The Moonlighting Maverick: Who Is Soham Parekh?
It's Soham Parekh, the India‑based software engineer who's gone viral – earning both admiration and alarm across Silicon Valley.
But who
really
is Soham Parekh?
Let's unpack.
Earlier this month, a viral post by Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi on X revealed Parekh was allegedly holding three to five simultaneous jobs at US startups (many backed by Y Combinator), sparking a wave of outrage. Founders at Fleet AI, Antimetal, Warp, Lindy, and others confirmed similar experiences, with several deeming him deceptive and terminating contracts.
Yet Parekh's CV portrays a stellar academic and professional journey.
Let's unpack the real story behind this multi‑hat maverick.
The viral allegations: Sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley
The story took momentum when Suhail Doshi, former Mixpanel CEO and Playground AI founder, issued a public warning: Parekh was allegedly working simultaneously at three to five startups – without disclosure – targeting YC-funded companies.
Claims included:
Being fired during his first week at Playground AI for dishonesty
A resume fraught with links that were "gone" and "probably 90% fake"
Roles at companies like Dynamo AI, Union.ai, Synthesia, Alan AI, and GitHub
This alarm resonated with other startup founders – Lindy, Fleet AI, Antimetal, Warp – all recounting their own dealings with Parekh, confirming either firing or abrupt cancellations upon discovery.
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Parekh's academic and professional trajectory
Despite the scandal, Parekh's résumé – as shared by Doshi – painted an impressive picture:
Bachelor's in Computer Engineering – University of Mumbai (2020)
Master's in Computer Science – Georgia Tech (2022)
Alleged prior roles included:
Open Source Fellow at GitHub (May–Aug 2020)
Founding Engineer at Alan AI (2021)
Full‑stack Engineer roles at Synthesia and Union.ai
Contract work with Dynamo AI (2024 onward)
In fact, before the controversy, Parekh was recognized for genuine technical contributions:
Active contributor in the MLH Fellowship, working on WebXR, AR/VR example code via Three.js
Founded Devstation, a non-profit promoting open-source adoption
Published articles on machine learning, cybersecurity, and development – from his personal blog (sohamp.dev) to Medium
From their accounts, friends of Parekh and community members remember an ambitious engineer focused on real-world tech impact – making the scandal all the more dramatic.
The paradox of Parekh: The testimonials
Following Doshi's post, a line of startup leaders came forward:
Flo Crivello (Lindy) said, while speaking about Parekh: 'Hired a week earlier, fired this morning… did incredibly well in interviews.'
Nicolai Ouporov (Fleet AI) said: 'He has been doing this for years and works at more than 4 startups at any given time.'
Matthew Parkhurst (Antimetal) dubbed Parekh 'really smart and likeable,' but relieved him once multi‑jobbing surfaced, while Michelle Lim (Warp) engaged him for a trial project but cancelled post-scandal.
Even lesser-known founders – like Igor Zalutski from Digger CI – chimed in, calling the behavior 'unhinged' and noting how well Parekh nailed interviews despite deceit.
The social spotlight
While no public statement has come, Doshi revealed a private message from Parekh:
'Have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean.'
But given these revelations have been quite some 'juicy content', social media users have had a field day.
Parekh, who is being dubbed as the 'Wolf of YC Street,' has been trending all over X.
While one social media user joked: 'Every crypto marketer has been Soham Parekh at some point in their career,' another quipped, 'Woke up with fever and cold…it's over for me y'all… Soham Parekh please don't take my job.'
What's even funnier, one internet user, going with the username 'Sohamp711' and a private X profile, has put up this as his bio: 'NOT the viral startup guy.'
That's not all. An internet user has even come out with a new startup idea for Parekh, in case he loses his six startup jobs – 'Soham Parekh should start a company called the 100x engineer.'
While some hailed his hustle mentality: 'a corporate majdoor who cracked the matrix,' others demanded serious reforms: remote hiring, background checks, and ethical transparency must be revisited.
The bigger picture: Will the real Soham Parekh please stand up?
Parekh's saga isn't just sensational – it catalyzes a global rethink on hiring standards:
Rigorous vetting needed: With overseas remote work a norm, startups must ratchet up verification, cross-check references, and validate credentials.
Ethics vs efficiency: High-speed hiring can tempt overlooking red flags. Parekh displayed top-tier skill – but with deceptive intent.
Policy evolution: Companies from Infosys to Wipro are reshaping moonlighting rules—some even allowing side-gigs under strict supervision.
Truth to be told: the tale of Soham Parekh isn't black and white.
On one side, a gifted coder who built immersive WebXR projects, led open-source, and documented learning. On the other hand, an alleged moonlighting mastermind with a possibly embellished résumé. That duality – innovation shadowed by possible fraud – is what makes his story so captivating.
If Parekh genuinely 'comes clean' – as he intended, in his alleged DM to Doshi – his story could evolve from a cautionary tale to a redemption arc. But until then, his impact on hiring ethics and remote work best practices is undeniable.
Meet Manasi Parekh, TV Star Who Won National Award Best Actress 2024
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