Ola founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal had a message for Elon Musk: “You know, I’m just being myself. I’m much younger than him, and he’s someone we all look up to. But honestly, I’m not sure why he’s venturing into the same businesses I’m in. Maybe he should try something new for a change. I started Krutrim before he launched his AI venture.” Aggarwal’s statement came in response to being compared to the Tesla CEO, with a hint of suggestion that Musk should explore new opportunities rather than overlapping with Aggarwal’s own ventures.
“We prefer the kurta-pyjama over a leather jacket any day. If people in Silicon Valley can wear leather jackets and black polo t-shirts, why can’t we wear a kurta and have long hair?” Aggarwal added.
“Tesla is for the West, Ola is for the rest. The products that companies like Tesla, etc, will build are for the 1 billion rich people. The larger opportunity is to build for the global south, build for India, and then expand to the global south. That’s what Ola Electric is doing with our products. We’re the first to have a Gigafactory in India. Now with Krutrim, which is our most recent company, just eight months old, the opportunity and ambition is to build India’s AI text tech. And for too long in India, we have used global technologies without realizing the implication of it.” Said Bhavesh while explaining his goal at Ola.
Bhavish wants to position Ola as a leader in the global south, serving the underserved markets of India and beyond. He aims to build products tailored to local needs, starting with Ola Electric’s Gigafactory in India, and expanding to AI text technology with Krutrim. Aggarwal seeks to reduce India’s dependence on foreign technologies and create innovative solutions that cater to the global south’s unique requirements, unlocking a larger market opportunity beyond the 1 billion rich people served by companies like Tesla.
Bhavish reaffirmed Ola’s commitment to empowering India’s future and highlighted the significant impact Indians will have on shaping it. He also emphasized how the country’s young population is driving global growth and positioned India to take a leading role in the world’s future developments.
“In a way, if the founding principles of a business are solid and your intentions are genuine, you’ll find your path. For me and Ola, our focus has always been on seizing this pivotal moment for India. We’re living in the most exciting time of our lives, where India is on the rise, and the future will be shaped by Indians. With 20 per cent of the world’s growth happening here and a significant portion of the global youth in India, our country is poised to increasingly set the global agenda.” he added while sharing his experiences of overcoming obstacles while establishing Ola in India.
