Deepinder Goyal's Temple raises $54M at $190M valuation
What's the story
Temple, the latest venture of Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, has successfully raised $54 million in its first funding round. The capital was primarily raised from "friends and family," at a post-money valuation of about $190 million. In a social media post, Goyal revealed that all investors in this round are either founder friends or early-stage investors in Zomato who were eager to invest in Temple.
Employee investment
Over 30 employees invested in the funding round
Goyal also revealed that over 30 employees of Temple invested their own money in the funding round, at par valuation. "No discount. Their own money. That's the kind of belief you can't buy," he said. This shows a strong commitment from the company's team toward its vision and goals, further highlighting the potential of this innovative start-up in the wearable tech industry.
Twitter Post
More than 30 Temple employees participated in the round
Temple has raised its first round. Friends and family. $54m. Post-money valuation of ~$190m.
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) February 27, 2026
Every investor in this round is a founder friend or early-stage Zomato investor who wanted in, whether or not Temple ever makes it to market.
But here's what gives me goosebumps – more…
Start-up vision
Temple's mission to revolutionize wearable tech
Temple is aiming to create the "ultimate wearable for elite performance athletes." In a recent recruitment drive, Goyal said that the entry requirement for his elite wearable start-up isn't just a high IQ but also a low body fat percentage. This unique approach highlights Temple's commitment to innovation and excellence in the wearable tech space under Goyal's leadership.