Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal is back in the startup arena with a $54 million funding round for his new wearable company, Temple. Weeks after stepping down as CEO of Zomato and its parent company Eternal, Goyal announced the raise in a post on X, valuing Temple at approximately $190 million post-money. The investment comes from Goyal himself, Steadview Capital, Peak XV Partners, InfoEdge Ventures, Dharana Capital, and several angel investors including Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma and CRED's Kunal Shah. This move underscores Goyal's pivot towards high-risk, high-reward technological exploration, moving beyond his food delivery roots.

Temple's focus is on developing a high-performance wearable for elite athletes, a sector Goyal described as ripe for innovation. The device, designed to sit on the wearer's temple and track cerebral blood flow, aims to measure metrics beyond the capabilities of existing wearables. This positions Temple directly against established players like Whoop, Oura, and Garmin, who have long dominated the athletic performance tracking market. While the startup has secured significant backing, including from current and former Eternal executives, its ability to differentiate its technology in an increasingly crowded and well-funded space remains an open question.

The funding round highlights Goyal's broader shift in investment focus. Earlier in 2025, he committed $25 million of his own capital to Continue Research, exploring human lifespan extension. He is also a co-founder of aviation startup LAT Aerospace, which recently expanded into defense technology. Goyal's departure from Zomato, handing control to Albinder Dhindsa, marked a significant transition after nearly two decades at the helm of India's largest food delivery platform. Temple represents one of the clearest expressions of his new, technology-focused direction.

This development signals Goyal's continued influence in India's tech startup ecosystem, transitioning from building a food delivery giant to investing in cutting-edge health and performance technology.