An IIT graduate who quit a ₹28 LPA job to build a startup says he ended up spending ₹10-12 lakh in under a year, only to face what he describes as a “deeply broken” ecosystem driven by connections and optics rather than merit.
In a Reddit post titled “I Quit a ₹28 LPA Job for doing a Startup. Here’s What Actually Happened,” the user shared a candid account of the risks and realities behind chasing the startup dream.
“After almost a year in the Indian startup ecosystem, I feel people should hear the other side. The whole “startup ecosystem” in India feels deeply broken. It’s marketed as this meritocratic, innovation-driven space, but in reality, it often runs on connections, optics, and gatekeeping,” the user wrote.
He said that he left his high-paying job to build something he believed in, spending nearly ₹10-12 lakh over 11 months on product development, salaries and fundraising efforts. He also claimed to have paid lakhs to pitch deck reviewers, fundraising consultants and bootcamps, but said that he received “little to no real value” in return.
“What did I get in return? Endless ‘mentorship’ calls, vague promises, networking events that go nowhere, and people more interested in sounding smart than actually building anything,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“What did I get in return? Endless ‘mentorship’ calls, vague promises, networking events that go nowhere, and people more interested in sounding smart than actually building anything,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}The OP further claimed that fundraising feels like a “parallel industry designed to extract from founders,” with paid programs, introductions and networking events offering limited outcomes, especially for those without strong venture capital connections. “Hard truth, if you don’t have strong connections, your chances drop massively,” he said.
He added that while his IIT background gives him a safety net and access to job offers, many aspiring founders may not have that privilege. “For them, this path can be financially and mentally devastating,” he said.
He also questioned the depth of innovation in India, arguing that much of the ecosystem focuses on “surface-level replication” rather than deep-tech breakthroughs. “The real deep-tech push and serious capital seem to be elsewhere, especially in ecosystems like Silicon Valley,” he wrote.
“At this point, I genuinely feel a stable job is a better choice for most people in India than chasing the startup dream blindly. At least you build financial security and optionality,” he added.
Concluding the post, the user clarified that despite the setbacks, he is not done building. “But I’m reconsidering where I build from. I’ll probably try to move into a more mature ecosystem like Silicon Valley to raise funds and continue,” he wrote. “If you’re thinking of quitting your job for a startup, just be very, very sure. This path is not what it’s sold as,” he added.
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Social media reactions
The post quickly gained traction, with several users sharing similar experiences.
One user wrote, “A huge +1 to the OP. I have very similar experience, went to top colleges in India + US. Left 1Cr+ job last year to do startup, got into one of the best accelerators here didn't get funded even after product+customers. Indian startup ecosystem is not for you if you already don't have strong VC connections. Go to Silicon Valley if you want to innovate, innvoation isn't respected in India, VCs here only copy other VCs..no risk appetite.”
“Cannot agree more. I am in the same boat. I am an IIT grad just like you and left a job that paid 80 lpa. The product i work on is a core tech product,” shared another.
“This feels so true sometimes. I have been in job from past 1.5 years and I have grad from NIT. Still I scare top leave this decent job and start something of my own because it take coourage. Kudos to you that you had give 1 year to your career!” wrote a third user.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)