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India.com
03-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Who Is Soham Parekh? Indian Engineer Accused Of Moonlighting At Multiple US Startups, Duping Several Firms
Soham Parekh, an India‑based software engineer, has become the focus of a major controversy in the US tech industry after he was recently accused by a US-based founder of moonlighting at multiple startups and continuing to do so despite being called out. The controversy started after Mixpanel founder Suhail Doshi, in a post on X, warned his fellow entrepreneurs about Soham Parekh. Doshi claimed that Parekh works at 3-4 startups at the same time. Doshi added that he had fired Parekh in his first week and told him to stop scamming people. In a post on X, Mixpanel founder Suhail Doshi said, 'PSA: there's a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He's been preying on YC companies and more. Beware. I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying/scamming people. He hasn't stopped a year later. No more excuses.' Doshi also shared Parekh's CV in another post and questioned the authenticity of his portfolio. After the post went viral, several people messaged Doshi thanking him for sharing information about Parekh. People's reaction to the viral post The revelation has sparked a meme storm on X. One user termed Soham Parekh the new internet sensation. "Soham Parekh is the new internet sensation. Dekh rhe ho Binod," he said. While another said that he should change his name to Soham Parekh to land an interview with a startup. 'Probably I should change my name to Soham Parekh at this stage, might land an interview with a startup,' a user said in a post on X. Another user said, 'I'm inspired by Soham Parekh. I'm fixing my CV and applying for 100 remote jobs in the US.' Who is Soham Parekh? As per a CV shared by Mixpanel founder Suhail Doshi, Soham has done his BE in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai and his Master's degree in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has worked in various positions at various companies, including Dynamo AI, Union AI, Synthesia, and Alan AI. Soham's Confession Amid the controversy, Soham has sought advice from Suhail Doshi on what he can do to improve his situation. He also told Doshi that he is happy to accept all his mistakes. "Soham has reached out. His primary question: Asking this as genuine advice since I do really love what I do, have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean. Vox Populi, Vox Dei," Suhail said on X.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
The Moonlighting Maverick: Who Is Soham Parekh?
It might be the birthday of the Top Gun Maverick, but the moonlighting maverick is hogging all the limelight. 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, 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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo 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 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 Founded Devstation, a non-profit promoting open-source adoption Published articles on machine learning, cybersecurity, and development – from his personal blog ( 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
