Zepto co-founder Aadit Palicha recently admitted that his biggest struggle in the city isn’t scaling a startup or managing logistics, but simply getting to the airport.
Speaking on a podcast, Palicha confessed that traveling from his home to Kempegowda International Airport is “the most painful thing” in his life right now. “That’s like the most painful thing that I have to do one or two times a month,” he said, adding with a laugh that he’d be “very happy” if companies actually managed to solve Bengaluru’s congestion problem.
Palicha’s remarks strike a chord with millions of Bengaluru residents who spend hours in traffic every day. Despite its position as India’s tech capital, the city continues to struggle with road infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, and increasing vehicle density.
As Bengaluru works toward sustainable mobility solutions — from metro expansions to last-mile connectivity initiatives — Palicha’s comment underscores how even the most successful entrepreneurs can’t bypass the city’s everyday hurdles.
In a bold and unconventional move, Indian-origin tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has bought a private island near Singapore and transformed it into “The Network School”—a living, learning, and building space tailored for today’s digital pioneers.
Srinivasan, known for his futurist ideas and as a former CTO of Coinbase and General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, has long championed decentralized governance and startup societies through his book The Network State. With “The Network School,” he’s bringing those philosophies to life—literally—on an island.
Designed as a real-world prototype of a “Network State,” the island functions as a blended innovation campus and intentional community. It offers:
Start-Up Studios for builders and hackers
Remote Work Retreats for digital nomads and coders
Biohacking & Wellness Zones for fitness enthusiasts and longevity seekers
Education Programs for alternative thinkers and self-learners
The island emphasizes physical and digital infrastructure designed to nurture deep work, collaboration, and personal growth. From high-speed satellite internet to calisthenics rings under palm trees, every detail is curated to support a balanced high-performance lifestyle.
The venture has drawn global attention—not just from the startup world but also from futurists, educators, and urban planners eager to see how such an environment could redefine how we live, learn, and create.
Srinivasan calls it a “prototype of a parallel society”—and possibly a glimpse into what future decentralized nations might look like.
As global debates around remote work, education reform, and digital citizenship heat up, The Network School island stands as a bold, tangible experiment in living differently.
New Delhi, July 2025 — In a bold new leap, Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO of food-tech giant Zomato, has announced his foray into the aviation industry with the launch of LAT Aerospace, a venture that signals his growing interest in India’s expanding mobility and infrastructure sectors.
Known for revolutionizing food delivery and restaurant discovery in India, Goyal now sets his sights on the skies—diversifying into a domain far removed from his digital roots but no less ambitious. LAT Aerospace is expected to focus on next-generation aviation technologies, with early indications pointing toward regional connectivity, air logistics, and aviation infrastructure innovation.
While detailed plans remain under wraps, industry insiders suggest that LAT Aerospace may target tier-2 and tier-3 city aviation solutions, a segment that aligns with India’s push for regional air mobility under the UDAN scheme. The venture is also rumored to be exploring unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tech-driven solutions for cargo transport and air navigation support.
A Visionary’s Next Frontier
Deepinder Goyal’s track record speaks volumes. Having built Zomato into a household name and taken it public in 2021, his strategic mindset and tech-first approach have consistently disrupted traditional industries. LAT Aerospace seems to be an extension of this mindset—tapping into an underserved, high-potential market with a fresh perspective.
“India’s aviation sector is at an inflection point,” Goyal reportedly shared in a closed-door investor interaction. “There’s a massive opportunity to improve connectivity, logistics, and safety through innovation and smart infrastructure. LAT Aerospace is our attempt to do just that.”
The move also reflects a growing trend of Indian tech entrepreneurs stepping into infrastructure-heavy sectors, leveraging digital expertise to solve problems in traditional industries—from mobility to energy.
LAT Aerospace: What We Know So Far
Founder: Deepinder Goyal
Industry Focus: Aviation, regional air mobility, aerospace tech
Stage: Early development
Headquarters: Likely to be based in Delhi-NCR or Bengaluru
Backers: Yet to be disclosed, though Goyal is expected to fund the initial phase personally
What This Means for India’s Startup Ecosystem
Goyal’s pivot into aerospace is emblematic of the second wave of Indian entrepreneurship—where unicorn founders are branching into deeper, more complex problems with national significance. LAT Aerospace joins a small but growing cohort of startups focused on aviation tech, drone logistics, and air infrastructure, including companies like Asteria, Garuda Aerospace, and IdeaForge.
As India aspires to become a global aviation hub, LAT Aerospace could emerge as a key player in building the backbone of that vision, especially if it brings Goyal’s hallmark traits—tech-enabled execution, user-centric design, and operational scalability—into the fold.
