Deepinder Goyal is entering the health tech and aviation sectors with a new metabolic tracker called Temple and a $20 million investment in LAT Aerospace. These ventures represent personal bets outside of his role at Eternal Ltd., formerly known as Zomato. Investors should note these are high-risk projects with significant regulatory and technical hurdles ahead.
Deepinder Goyal, the founder of Eternal Ltd., the company formerly recognized as Zomato, is branching out into two distinct high-risk fields: health technology and aerospace. While these initiatives are being pursued independently of his primary role at Eternal Ltd., they highlight his interest in experimental business models and long-term infrastructure challenges.
The Temple Wellness Device
Temple is a wearable health device designed to be worn on the forehead. Unlike traditional fitness trackers that primarily rely on heart rate monitoring, this device aims to measure a biomarker Goyal calls entropy, which he states is linked to the body’s metabolic rate. The product is expected to launch within the next six to twelve months with a price tag around $1,000.
This target price places the device in the premium segment, catering to a small group of athletes and executives rather than the mass market. For investors, it is important to note that the technology behind Temple is currently in the development phase. It has not yet received medical regulatory approval, and the science behind its metabolic tracking is still pending validation from independent researchers. These factors introduce a notable execution risk regarding the product's eventual market reception and regulatory clearance.
LAT Aerospace Investment
Parallel to his work in health tech, Goyal has committed a $20 million personal investment into LAT Aerospace. This venture is focused on developing short takeoff and landing aircraft designed to navigate urban congestion in India. The company’s business model centers on creating an eight-seater plane network to connect smaller regional airstrips, aiming to improve travel efficiency between smaller cities and major urban hubs.
Goyal has publicly acknowledged the immense difficulty of this endeavor, specifically citing engineering, infrastructure, and regulatory complexities. He has estimated the probability of success for this venture to be low, emphasizing that it is a long-term, capital-intensive project. The success of this business will depend heavily on the company's ability to secure aviation safety certifications and develop the necessary ground infrastructure, both of which are common hurdles for startups in the Indian aviation sector.
Context of Eternal Ltd.
These new ventures come at a time when Eternal Ltd. has successfully transformed its business DNA, moving from a restaurant discovery platform to an integrated giant covering food delivery and rapid commerce through the acquisition of Blinkit. Goyal’s recent comments suggest a focus on continuous reinvention to avoid corporate stagnation. While these new bets are personal and separate from the day-to-day operations of Eternal Ltd., they reflect the founder's strategy of investing in high-potential, high-risk sectors that aim to disrupt existing market norms.