Temple, a new health technology startup founded by Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal, announced that it has raised $54 million in seed funding at a post-money valuation of $190 million.
The round is notable not just for its size at the seed stage, but for its unique “friends-and-family” structure, which allowed Goyal to raise institutional-sized capital while maintaining significant founder control.
The Vision: High-Performance Neurotech
Temple marks Goyal’s first major pivot from the world of food delivery (Zomato) into the complex field of wearable neurotechnology.
- The Product: Temple is developing a high-precision wearable device specifically designed for elite athletes and high-performance individuals.
- The Breakthrough: The device reportedly measures cerebral blood flow and other neural performance metrics that existing consumer wearables (like Apple Watch or Whoop) cannot currently track with the same level of precision.
- Elite Focus: Goyal has stated that the company is building “performance-tracking hardware at a new level of precision,” aiming to provide athletes with real-time data on cognitive load and physiological readiness.
Funding & Investor Details
The $54 million (approx. ₹493 crore) round saw participation from a mix of high-profile institutional venture firms and a large group of individual backers:
- Lead Investors: Steadview Capital, Peak XV Partners, and Info Edge Ventures.
- Individual Participation: More than 80 individual investors participated in the round.
- Employee Buy-In: In a rare move for a seed-stage startup, over 30 Temple employees also invested their own capital into the company at the par valuation.
Unusual “Fitness” Hiring Mandate
Alongside the funding news, Goyal made headlines for his unconventional approach to building the Temple team. The company recently posted 12 job openings for tech roles (including engineers and product managers) with a strict fitness requirement.
“Your body fat and coding skills can get you the job.” Prospective employees are expected to demonstrate physical discipline and a commitment to high performance, mirroring the core mission of the product they are building.
Market Context
The $190 million valuation, achieved before the company has shipped a single commercial unit, reflects the massive “founder premium” placed on Goyal following his success with Zomato. Analysts suggest the $54 million war chest gives Temple a significant multi-year runway to navigate the difficult supply chain and regulatory challenges inherent in medical-grade hardware.
