Ex-Googler Struggles to Kickstart AI Company in India

Former Google employee Gaurav Aggarwal is facing challenges in kickstarting his AI company, Ananas Labs, in India. Despite the optimistic outlook on India’s AI journey, Aggarwal’s experience sheds light on the hurdles hindering the country’s AI future.

After departing from Google in August 2023 to establish his AI research firm in India, Aggarwal encountered difficulties in securing funding for in-depth AI projects. The primary issue, as highlighted by Aggarwal, is the predominant trend of funding flowing towards companies that merely repackage large language models from US firms, rather than supporting genuine AI research.

Aggarwal’s determination remains unwavering as he strives to develop a multilingual large language model (LLM) tailored for Indian languages. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility and affordability for Indian languages, which are currently underserved by predominantly English-trained LLMs.

AI Challenges in India

With nearly a billion internet users in India, Aggarwal emphasizes the necessity for the country to cultivate its AI capabilities instead of relying on Western imports. However, the venture capital landscape in India lacks a forward-looking vision and risk appetite, posing obstacles for deep tech startups seeking funding.

In conclusion, Aggarwal’s journey exemplifies the intricate dynamics of the Indian AI ecosystem, where the pursuit of innovation is met with financial challenges and the imperative to build indigenous AI infrastructure.

By Kai Tanaka