A Reddit post by user throwaway_267xx has sparked a heated debate on the differences between American and Indian startup founders, based on personal experience working with both. The user, a software engineer who has spent over three years working with both, shared a detailed comparison that sheds light on their unique working styles.
In the post, the user highlights some key differences between the two types of founders. According to the engineer, American founders tend to know the product and the customer well, often focusing on quality over quantity.
“American founders trust their team and don’t try to master every craft,” the user noted, emphasizing how they build for users, not just a single user, and stay focused on solving one problem at a time. They also give their team autonomy and respect expertise and are known for treating people with respect, avoiding the blame game.
On the other hand, the user observed that Indian founders often struggle with clarity regarding their product and may focus too heavily on pleasing a single user rather than solving problems for a broad audience. “Indian founders push for 16-hour days and weekends, with no regard for sustainability,” the user pointed out, noting a tendency toward quantity over quality.
The post also described how Indian founders frequently switch contexts and have strong opinions about things outside their expertise, while failing to listen to their teams.
The post stirred reactions from Reddit users, with some agreeing and others offering differing viewpoints. One user suggested that the real difference comes down to hiring practices. “It’s all about how well they hire,” the user said, comparing the hiring process between European, American, and Indian founders.
While Europeans take time to hire carefully, American founders hire quickly but fire even faster. The user noted that American founders often have the capital to hire more people than needed, while Indian founders don’t always have access to that level of funding, resulting in a hiring process that sometimes settles for average talent.
Others pushed back against the stark comparison made in the post. One Redditor argued, “You just compared the good of American founders vs the bad of Indian founders. It doesn’t make sense to me,” pointing out that such comparisons should involve equal conditions for both groups, like comparing an Indian founder to an American founder within the same country.
Another user added to the conversation, noting the way some Indian founders rely on “Jugaad” (resourceful shortcuts) and “DHANDA” (business practices), sometimes overestimating their own ingenuity and exploiting cheap labour.
