When India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal took the stage at the second Startup Mahakumbh, few expected his words to ripple across the country’s innovation ecosystem. But one remark – almost offhanded – lit a fuse.
“Do we want to make ice creams or semiconductor chips?”
With that single, seemingly rhetorical question, Goyal cracked open a debate that now dominates boardrooms, chat threads, and investor lounges alike. At its core: What should India’s start-up ambition truly look like?
What Did the Minister Really Say?
Goyal’s commentary was both sharp and layered. On one hand, he celebrated India’s rapid rise as the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem. On the other, he criticized the dominance of consumer-focused ventures—food delivery apps, artisanal goods, even online betting platforms—at the expense of innovation in deeper, more critical technologies like AI, robotics, and semiconductors.
It wasn’t just a critique; it was a challenge. A wake-up call.
While “they”—a clear nod to China—forge ahead with next-gen manufacturing and machine learning, Goyal argued, India remains fixated on lifestyle solutions. Ice cream over infrastructure. Taste over tech.
The Reactions: From Outrage to Reflection
The response? Swift, divided, and telling.
Zepto’s co-founder Aadit Palicha fired back on X (formerly Twitter), pointing out that global tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Meta all began as consumer internet companies. Innovation, he argued, often starts with serving consumers—then evolves.
Investor Mohandas Pai added nuance. The lack of deep-tech investment in India, he said, isn’t due to a lack of ideas but a lack of “patient capital.” Deep tech demands time, infrastructure, and long-term vision—something many Indian investors shy away from in pursuit of quick returns.
Others highlighted systemic barriers: regulatory red tape, import taxes on essential tech equipment, and the frustrating maze of approvals. Some even noted that when a homegrown start-up developed a fast-charging battery for electric buses, there were no buyers in sight.
But many also agreed with the minister. Entrepreneurs like Vironika S and investors like Kushal Bhagia acknowledged the hard truth: India isn’t producing enough high-stakes, deep-tech ventures. Too much talent is leaving for Silicon Valley. Too few founders are daring enough to tackle foundational problems.
Why Does This Matter Now?
India is standing at a crucial crossroads. The global race for dominance in AI, semiconductors, and clean energy is on. The U.S., China, and the EU are heavily investing—not just with money, but with vision, policy, and purpose.
In contrast, just 5% of Indian start-up funding in 2023 went to deep tech. China? 35%.
Goyal’s jibe isn’t just about chips or dessert. It’s about direction. Are we content solving local problems with low-risk models—or ready to build for the world with moonshot ideas?
The Road Ahead: More Than Chips
India isn’t without hope. A recent Nasscom report noted that India now has over 4,000 deep-tech start-ups, with projections to hit 10,000 by 2030. Deep-tech funding surged by 78% in 2024.
But numbers aren’t enough.
As a country, India needs structural changes:
- Innovation-focused funds
- Academia-industry collaboration
- Tax breaks for R&D
- Infrastructure for hardware, biotech, clean energy, and semiconductors
And yes—less red tape.
Final Word: A Wake-Up Call Worth Listening To
Piyush Goyal didn’t dismiss start-ups. He demanded more from them. Not because they’ve failed—but because they’ve succeeded, and the bar must now be higher.
Ice cream might taste good. But chips—real, silicon ones—build futures.