The new startup capital: After Zomato's Deepinder Goyal, another CEO says Delhi-NCR 1,000% better than Bengaluru

In a recent discussion on the startup landscape in India, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal stated that one does not need to be in Bengaluru to start a business. This comment reignited the ongoing debate about whether Bengaluru truly deserves its reputation as the startup capital of India or if other cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, or Pune offer better environments for entrepreneurs.

Delhi's Business Landscape

Bombay Shaving Company CEO Shantanu Deshpande weighed in on the discussion, asserting that Delhi is "1,000 per cent" better for starting a business compared to Bengaluru. In an interview with YouTuber Ishan Sharma, Deshpande explained, "I think Delhi is the best city to start a business today. I think Delhi has a 'less front, more substance' mindset."

What Makes Delhi Stand Out?

Elaborating on his point, Deshpande explained that by “froth,” he meant a focus on shiny, disruptive innovations that are more common in Bengaluru. "Bangalore is very similar to Silicon Valley," he said. While he acknowledged that Bengaluru produces many groundbreaking businesses, he emphasized that Delhi offers more consistency in creating high-quality ventures.


"The average high-quality business has more chances of coming out of Delhi than Bangalore," Deshpande stated. Drawing from his own experience, he highlighted the strength of Delhi’s talent pool, particularly from major companies like Zomato, Paytm, and Snapdeal. He also pointed out that the business culture in Delhi is robust, unlike Bengaluru and Pune, which he described as more service-oriented cities.

Deepinder Goyal’s Take on Bengaluru’s Startup Culture

Adding to this ongoing conversation, Deepinder Goyal recently spoke about his own experiences. "The last time I was in Bengaluru was in 2017, seven years ago," the Zomato CEO remarked during an event organized by The Economic Times. He stressed that entrepreneurs don’t need to be based in Bengaluru to succeed. "You don't need to come here to build a startup. That's just what people here think, but it's not the case," Goyal said. Goyal, who is based in Gurgaon, highlighted that success in startups is not location-bound.

A Growing Debate in India’s Startup Ecosystem

Both Goyal and Deshpande’s views reflect the growing conversation about where India’s next wave of entrepreneurs should base their operations. As more cities build stronger startup ecosystems, founders and investors are likely to evaluate factors such as talent availability, infrastructure, and business culture before deciding where to start their ventures. Whether Delhi, Bengaluru, or another city will lead the way remains an open question, but what’s clear is that the debate will continue to evolve.