Bengaluru entrepreneur’s post on founders’ attitudes sparks India–US mentorship debate

A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has ignited a lively discussion on startup culture after sharing what he described as sharply different experiences while seeking mentorship from Indian and US-based founders.

Shubh Agrawal, who says he currently works with a New York–based company, posted screenshots on X of two private exchanges he claims to have had with high-profile startup leaders over the last six months. Introducing the posts, Agrawal questioned why, in his view, some Indian founders appeared less approachable than their counterparts overseas.

What’s with Indian founders and their Ego?

Story time -

In the last 6 months, I've reached out to countless founders and CEOs I admire for advice.

Most of the time, they're willing to help - but there seems to be a massive difference between the ego levels of Indian founders… pic.twitter.com/OcZAfb7g6C

— Shubh Agrawal (@ShubhAgrawal26) January 12, 2026

According to Agrawal, one of the founders he reached out to was an Indian entrepreneur whose company reportedly earns about $40 million annually and who is a regular presence on business podcasts. He alleged that when he asked for access to the company’s product to better understand it, the conversation quickly turned hostile, with the founder reacting angrily and using derogatory language about the founding team.

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By contrast, Agrawal said a US-based founder, who has previously built two unicorns and now runs a company generating more than $400 million in revenue, took a very different approach. He claimed the American entrepreneur spent nearly an hour asking detailed questions about the issue and even offered to continue the discussion over a call if required.

While Agrawal acknowledged that his conclusions were personal, he wrote that the founder with far greater experience and scale appeared more open and helpful. “I might be wrong in attributing this to their origin, but it’s clear that the founder with 10x higher competence was a lot more humble and willing to help out,” he said.

The post quickly drew mixed reactions from users. Some suggested that the difference might stem from personal journeys rather than nationality, arguing that people who have struggled their way to success may be less inclined to help others. Others pushed back against any broad generalisation, saying they had received both supportive and dismissive responses from founders across geographies.

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A few commenters expanded the debate beyond founders, criticising what they saw as cultural issues in management styles, while others questioned Agrawal’s account and asked him to share more context from the conversations.

The exchange has once again highlighted how issues of ego, accessibility and mentorship continue to shape perceptions of startup leadership in India and abroad, with social media acting as a lightning rod for such debates.