Founders of Indian startups united for a virtual Zoom meeting recently to launch a collective digital reform movement. Founders of Razorpay, IndiaMART, Dream Sports, PhonePe, Policybazaar, and GOQii were notable members of the meet.
The meeting was organized to discuss the supremacy of large technology corporations such as Google and Facebook and raise their voice against their dominance in the market. According to participant entrepreneurs, Googleâs unfair practices and its excessive control over the conduct of applications on its platform, Google Play Store, tend to undermine the efforts of small players. Google, however, has not commented on this. It has always made a strong stance for its policy to protect Android users and enforce them on developers.
Moreover, Indian startups united to raise their voice against Googleâs recent decision to impose a 30% commission on new categories of online services like education, health, and dating.
At the Zoom meeting, Indian startups united to create a viable alternative to Google Play Store so that startup companies can carry out their operations in a free and fair manner.
We canât let Indiaâs digital dreams be controlled by one or two global companies. We will face retaliation from Big Tech (but) that is a confirmation of our importance and their dominance on world technology. India is a builder of global technologies, not just a market or importer. Our time is now. â said Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder of Paytm
He urges founders to engage in collective action against big tech players’ unjust dominance so that worthy startups can gain more exposure in the Indian digital market. He also pointed to the new post COVID-19 economic policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat and asked participants to view this in relation to Prime Minister Narendra Modiâs call to a self-sufficient Indian market.
India is a large enough country, and its digital ecosystem is growing. We canât let foreign companies dictate how we do business, â said Vishal Gondal, Founder, and CEO of GOQii
During the Zoom meet, entrepreneurs stressed the need to overcome the supremacy of big tech corporations and join hands against their unfair practices so that smaller companies can attract the governmentâs attention towards their cause. This may involve Google and Facebook to incorporate local entities governed by local policy and legislation. The appeal from Indian startups is a bold move towards self-reliant India.