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Two more Turkish entrepreneurs, introduced as some of the most promising young founders on Forbes’ Under 30 list, Selin Kocalar and Karun Kaushik, came under scrutiny over their startup Delve, with claims centering on deceptive business practices.
The allegations suggest the venture, which offers AI-driven compliance services, may have presented companies as meeting regulatory standards without fully completed audits or controls, according to a Substack post that drew attention on social media.
Both founders were included in the list’s AI category for their work on the startup. The development follows the arrest of another Turkish entrepreneur on the list in November 2025 in a separate fraud case.
Delve presents itself as an AI-based platform that helps companies meet standards such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR by automating documentation, evidence collection, and reporting.
Founded in 2023, the startup initially built a medical AI product before shifting to compliance after running into healthcare data regulations. It joined Y Combinator in 2024 and raised $32 million in a Series A round in July 2025, following a $3.3 million seed round.
According to the post by individuals identifying as clients, concerns surfaced after an email alleged that Delve had exposed audit reports and confidential data through a publicly accessible Google spreadsheet.
It claimed the platform relied on standardized templates and pre-filled documents, with reports appearing largely identical across clients.
Some security checks and controls were allegedly shown as completed without being fully carried out, with audit outputs prepared in advance and later approved without independent verification, it added.
The post said several AI ventures are among the affected companies that relied on Delve’s services.
Delve said the claims are inaccurate, stressing it does not conduct audits or issue reports but supports independent auditors. It denied producing false evidence and said it is investigating the alleged data leak.
Earlier, Gokce Guven, founder and CEO of New York-based fintech and marketing startup Kalder, was arrested in November 2025 following charges filed by U.S. prosecutors.
Authorities allege that Guven misrepresented the company’s revenue, customer base, and business partnerships to raise approximately $7 million from investors, presenting inflated figures and claims that did not reflect the company’s actual performance.
Prosecutors say some of the partnerships highlighted to investors were either exaggerated or did not exist.
They also allege that similar statements and supporting documents were used in an application for an “extraordinary ability” visa in the United States, a category reserved for individuals with demonstrated expertise.
Guven was also named to Forbes’ 2025 "30 Under 30" list in the Marketing & Advertising category, where the magazine described her venture as a fintech-driven platform that helps brands build loyalty and rewards programs.
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