AI and deeptech firms are being launched by seasoned consumer internet founders

India’s Consumer Internet Founders Turn to Deeptech as Ecosystem Matures

New Delhi: India is increasingly seeing founders and senior startup executives who built large consumer internet businesses pivoting towards deeptech ventures—a shift that signals the maturation of the country’s startup ecosystem.

Entrepreneurs who previously scaled companies in ecommerce, food delivery, ride-hailing and social media are now backing or building startups in robotics, aerospace, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and analytics—sectors that are more capital-intensive and have longer gestation periods.

Former Ola Electric chief technology and product officer Suvonil Chatterjee, a long-time aide of Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal, has teamed up with ex-Ola colleague Slokarth Dash to launch Manav, a robotics startup focused on industrial applications. The company is currently bootstrapped and funded entirely by the founders.

Similarly, ShareChat cofounders Farid Ahsan and Bhanu Pratap Singh are building in robotics through their new startup, General Autonomy, which has raised $3 million in seed funding from IndiaQuotient and Elevation Capital.

Udaan cofounder Amod Malviya, an early Flipkart executive and its former CTO, has launched Pre6, an AI-led advanced manufacturing startup, alongside another former senior executive. Other senior founders entering deeptech include DriveU founder Ashok Shastry, who has started BaseThesis, an AI lab and launch studio.

Wealth, Networks Drive the Shift

Venture capital investors say the trend is being driven by seasoned operators gaining access to capital, networks and execution experience through consumer internet success.

“Building and scaling consumer internet companies has given these founders access to wealth and deep networks,” said an early-stage investor. “While India produces deeptech talent, investors tend to back experienced operators with a higher probability of execution.”

Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal is self-funding multiple deeptech ventures, including longevity research startup Continue (about $25 million) and aerospace venture LAT (about $20 million), co-founded with former Zomato executive Surobhi Das. InShorts cofounder Azhar Iqubal and Ola Cabs cofounder Ankit Bhati have also launched startups in the agentic AI space.

Experience Helps—but Doesn’t Reduce Risk

While second- and third-time founders enjoy easier access to early capital, investors stress that deeptech remains equally difficult regardless of prior success.

“Science does not become easier,” said Arpit Agarwal, partner at Blume Ventures. “The timelines, risks and uncertainty remain the same.”

Dhananjay Yadav, a founding member at Livspace, is building NeoSapien, an AI wearable technology startup that raised $2 million in seed funding in 2025, led by Merak Ventures. He likened the current phase to the early internet era, when seasoned professionals began launching startups, driving a new wave of innovation and capital.

Policy Push and Strategic Importance

The shift comes amid growing concern from policymakers about India’s limited output of complex technology products. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has previously flagged Indian founders’ focus on quick commerce and consumer apps, while countries like China push ahead in AI models, semiconductors and aerospace.

Despite the challenges, founders say skills acquired in consumer internet businesses—such as customer obsession, rapid iteration and distribution—translate well into deeptech.

“Deeptech also needs deep distribution, and India is still building that capability,” said Chatterjee of Manav. The company is developing a humanoid robotics platform and claims to have built a functional prototype in under six months, capable of walking, picking up objects and performing industrial tasks.

A Slow but Structural Shift

Investors believe the move toward deeptech will accelerate but remain selective. Ashish Taneja, founder of deeptech-focused venture firm GrowX, said prior entrepreneurial success improves the odds of execution. “You understand how to hire, raise capital and build organisations.”

However, Ashwin Raguraman, cofounder of Bharat Innovation Fund, noted that India still has a small pool of entrepreneurs who have completed the full startup cycle—from scaling to exits or IPOs—compared to the US. “That experience is rare and significantly increases the probability of success.”

As AI and advanced technologies become central to global competitiveness, investors expect more seasoned Indian founders to make the leap—reshaping the country’s deeptech landscape over the next decade.