A New York-based Indian-origin tech entrepreneur has ignited debate across startup circles after publicly calling out an underperforming employee drawing a hefty ₹72 lakh annual package.
Aditya Siripragada, co-founder and CEO of Fountane—a fast-growing digital and AI solutions startup—took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce he was replacing a team lead managing a critical project.
“Paying ₹55 lakh for a team lead on a critical project – performance is subpar and I need to replace fast,” Siripragada posted, clarifying later that the total annual compensation stood at around ₹72 lakh.
The post has since drawn over 92,000 views, with several professionals expressing interest. However, Siripragada made it clear he wasn’t looking for novices. “Please don’t reach out if you haven’t done this kind of role before – not the time to experiment,” he cautioned.
The candid post sparked chatter not just around hiring practices, but also startup accountability and the value of performance-linked pay in high-growth tech companies.
Responding to applicants, Siripragada signalled he was open to paying even more—if the right candidate showed up. “If you’re freaking amazing, I’m down to pay more than that,” he wrote.
Siripragada’s journey itself has the makings of a classic immigrant startup tale. In a separate LinkedIn post, he shared that he landed in the US with “two bags, $700, and a heart full of ambition.” A decade later, his startup Fountane has made it to the Inc. 5000 list, ranked 884th in August 2024. It’s also among the top 10 fastest-growing firms in Minnesota and leads the state’s software and tech services segment.
