**India's Commerce Minister Calls for Shift from Lifestyle Start-ups to Deep Tech Innovations**

**Minister Piyush Goyal sparks intense debate, urging Indian entrepreneurs to focus on deeper technological advancements beyond lifestyle products.**

India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has ignited a heated discussion regarding the country's burgeoning start-up ecosystem, with his comments made during the recent Startup Mahakumbh event sending shockwaves through entrepreneurial circles. Goyal criticized the prevalent trend of consumer-oriented start-ups, such as food delivery services and artisanal brands, suggesting that these ventures should pivot their focus towards high-technology developments akin to those emerging from nations like China.

While addressing entrepreneurs and investors, Goyal emphasized the need for Indian start-ups to embrace a more ambitious mindset, highlighting that countries like China are making significant progress in sectors such as machine learning and robotics, making it crucial for India to elevate its game. His remarks drew a pointed analogy, questioning the purpose of creating ice creams when India could be innovating in semiconductor technology—a provocative statement that spurred a range of responses from the start-up community.

Reactions have varied, with some innovators acknowledging the minister's calls for greater ambition, while others voiced frustration, arguing that the criticism was an oversimplified view of the complexities surrounding India’s start-up landscape. Proponents point to the rapid growth of India's start-up ecosystem, now the third-largest globally, and the need for local investors to bolster support for consumer-driven companies that have the potential to innovate on a grander scale.

Tech entrepreneurs such as Aadit Palicha, co-founder of Zepto, swiftly defended the importance of consumer internet companies in driving technological advancement, asserting that giants like Amazon and Google initially stems from consumer strategies before diversifying into deeply innovative realms. Meanwhile, prominent investors like Mohandas Pai pointed out the capitalization challenges that deep-tech start-ups face, with many investors preferring lifestyle companies that promise quicker returns.

Social media also echoed concerns over the hurdles faced by budding tech entrepreneurs in India, highlighting challenges like securing loans and navigating complex regulatory frameworks. Others supported Goyal's perspective, claiming that a transformative shift in focus towards AI and semiconductor advancements is vital for India's economic leadership.

As discussions unfold, scrutiny also extends to comparisons with China's approach to high-tech innovation, with reports indicating that a mere 5% of Indian start-up funding is allocated to deep tech, contrasting sharply with China's 35%. Features in media outlets have underscored the necessity for India to promote a more extensive commitment to foundational technological innovations as experts project growth in the number of deep-tech start-ups set to rise significantly by 2030.

The weighing in of various stakeholders reiterates Goyal's remarks as a crucial call to action for both start-ups and investors, with the expectation that strategic measures, including financial incentives and infrastructural support, could serve to foster a more vibrant deep-tech environment.