Dhruv Suyamprakasam, the son of a first-generation entrepreneur from Coimbatore, shared his journey of starting a telemedicine company and navigating the challenges of Bengaluru’s start-up ecosystem. Inspired by his father’s entrepreneurial spirit, Dhruv partnered with a medical doctor to launch a platform enabling virtual doctor consultations across borders. However, after 16 months in Bengaluru, he chose to relocate due to high-pressure expectations, cultural biases, and a lack of inclusivity.
Challenges in Bengaluru
Known as India’s start-up capital, Bengaluru offered Dhruv access to venture capital and networking but came with hurdles. The city’s “grow fast, fail fast” mentality clashed with the precision healthcare demands. Dhruv also faced biases against non-Hindi speakers, judgments for not graduating from prestigious institutions, and scepticism about his small-town roots. Investors’ relentless demands for rapid growth added to his struggles, prompting his return to Coimbatore.
Thriving in Coimbatore
Back in his hometown, Dhruv dealt with infrastructure issues like poor internet but found the slower pace more conducive to building trust and scaling sustainably. His company now includes 4,500 doctors, serves global patients, and employs 200 people. Although he gave Bengaluru another try in 2016, the high-pressure environment proved unsuitable for healthcare, leading him to move back to Coimbatore.
Bengaluru vs Silicon Valley
While Dhruv acknowledges Bengaluru’s vast talent pool and networking opportunities, he sees Silicon Valley as more inclusive and innovation-friendly. Spending time in the Bay Area, where his company is now headquartered, he noted a culture that values talent diversity and long-term growth over immediate returns. Dhruv believes India’s start-up ecosystem needs greater inclusivity and risk appetite to foster groundbreaking innovation, such as developing the first large language model.