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The debate on deep tech vs grocery delivery has gained momentum in India’s startup ecosystem, with industry leaders weighing in on the future of innovation. Recently, boAt co-founder Aman Gupta voiced his support for Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s advice on Indian startups. The minister of industry and supply chain urged entrepreneurs to prioritize deep technology innovations over quick-commerce ventures. This discussion took center stage at Startup Mahakumbh, where key stakeholders gathered to discuss India’s startup trajectory.
The Hindustan Times reported that Aman Gupta supported the Union Minister’s comments asking the young entrepreneurs to focus more on deeptech instead of focussing on “grocery delivering and ice cream making apps.”
The Indian startup ecosystem has seen the growth of e-commerce and fast commerce segments at a very fast pace, with grocery delivery platforms attracting huge investor attention. Piyush Goyal stressed that there should be a change in direction, urging startups to invest in innovative technologies instead of short-term grocery delivering models. The union minister said while addressing the Startup Mahakumbh event, “ Are we going to be happy being delivery boys and girls… Is that the destiny of India? This is not a startup, this is entrepreneurship… What the other side is doing — robotics, machine learning, 3D manufacturing and next generation factories.”
Backing this perspective, Aman Gupta commented on Piyush Goyal’s advice stating that deep tech innovations have the potential to drive long-term economic growth and establish India as a global technology leader.
The boAt founder posted on X, “It’s not every day that the government asks founders to dream bigger. But at Startup Mahakumbh, that’s exactly what happened. I was there. I heard the full speech. Hon. Minister @PiyushGoyal Ji isn’t against founders. He believes in us. His point was simple: India has come far, but to lead the world, we need to aim higher. It reminded me of something I say often on Shark Tank India: If you want to build a world-class product, you must know your competition. That applies to India too”
The debate regarding India startup focusses on deep tech comes at a time when the government and industry leaders are advocating for development in key technologies. While quick commerce startups have grown rapidly, deep tech startups require R&D and long-term thinking and are developing at a slower pace.
The deep tech vs grocery delivery debate is defining India’s startup ecosystem, with key leaders such as Aman Gupta asking Indian startups to focus on long-term technological advancement. With deep tech adoption, Indian startups have the potential to unlock economic opportunities, enhance national security, and make India a source of technology globally. With the debate ongoing, it’s only a matter of time before entrepreneurs realign their strategy around this vision for a future that will be driven by technology.