Indian Commerce Minister Sparks Debate on Startup Focus: Delivery Apps vs. Deep Tech
15 Sources
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Mindless reels, quick money via gambling, no innovation? Piyush Goyal lists 5 reasons why India's startups are losing their way
At the Startup Mahakumbh, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal voiced concern over the direction of India's startup ecosystem, contrasting it with China's focus on deep-tech innovation. He called on entrepreneurs to pursue globally relevant ventures and move beyond instant delivery services. His sharp
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Piyush Goyal asks startups to focus on high-tech areas, not food delivery apps
NEW DELHI: Indian startups are focusing on food delivery apps, turning unemployed youth into cheap labour, while Chinese startups are working on electric mobility, battery technology, and building chips and AI models, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday as he asked them to
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Easy to criticise us but Google, Amazon were also 'consumer startups': Zepto's Aadit Palicha on Piyush Goyal's remark
Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha responded to Union Minister Piyush Goyal's critique of India's startup focus, emphasizing the need to build strong local internet companies. He highlighted Zepto's contributions to employment and the economy, and urged support for innovative homegrown champions to drive
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Zepto CEO Piyush Goyal responds to Piyush Goyal's 'delivery boys' jibe: 'We employed 1.5 lakh people'
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's comments at the Startup Mahakumbh 2025, questioning India's technological aspirations, drew mixed reactions. Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha defended the impact of consumer internet startups, emphasizing their contributions to employment, economic growth, and
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'China got $845 bn while India got $160 bn': Mohandas Pai slams Piyush Goyal over 'delivery startups' remark, asks what has he done to help
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal encouraged Indian startups to shift focus from delivery services to high-tech sectors like AI and robotics. Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai urged for resolving capital availability issues and regulatory hurdles to foster the growth of deep tech startups in India.After
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'India's bright ideas being sold to foreign firms for just Rs 50-60 lakh: Piyush Goyal attacks startup ecosystem
Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has urged startups to focus on innovation in deep-tech, robotics, and electric mobility instead of selling their ideas to foreign firms. He stressed the need for Indian investors and highlighted the drawbacks of current trends, comparing them to advancements in
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'Shark Tank needs change': Piyush Goyal has a strong message for sharks like Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar
Easy to criticise us but Google, Amazon were also 'consumer startups': Zepto's Aadit Palicha on Piyush Goyal's remarkCommerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday asked startups in India to shift their focus from short-term delivery services to high-tech industries. Speaking at the
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'Founders can do most things but...: Shark Anupam Mittal reacts after Piyush Goyal's remarks on startups, Shark Tank
Shark Tank judge Anupam Mittal responds to Piyush Goyal's call for increased investment, emphasizing the readiness of Indian entrepreneurs in deep-tech sectors but highlighting the lack of capital and growth ecosystem. Goyal urges mentors to focus on supporting sustainable and value-driven startups
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Piyush Goyal challenges startups to go beyond delivery apps, sparks strong reactions
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently urged Indian startups to move beyond instant delivery apps and focus on high-tech domains such as semiconductors, robotics, AI, and next-gen manufacturing. Speaking at Startup Mahakumbh, an event being organised by Department for Promotion of
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Zoho's Sridhar Vembu brings up a 'vitamin' argument to solve Piyush Goyal's problem with startups
Amid ongoing controversy over Piyush Goyal's remark on startups, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu came out in support of the Commerce Minister, saying that the government cannot invent a better operating system or a smarter robot. "The government cannot invent a better operating system or a smarter
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Congress misleading startups by distorting message: Goyal
New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Friday accused Congress of misleading Indian startups by misinterpreting his message at the Startup Mahakumbh, which was taken positively by the budding entrepreneurs. He also alleged that the Congress ecosystem did not understand his
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Piyush Goyal accuses Congress of misleading startups by misinterpreting his message
Goyal asked the Indian startup community to shift their focus from grocery delivery and ice cream making to high-tech sectors like semiconductors, machine learning, robotics, and artificial intelligence.Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday accused Congress of misleading Indian
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Aman Gupta sides with Piyush Goyal's comments on Indian startups to focus on deep tech
Aman Gupta, boAt co-founder, supports Minister Piyush Goyal's call for Indian startups to focus on deep-tech innovation. Amidst debate, Gupta agrees with shifting focus from consumer-centric models like food delivery to technologies such as AI and robotics. He acknowledges the need for high-tech
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'Sucking up to power is a national cancer': Investor slams boAt's Aman Gupta for praising Piyush Goyal
A public disagreement has erupted in India's startup ecosystem after Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal urged founders to move beyond low-tech ventures. boAt's Aman Gupta supported the remarks, calling them aspirational. But entrepreneur Sam Baisla hit back, calling Gupta's response submissive and
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Piyush Goyal Gives A "Reality Check" To Indian Startup Ecosystem
Goyal highlighted the need for more deeptech startups, saying it is imperative to establish India as a global innovation hub "I have a lot of nice things that I could talk to you about, but I have a slide that I want to show you that disturbed me a lot," commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal
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Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's critique of India's startup ecosystem, comparing it unfavorably to China's deep-tech focus, ignites a heated debate among industry leaders and entrepreneurs.
Minister Goyal's Critique Ignites Startup Debate
India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has sparked a heated debate within the startup community by criticizing the focus of Indian startups and drawing unfavorable comparisons with China's tech sector. Speaking at the Startup Mahakumbh in New Delhi, Goyal expressed concern over what he perceives as a misalignment between India's startup activities and long-term national goals
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.The China Comparison
Goyal highlighted a stark contrast between Indian and Chinese startups. He noted that while Indian entrepreneurs are primarily focused on food delivery apps and convenience services, their Chinese counterparts are making strides in electric mobility, battery technology, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence
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. This comparison underscored Goyal's belief that Indian startups need to pivot towards more innovative and globally impactful sectors.Call for Deep-Tech Focus
The minister urged Indian startups to shift their attention to deep-tech areas such as robotics, machine learning, and 3D printing. He emphasized that only about 1,000 startups in India currently work in these advanced technological fields, which he described as a "disturbing situation"
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. Goyal's comments reflect a desire to see India compete on a global scale in cutting-edge technologies rather than focusing on what he termed as "dukhandari" (shopkeeper-like businesses).Industry Pushback
Goyal's remarks drew swift reactions from prominent figures in the startup ecosystem. Zepto co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha defended consumer internet startups, highlighting their contributions to employment and the economy. Palicha pointed out that Zepto alone has created livelihoods for approximately 150,000 people and contributes over ₹1,000 crores in annual taxes
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.The Broader Economic Context
Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai joined the debate, questioning Goyal's approach and highlighting systemic issues facing Indian startups. Pai pointed out the significant disparity in investment between India and China, with Indian startups receiving $160 billion compared to China's $845 billion from 2014 to 2024
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. He called for addressing capital availability issues and regulatory hurdles that impede the growth of deep-tech startups in India.Related Stories
Government's Role and Future Directions
While critiquing the current state of affairs, Goyal also emphasized the government's willingness to support startups facing challenges. He stressed the need for increased domestic capital investments to reduce dependency on foreign funding and ensure long-term economic resilience
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. The minister's comments have opened up a broader discussion on the role of government in shaping the startup ecosystem and the strategic direction of India's technological development.Balancing Act: Innovation vs. Immediate Impact
The debate highlights a crucial dilemma facing India's startup ecosystem: balancing the pursuit of cutting-edge technologies with addressing immediate market needs. While Goyal's call for more focus on deep-tech is aligned with long-term national interests, the success of consumer-oriented startups in creating jobs and economic value cannot be overlooked
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.As this discussion unfolds, it's clear that finding a middle ground that encourages both immediate economic impact and long-term technological advancement will be crucial for the sustainable growth of India's startup ecosystem.
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