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Aadit Palicha, CEO and co-founder of quick-commerce startup Zepto, has responded to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks questioning the value of startups focused on delivery services. Goyal, speaking at the Startup Mahakumbh 2025 in New Delhi, had urged Indian startups to aspire beyond roles that create “delivery boys and girls,” sparking a debate within the tech community.
Also read: World’s largest ‘Startup Mahakumbh 2025’ set to return in April on global scale
In a detailed post on social media, Palicha defended the contributions of consumer internet firms like Zepto. He cited the company’s creation of approximately 1.5 lakh jobs across India and its annual tax contribution exceeding ₹1,000 crore. Additionally, Zepto has drawn over $1 billion in foreign direct investment and has made significant investments in backend supply chains, particularly in the fresh produce segment.
Palicha acknowledged that while Zepto has made notable strides in employment and infrastructure, the company is still in its early stages and far from achieving the scale of global internet giants. He stressed the need for India to foster internet enterprises capable of leading breakthroughs in areas such as AI and cloud computing.
It is easy to criticise consumer internet startups in India, especially when you compare them to the deep technical excellence being built in US/China. Using our example, the reality is this: there are almost 1.5 Lakh real people who are earning livelihoods on Zepto today - a…
— Aadit Palicha (@aadit_palicha)
It is easy to criticise consumer internet startups in India, especially when you compare them to the deep technical excellence being built in US/China. Using our example, the reality is this: there are almost 1.5 Lakh real people who are earning livelihoods on Zepto today - a…
— Aadit Palicha (@aadit_palicha) April 3, 2025
">April 3, 2025
Calling for a more supportive environment, Palicha urged policymakers, investors, and the broader ecosystem to back the growth of domestic consumer internet businesses. His remarks come amid growing scrutiny over the long-term value of quick-commerce and delivery-centric platforms in India’s digital economy.
