In the ongoing debate between Mumbai and Delhi, a new voice has joined in. Udit Goenka, the Founder and CEO of Little SaaS, a software development firm, has sparked a fresh discussion. Instead of comparing the big cities, Udit Goenka focuses on Gurugram versus Bengaluru for startups. He believes Gurugram offers a more supportive environment, affordability, pleasant weather and friendly locals for tech businesses. His opinion came after Gaurav Munjal, co-founder and CEO of Unacademy, called Bengaluru India’s premier startup hub while appearing at the TechSparks 2024.
In an X (formerly Twitter) post, he wrote, “If you are building a ‘tech’ company, Gurgaon is the place to be and not Bangalore. Good talent is more affordable, Huge buyer’s market, No bubble and humble people, Decent weather except summers (manageable since you will be inside AC rooms), Super affordable offices. I moved to Gurgaon last week and in just one week I have built a pipeline of over 40 Lakhs for Tiny Cheque HQ. And closed two deals worth 32 Lakhs so far. Total expenses? Probably just coffee and travel.”
If you are building a “tech” company…Gurgaon is the place to be and not Bangalore!– Good talent is more affordable– Huge buyer’s market– No bubble and humble people– Decent weather except summers (manageable since you will be inside AC rooms)– Super affordable…
— Udit Goenka (@iuditg) April 3, 2024
Udit Goenka’s strong opinion has caused a stir on the internet, with his X post garnering over 2 lakh views. However, social media users have had mixed reactions. While some have backed Goenka’s viewpoint, others have been swift to point out some drawbacks of Gurugram.
One user expressed concern about safety in the city during winter compared to summer.
Gurgaon is more dangerous in winter than summer.During winter – AQI>500, No Sun, Feels less productive, damn cold
— Ankit SaaS (@ankit_saas) April 3, 2024
Another user highlighted the higher office rent in Gurugram compared to Bengaluru and claimed Karnataka’s capital city has a lot of creativity and startup culture.
Gurgaon office rent is much higher vs. BLR. Also – Humble people? ????Bangalore is unmatched and will remain so – every nook and corner inspires creativity. Every cafe has conversations about building a startup, new ideas.
Gurgaon is a good second best but far from BLR ????
— Devi Prasad Biswal (@devibintu) April 3, 2024
Another one criticised Gurugram for its negative impact on health and shared that it could prove costly sometimes.
Maybe. Everything has pros and cons. The biggest issue I have with Gurgaon is that one pays with one’s health. That’s possibly the most expensive payment.Unfortunately also true about Mumbai.
— Benita Bhatia Dua (@benitadua) April 3, 2024
An individual highlighted Bengaluru has a strong network building that makes it challenging for other cities to compete.
Tech startups = Bengaluru, it’s hard to beat the network effects.— Shiv Khush Dil (@ShivamDixit07) April 3, 2024
One more pointed out crime and pollution in Delhi NCR.
Tech startups = Bengaluru, it’s hard to beat the network effects.— Shiv Khush Dil (@ShivamDixit07) April 3, 2024
Meanwhile, Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal had advised against building a startup in Mumbai or Delhi, suggesting that being in Bangalore increases the chances of success. However, Munjal praised Mumbai as a great city to spend at weekends but labelled Bangalore as the top choice for startups due to its favourable environment and growth opportunities.
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