Quote of the Day by Deepinder Goyal: ‘The biggest challenge for any startup is to create the right culture from day one’ 

“Everything is solvable. You have to put your mind to it,” a quote by Deepinder Goyal, Founder of Eternal.

Deepinder Goyal shared the core philosophy that every challenge is a puzzle with a clear path forward. By treating roadblocks as equations to work through rather than permanent barriers, he grew a small menu-sharing idea into a major tech enterprise.

Who is Deepinder Goyal?

Deepinder Goyal is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur best known as the founder of Zomato, India's largest restaurant discovery and food delivery platform. As one of the most prominent figures in India's startup ecosystem, he is estimated to have a net worth between $1.6 billion and $2.1 billion (around ₹13,300 crore to ₹18,000 crore), primarily stemming from his stake in Zomato.

He graduated from IIT Delhi in 2005 with an Integrated M.Tech in Mathematics and Computing.

In February 2026, Goyal transitioned from his long-time role as Group CEO of Zomato’s parent company, Eternal Ltd, to become its Vice Chairman. Goyal stepped down to focus on high-risk, experimental technology startups outside the food ecosystem. His current focus areas include:

• Temple: A health-tech venture developing an advanced wearable device designed to optimise human performance.
• LAT Aerospace: An ambitious venture aiming to create pilot-free aviation networks for inter-city travel.  

When did Deepinder Goyal say this  

Deepinder Goyal discussed this philosophy during his January 2026 appearance on Raj Shamani's "Figuring Out" podcast. He emphasised that building the right culture is crucial from the start and addressed public debates regarding startup work culture and employee focus.

In the fragile early stages of a business, culture acts as the primary operating system that dictates how a team handles pressure, solves problems, and scales. If a founder compromises on standards or allows complacency early on, mediocrity becomes deeply embedded in the company's DNA and becomes nearly impossible to fix later.

What does this quote mean?    

The quote emphasises that no problem is permanently impossible to fix if you approach it with intense focus and logical analysis. It suggests treating obstacles not as emotional or definitive dead ends, but as math equations or puzzles that naturally possess a correct answer. By fully dedicating your mental energy, breaking the larger issue into smaller parts, and refusing to give up, a clear path forward will always reveal itself.