Gagan Goyal built ThinkLABS into one of India's earliest hands-on robotics and STEM education companies, introducing students to practical robotics well before STEM labs became mainstream. As a seed investor at India Quotient, he offers unusually candid and tactical advice about how to approach VCs, breaking down specifics like market sizing for India-focused startups and what makes pitches compelling rather than giving generic fundraising guidance.

• Focused on the growth of the Indian artificial intelligence application layer, particularly in consumer and prosumer markets. Rather than building foundational models, the emphasis is on creating massive value through practical applications. However, a superficial approach will not work, as adding an artificial intelligence agent to a product just for the sake of the trend is viewed as a poor strategy.
• Deeply interested in the micro drama and vertical video entertainment space. A key observation is how this industry maximizes output by tracking minutes of shoot per day as a core metric, and how smart founders are integrating artificial intelligence into post production to adapt to shrinking mobile screen sizes.
• Highly values mindfulness, deep personal calling, and spiritual grounding in business. There is a strong resonance with spiritual teachers discussing how to scale startups mindfully, and an appreciation for integrating Indian philosophies into business, such as suggesting airlines use themes from the Bhagavad Gita on their coffee cups. Character traits like humility and aligning on core principles are seen as fundamental strengths in a founder.
• Driven by a strong sense of national pride and building for the local market. There is continuous support for products made in India that serve both domestic and global audiences, along with active encouragement for local STEM initiatives that elevate the country on the world stage.
• Paying close attention to the fundamentals of founder outreach and business character. Basic business traits like customer respect, creativity, and simplicity are championed, while founders are directly warned that the current quality of cold email pitches is falling short and needs significant improvement before reaching out.