Unstop CEO Ankit Aggarwal says he will not buy Zomato founder's Temple wearable after founder's global-market comment

Ankit Aggarwal, founder and CEO of the talent-engagement platform Unstop, said he decided against ordering the Temple wearable after Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal posted that the device is "not made for India, it’s made for the world." Aggarwal wrote on LinkedIn that the price and backlash had not deterred him, but Goyal’s statement that the product expects "no more than 1%" of sales from India changed his mind.

Aggarwal noted he had planned to wait for user data before deciding and acknowledged that Goyal described Temple as a fitness device without medical claims, despite criticism from doctors about its scientific assertions. He questioned why a product developed by an Indian founder and funded by Indian investors would treat India as a marginal market, comparing it to global brands such as Apple and Whoop, which sell premium trackers in India without indicating they are not for Indian consumers.

"Global brands want the Indian customer. Apple sells the Watch Ultra here, and Whoop launched officially in India in 2024," Aggarwal said, adding that the cost of those devices over three years is comparable to Temple’s price. He argued that many Indian consumers already pay for premium trackers and would likely consider Temple if it were positioned for the local market.

Goyal’s November 8 post on X clarified that Temple is primarily aimed at international markets, with India accounting for only a small share of expected sales, and apologized for any disappointment over pricing. Aggarwal concluded that he will not endorse the product, leaving the decision to purchase to those convinced by its scientific claims.