What ice cream, chips? Piyush Goyal tells startups to shift focus to high-tech sectors

Speaking at the industry conference Startup Maha Kumbh on Thursday, Piyush Goyal questioned whether the country was content with low-paying gig jobs rather than aiming for technological progress.

In Short

• Piyush Goyal urged startups to focus on tech innovation
• He criticised reliance on gig jobs and low-tech businesses
• Goyal specifically addressed Aman Gupta about Shark Tank

In stinging remarks that have riled up not just India's startup ecosystem but the internet in general, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal urged the fledgling businesses in India to look beyond the “dukaandaari” of “ice cream and chips” and focus on cutting-edge technology innovation instead.

Speaking at the industry conference Startup Maha Kumbh on Thursday, Goyal questioned whether the country was content with low-paying gig jobs rather than aiming for technological progress.

"Do we have to make ice cream or chips? Dukaandari hi karna hai (Do we want to just sell things)," Piyush Goyal asked.

Towards the end of his talk, Goyal directly addressed Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAt and a judge on the business reality show Shark Tank that often serves as fodder for viral-hit reels and memes. “Aman Gupta, change your perspective on Shark Tank," Goyal said during his address.

Interestingly, Gupta, as an investor-judge on Shark Tank, had successfully bid for Go-Zero, an ice cream brand founded by Kiran Shah, during a February episode.

Fellow judge Namita Thapar, who applauded Go-Zero during the episode, later joined the deal. Go-Zero achieved sales of Rs 5 crore in January – an off season for ice cream.

During his now-viral address, Piyush Goyal also said, "Are we going to be happy being delivery boys and girls? Is that the destiny of India...this is not startup, this is entrepreneurship."

Goyal, in fact, insisted that Indian startups need a reality check as he compared the country's ecosystem with the startup landscape in China, which he said was leading the way in AI and technology.

"What are India's startups of today? We are focused on food delivery apps, turning unemployed youths into cheap labour so the rich can get their meals without moving out of their house," Goyal said.

Goyal’s comments not only infuriated startup founders who defended India’s startup ecosystem soon after, but also sparked strong reactions — mostly negative — from social media at large.

Former BharatPe managing director and co-founder Ashneer Grover said politicians in India are the only people who need a "reality check".

Zepto founder Aadit Palicha elaborated on the impact of his quick-commerce company, which was launched only 3.5 years ago. Zepto became a unicorn in 2023 and is one of the industry pioneers in quick e-commerce.