‘Don't be in Mumbai, Delhi’: Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal champions for Bengaluru as ultimate start-up capital

Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal urged startup founders to be based in Bengaluru.

Updated on: Apr 3, 2024, 11:24:23 IST

By Shylaja Varma

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Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal batted hard for the start-up ecosystem in Bengaluru, saying that cities like Mumbai and Delhi cannot beat the energy that entrepreneurs can get in the tech capital of India.

Gaurav Munjal, co-founder and CEO of Unacademy, is based in Bengaluru. (HT Photo)

“I don't think you should be based out of Mumbai or Delhi. I think you should be based out of Bengaluru. Come to Bengaluru, increase your odds,” Munjal said at TechSparks 2024 in Mumbai recently.

“Mumbai is a better city than Bengaluru. If I have to spend a weekend, I'll choose Mumbai. But if you are starting up, Bengaluru is slower paced than Mumbai. Bengaluru is a slower city than Mumbai but the odds of your success increases a lot," Munjal told Shradha Sharma, founder and CEO of YourStory.

Munjal, who studied in Mumbai and is now based in Bengaluru, said that at coffee shops in Bengaluru, he has always come across at least one entrepreneur who is trying to build something big.

“The energy is very different. You can't beat these network effects in other cities, it's not going to happen,” he said, joking that the goal of the TechSparks start-up event in Mumbai and Delhi should be “to convert people to go to Bengaluru”.

“If you are starting up, your goal should be how do I increase the probability of success in every move I do, and the eco-system in Bengaluru is next-level.”

Munjal's strong statements, quite predictably, stirred up several reactions among social media users.

As users weighed in on which city is better for startup founders, Munjal responded with GIFs.

Take a look at how Gaurav Munjal responded on X:

Also Read: Mumbai doctor calls IIT-JEE, NEET 'useless exams'. Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal responds

Recently, Munjal had stressed on the importance of competitive exams such as the IIT-JEE and NEET when a user on X termed them as “useless”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shylaja Varma
Shylaja Varma is the Trending Editor at Hindustan Times. Having worked in some of India’s top newsrooms, she has established herself as a keen observer of internet culture. Her work often bridges the gap between fast-paced digital developments and traditional reportage. From writing about the human toll of disasters and decoding the hottest memes to tracking what Elon Musk, Indian CEOs, billionaires and tech leaders are doing on social media, Shylaja’s editorial lens is defined by accuracy, speed and a deep understanding of the online landscape. She also writes stories about Indians abroad, the NRI life and struggles. She also has a keen eye for stories about Bengaluru and its startup and IT culture, having grown up in the Karnataka capital and seen its evolution. Prior to her current role, Shylaja spent several years at CNN-News18, NDTV and Moneycontrol, where she honed her skills in real-time news reporting and digital storytelling. She started her career in television news, reporting from Bengaluru and New Delhi. Shylaja built Moneycontrol’s Trends vertical and set up the team, turning it into a high-traffic destination. She also did video interviews for events like Startup Conclave and The Creator Economy Summit A microbiology graduate from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, she went on to complete a Master’s in Journalism and Audio-Visual Communication from COMMITS, Bengaluru.Read More

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