'I'm not building Temple for everybody': Deepinder Goyal eyes wearable's launch in a year

Following his success with Zomato, Deepinder Goyal is turning his attention to health technology and aerospace innovation. In recent comments, Goyal revealed that his upcoming product, known as Temple, is not intended for the mass market but rather a personal venture. "I’m not building Temple for everybody. Actually, I’m building it only for myself," he stated, as reported by Bloomberg. Temple is a bean-shaped wearable device designed to measure the body's metabolic state directly, a departure from conventional methods that typically rely on proxies. Goyal emphasized that while many current devices estimate metabolic rate through heart rate, Temple aims to provide real-time measurements of metabolic activity. "Heart rate was supposed to be the proxy for metabolic rate. We found the real thing," he remarked. The device is still pending medical regulatory approval, but Goyal anticipates launching it within the next six to twelve months as a wellness device. He expressed a commitment to supporting its launch with peer-reviewed studies. Temple, which is named for its placement on the side of the forehead, is expected to retail around $1,000 and is targeted at high-performance users, including athletes and executives, rather than the average consumer. This venture marks Goyal's first commercial product under his new company since stepping down as CEO of Eternal Ltd. in February. He described the project as a personal science experiment that evolved into a significant innovation, leading to the discovery of a new biomarker he refers to as "entropy." This metric is said to correlate with metabolic rate and offers insights into various aspects of health, including stress and recovery. However, it's worth noting that the scientific basis for this biomarker has yet to be validated by independent researchers. Beyond Temple, Goyal is also investing in LAT Aerospace, with a personal stake of $20 million. This startup aims to alleviate urban congestion in India by developing affordable, short takeoff and landing aircraft. Goyal envisions a network of eight-seater planes connecting smaller airstrips, enabling direct travel between various locations and bypassing larger airports. Despite acknowledging the challenges ahead—engineering, regulatory, and infrastructural—he remains optimistic about the potential for economic growth beyond major urban areas. As he looks to the future, Goyal expressed a desire for Eternal, formerly Zomato, to continue evolving and adapting. "The point of Eternal is to make sure the DNA keeps evolving," he said. "The moment you think that you made it, you’re dead." Goyal co-founded Zomato, transforming it from a restaurant discovery platform into a public company with a significant foothold in food delivery. With the anticipated launch of Temple and his ongoing commitment to LAT Aerospace, Goyal's next chapter post-Zomato is dedicated to exploring innovative and high-risk ventures.