Startup founder who worked as Zomato delivery partner backs Deepinder Goyal amid gig work debate

A startup founder has shared how working as a Zomato delivery partner in Bengaluru helped him fund his education, remain financially independent and eventually build his own company, and why that experience has led him to publicly support Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal amid renewed debate around gig work and rapid delivery timelines.

In a detailed post on LinkedIn, Suraj Biswas, founder and chief executive of deeptech startup Assessli, stated that he stood with Zomato and Deepinder Goyal, adding that his views were shaped by personal experience. Biswas informed that during 2020–21, before college had fully begun and prior to launching Assessli, he worked as a Zomato delivery partner in Bengaluru, describing the period as one defined by independence, dignity and opportunity rather than hardship.

Biswas stated that he took up delivery work to pay his college fees, support his early-stage startup team and maintain financial independence. He added that he currently runs Assessli as a founder and employs more than 40 technology professionals operating out of offices in Bengaluru and Kolkata.

According to Biswas, he earned around ₹40,000 per month consistently as a delivery partner and was aware of fellow riders who earned between ₹80,000 and ₹90,000 a month. He also stated that the job involved risks, including incidents of food snatching and life-threatening situations, and added that he had used medical insurance provided by Zomato when required.

He further informed that when serious issues arose, Zomato coordinated with the police and extended support, which helped him understand the impact of well-designed technology and systems. Biswas stated that this experience played a key role in shaping his interest in building scalable and impactful technology.

Commenting on the ongoing controversy around 10-minute deliveries and the nature of gig work, Biswas stated that delivery roles constituted independent gig work rather than forced labour. He claimed that many delivery partners operate across multiple platforms simultaneously and argued that loyalty in gig work is driven by flexibility rather than contractual obligation. He added that bans and public outrage were unsustainable responses and instead called for more technology-led platforms that create economic opportunities, particularly for individuals without formal education.

Biswas further stated that Zomato had enabled economic mobility at scale by creating systems that allowed students to earn, migrants to survive in cities and millions of people to work on their own terms, crediting Deepinder Goyal with building those systems.

The LinkedIn post has sparked discussion online, with several users responding in support of the perspective. Some users stated that their own experience working with Zomato during and after the Covid-19 period had provided exposure, resilience and real-world learning that surpassed traditional classroom education. Others commented that while the gig work system was not without flaws, it had offered flexibility, dignity and independence to many workers and had created tangible opportunities across socio-economic groups.