The Soham Parekh Story: When Hustle Culture Goes Too Far in Tech Startups

In the world of tech startups, hustle is often glorified. But a recent controversy involving Mumbai-based software engineer Soham Parekh has sparked a heated debate across the global startup ecosystem. Parekh, who reportedly worked for multiple Silicon Valley startups simultaneously, is now being seen as a cautionary tale of “extreme hustle culture.”

Multiple Startups, One Engineer

Soham Parekh went viral after Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi publicly accused him on X (formerly Twitter) of juggling three to four jobs at once — deceiving Y Combinator-backed companies in the process. Doshi wrote:

"There’s a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3–4 startups at the same time… I fired this guy in his first week… He hasn’t stopped a year later."

The post quickly gained traction with 25,000+ likes, prompting other startup founders — including those at Lindy AI and Antimetal — to share their own experiences of hiring and firing Parekh.

At Lindy, Doshi said it became apparent Parekh was moonlighting when his output and availability fluctuated heavily. At Antimetal, founder Matthew Parkhurst noted that despite being likable and smart, Parekh was let go once they uncovered the dual employment.

The Allure of Startup Offers

Other founders, like Haz Hubble of social media startup Pally, said they offered Parekh a $250,000/year founding engineer role, which he turned down because he wouldn’t relocate to San Francisco. “Now we know why,” Hubble told CNBC.

Hubble further suggested that Parekh may be more addicted to securing job offers than actually doing the work — a phenomenon some say reflects a deeper psychological issue around achievement, status, and self-worth in tech.

Parekh Breaks Silence: “It Was Out of Necessity”

In a candid interview on the tech show TBPN, Parekh admitted the allegations were true. He claimed that he took on multiple jobs because he was in dire financial need, working up to 140 hours a week at the height of his overemployment.

"No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, but I had to do this out of necessity," he said.

He added that greed wasn't his motive — instead, he always opted for lower pay and higher equity, genuinely believing in the companies he joined.

A Symptom of a Larger Problem

Experts say that Parekh’s story is not isolated. Since the pandemic, overemployment has become increasingly common, especially in remote-friendly roles.

The subreddit r/overemployed, founded in 2021, has seen growing participation from tech workers sharing tips on how to juggle multiple full-time jobs without being caught.

“Remote work allowed incredible flexibility, but it also opened the door for people to exploit the system,” said Alexandru Voica of AI company Synthesia.

In India alone, moonlighting among IT professionals rose by 25-30% between 2020 and 2023, according to Randstad India, as workers cited low pay, job insecurity, and layoffs as primary drivers.

The Dark Side of Hustle Culture

Industry observers argue that this is an extreme byproduct of Silicon Valley’s toxic productivity obsession.

“We’re seeing the extreme end of hustle culture: when work becomes performance, and identity becomes fragmented,” said Dmitry Zaytsev, founder of talent firm Dandelion Civilization.

Zaytsev highlighted that Parekh’s ability to pass multiple technical interviews showed how little emphasis is placed on soft skills like reliability or team presence in early-stage startups.

“Burnout is predictable when overwork is treated like a badge of honor,” he added.

Risk to Remote Work Culture

While Parekh’s actions drew criticism, others warn the fallout could hurt vulnerable employees, especially those who depend on flexible or remote work arrangements — such as women, caregivers, or people with disabilities.

“This kind of behavior sets a bad example. Employers may now question remote policies, and that hurts the people who actually need it,” Voica explained.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for the Startup World

Soham Parekh’s case has become a mirror reflecting deeper issues in the tech industry — from unbalanced work culture to the fragility of remote trust. While his choices have stirred backlash, they also raise critical questions:

• How did startups fail to detect multiple full-time roles?

• Should companies value soft skills and commitment more in hiring?

• Is hustle culture pushing engineers to dangerous extremes?

In the rush to build fast and scale big, startup culture may need to pause and reassess its metrics for success — not just output, but integrity and well-being.