Synopsis
Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho, calls for a shift towards deep tech innovation in India. He challenges engineers and startups to focus on real technological advancements, emphasizing the importance of smart engineering while urging the government to support innovation through competitions rather than direct funding.Key Takeaways
- Sridhar Vembu advocates for deep tech innovation in India.
- Engineers should roll up their sleeves to create impactful solutions.
- The government should support innovation through competitions.
- Startups can sell simpler products while developing advanced technologies.
- Focus on creating globally competitive technologies.
New Delhi, April 4 (NationPress) The Founder of enterprise cloud software giant Zoho, Sridhar Vembu, on Friday emphasized the necessity for a transition towards deep tech innovation in India. He encouraged engineers and startups to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and concentrate on developing genuine technological capabilities.
In a series of posts on the social media platform X, Vembu contributed to the ongoing discourse initiated by recent comments from Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal regarding the trajectory of Indian startups.
Vembu regarded the minister’s remarks as a challenge for India’s engineers and technologists to create superior solutions.
“In that regard, I interpret Minister Piyush Goyal's statement as a challenge to our engineers and technologists rather than a critique. What we require are intelligent engineers who roll up their sleeves and accomplish the task,” Vembu expressed.
He emphasized that although the government plays a role in fostering innovation, it should avoid attempting to directly develop or finance advanced technologies like robots or operating systems.
“The government cannot create a more effective operating system or a more intelligent robot. They should not even fund such initiatives -- they typically struggle to identify winners and losers,” he stated.
Vembu proposed that the government could adopt a more impactful strategy by organizing competitions for Indian companies, allowing the selection and support of the best products through public procurement.
“The government can ideally conduct competitions where companies participate and subsequently purchase the finest Indian products,” he elaborated.
Additionally, Vembu offered guidance for deep tech startups dealing with lengthy R&D cycles. In a separate post, he remarked, “Deliver vitamins and painkillers to finance your enterprise while you work on a cancer cure,” suggesting that startups can market simpler, revenue-generating products in the interim while aiming for significant technological advancements.
His remarks followed Goyal's address at the Startup Mahakumbh event on April 3, where he expressed concerns that numerous Indian startups are overly focusing on rapid deliveries and consumer convenience rather than substantial, deep tech innovation.
He urged startups to reevaluate their true value and strive to develop technologies that can compete on a global scale.
