Meet man who went to IIT Kanpur, launched company in 2017, later raised Rs 120 crore, now is struggling to…

Over the years, many IIT graduates have made a name for themselves as successful entrepreneurs, founding startups that have grown into billion-dollar companies. However, not every story has a happy ending. One such example is Harsh Pokharna, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, who recently opened up about his financial struggles despite once raising Rs 120 crore in funding for his startup. In a viral post on LinkedIn, Harsh shared that even after raising Rs 120 crore in 2019 for his fintech startup OKCredit, he was broke. He revealed that he was living paycheck to paycheck, with no savings, and struggling to pay his monthly rent in Bengaluru, just like an unemployed college student. Harsh holds a B.Tech degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kanpur.

He highlighted how this is not just his story, but a common one in the startup ecosystem. Many founders, he said, raise millions in funding but still live under constant stress, unable to meet basic personal expenses.

Harsh blamed venture capitalists (VCs) for this situation, accusing them of wanting founders to remain financially unstable. According to him, VCs prefer financially desperate founders because it’s easier to control them. “If a founder asks for a little personal liquidity to clear debts or find peace of mind, they are often told they might ‘lose their hunger’,” he wrote.

He further said that while VCs are comfortable giving large funds to established founders who already enjoy financial stability, they often deny basic requests from newer founders. He believes this is because a financially secure founder becomes “dangerous”; they gain the courage to say no, walk away, or build their business on their own terms.

Harsh’s honest post has sparked a wider discussion about the reality of startup life. Many users agreed with him, saying that financial stability doesn’t kill ambition, it gives founders the freedom to think clearly and build better. Others asked why founders choose such VCs in the first place, and whether other routes like bootstrapping or small business loans could offer a healthier path.

The post sheds light on the tough decisions and personal sacrifices many entrepreneurs face, and how chasing a dream can sometimes come at the cost of personal peace and freedom.