to FY25, the company's Ebitda, PBT, and PAT declined by 3 per cent, 20 per cent, and 55 per cent, respectively. However, the company's sales growth of 11 per cent was double the Indian passenger vehicle sales CAGR of 5 per cent over FY23 to FY25. During FY25, the older outlets and workshops contributed ₹70 crore to PBT, and the newly opened ones incurred PBT-level losses of ₹40 crore. As these facilities ramp up, they are expected to break even starting Q1FY26, with most turning profitable by the end of FY26, the brokerage said. The company has also tied up with three new brands - Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Kia and MG Motors - over the past two years. Landmark Cars is the first multi-brand, multi-location auto dealer operating in the premium and luxury car segment in India with 70 showrooms and 61 workshops as of FY25. "While the after-sales mix for old brands is 17 per cent for the new brands, it is 9 per cent. As the after-sales mix improves for these new brands and new outlets scale up, we expect the margin of the company to improve from 5.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent over FY25-27E," B&K Securities said. Analysts at B&K Securities believe that Landmark Cars remains a highly moated business with pan-India reach, high switching costs for OEMs, and market leadership with many OEMs, including Mercedes Benz, BYD, Jeep, Volkswagen, Honda and MG Motors. While the high capital requirements prevent smaller players from entering this segment, the intricate nature of the business is driving consolidation in the industry.
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bandhan Mutual Fund completes 25-year milestone in Indian MF industry
Bandhan Mutual Fund completes 25 years in the Indian mutual fund industry, marking a legacy built on trust, innovation and unwavering commitment to helping savers become investors. To mark this milestone with its investors and partners, Bandhan AMC presents 'Raju Bhaiya Ki Kahani,' a nostalgic, music-led film that reflects the journey familiar to many: from saving to investing with confidence, according to a press release by the fund house. Also Read | Nearly 112 lakh SIPs closed in 2025: Should you worry about the negative net SIP trend? Best MF to invest Looking for the best mutual funds to invest? Here are our recommendations. View Details » by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Victoria Principal Is Almost 75, See Her Now The Latest Article Undo Told through a heartfelt jingle and evocative animation, it celebrates the progress of everyday investors over the years, the release added. 'As we mark 25 years of our journey, we are proud of the role we have played in helping millions of savers become investors. From our origins as ANZ Grindlays Mutual Fund to Standard Chartered Mutual Fund to IDFC AMC to now becoming Bandhan AMC, every milestone has been a testament to our commitment to financial inclusion, innovation and investor-centricity,' said Vishal Kapoor , CEO, Bandhan AMC. Live Events 'While we celebrate this legacy, we remain focused on the road ahead- dedicated to empowering investors, expanding access to prudent financial solutions and redefining what is possible. We are deeply grateful to our investors, partners, employees and all stakeholders for their enduring trust and support throughout the years,' Kapoor added. Over the last 25 years, the fund house has been a pioneer in innovation, being the first to introduce products such as Short-Term Fund, Government Securities Fund, Dynamic Bond Fund, Medium Term Fund and roll-down structures in debt schemes, the release said. It has also embraced next-generation strategies like Artificial Intelligence led PMS products and Machine Learning based investment frameworks through offerings like NEO Equity PMS. Beyond product innovation, the company has played a vital role in investor education, launching well-received campaigns like One Idiot, Return of One Idiot, Dattey Raho, and Be Smart - Stay Invested, which have helped spread financial awareness across the country, the press release mentioned. Also Read | Mutual funds slashes cash allocation by Rs 13,000 crore in June; PPFAS and Quant MF join trend In 2025, Bandhan AMC continues to expand its reach with the launch of its 100th branch, new operations at GIFT City with three India-focused funds and Vedartha, a dedicated platform for wealth creation for both onshore and offshore investors. As Bandhan AMC steps into the future, the vision remains clear, to be a trusted partner in every Indian's financial journey, and to continue helping savers become investors.
Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
Arjun Erigaisi lashes out at British Airways for 'downgrade' service; Indian chess GM says ‘worse part is I've to fly…'
Indian chess grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has blasted British Airways mercilessly, calling his experience with the airline 'worst' ever. The 21-year-old complained about zero communication from the British Airways authority while his bag being delayed for more than two days and also alleged rude behavior from the airline staff. Taking to X, Erigaisi expressed his displeasure. 'Worst experience flying with the British Airways. Involuntarily downgrade, rude employees, no communication, bags delayed for over 48 hours,' Erigaisi said in his post. 'This is frustrating. Messages, emails, forms everything done & submitted. It's been over 2 days and still no word. I don't know how an airline can afford to treat its customer in this way. Even worse part is I've to fly back with you,' added Erigaisi, ranked third in the world. However, British Airways is yet to respond on the issue. It is also unknown Erigaisi's travel and source destination. Erigaisi's post went viral in no time with several users complaining the same. Erigaisi was also suggested to take a Qatar Airways or an Emirates flight. "British Airways is one of the worst airlines in the world. If you ever travel to Europe, you should take Qatar Airways or Emirates. If you travel to Asia, you should pick Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific. If you go to US, you should take Qarar Airways, Singapore Airlines or United. If you go to Canada, you should take Singapore Airlines or Air Canada," am X user wrote. Erigaisi will compete in one of most important tournaments in September - FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 in Uzbekistan from September 3 to 16. He will be a top seed in the competition, which is a qualifier for the 2026 Candidates. Erigaisi will have the company of R Praggnanandhaa in the tournament which will also have global superstars like Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Levon Aronian, and Anish Giri.
