Why Deepinder Goyal left Eternal CEO role to work on extending human lifespan, aircraft startup

Deepinder Goyal’s decision to step away from the Group CEO role at Eternal was driven by his desire to pursue higher-risk ideas that, he said, do not fit within the strategic scope or risk profile of a listed company.

In his letter to shareholders, Goyal said the expectations and legal responsibilities of leading a public company in India demand singular focus, making it difficult to simultaneously explore experimental ventures.

Goyal said the transition allows Eternal to remain focused and disciplined, while giving him the flexibility to work on ideas that involve greater exploration and uncertainty. These ventures are being pursued outside Eternal.

The ventures span health technology and aviation and include Continue, Temple and LAT Aerospace.

Continue

Continue Research is a global research initiative focused on extending healthy human lifespan.

“This isn’t about defeating death. I don’t think that’s possible, nor should it be our goal. Death is important for renewal. This is about defeating the mayfly mentality that makes us reckless,” Continue’s website states.

One of the ideas associated with Continue is the Gravity Ageing Hypothesis, which explores the role of gravity and mechanical load on the human body in the ageing process. The hypothesis suggests that reduced gravitational stress may influence biological ageing and overall health outcomes.

The hypothesis has attracted scrutiny and criticism from sections of the scientific community, with experts questioning the strength of the evidence and calling for peer-reviewed studies and empirical validation. Critics have said the claims are preliminary and not backed by sufficient clinical data.

Continue has described the Gravity Ageing Hypothesis as an exploratory research direction rather than an established conclusion. The venture has maintained that its broader focus remains on longitudinal health tracking and research, with no commercial product rollout announced so far.

Continue has also launched a $25 million fund aimed at supporting scientists studying the fundamental mechanisms of human ageing. The fund will be entirely personally financed by Goyal.

Temple

Temple is a health-tech wearable venture focused on measuring cerebral blood flow. The device aims to generate insights into brain health by tracking blood flow patterns, which are critical indicators of neurological and cognitive functioning.

The venture is currently in its early stages, with efforts centred on technology development and clinical relevance. Details on commercial timelines or large-scale deployment have not been publicly disclosed.

LAT Aerospace

LAT Aerospace is Goyal’s most ambitious venture in terms of engineering complexity and capital intensity. The company is developing what it describes as India’s first hybrid-electric short take-off and landing aircraft, designed for short runways and high-frequency regional operations.

LAT says it is building the aircraft from first principles, rethinking core systems rather than relying on incremental innovation. The design is based on three pillars: aerodynamics, propulsion and autonomy.

The aircraft uses high-lift wings and distributed propulsion to enable ultra-short take-offs from compact air-stops, reducing reliance on traditional commercial airports. Its hybrid-electric propulsion system combines battery-powered take-off with efficient engines for range and endurance, aiming to reduce fuel burn and emissions while supporting frequent operations.

Autonomy is being integrated from the outset, with advanced pilot-assist systems intended to manage stability, navigation and safety functions, reducing pilot workload and enabling scalable operations.

On January 4, LAT Aerospace shared a video update of the Lat One v0.1 test flight. The company said it successfully demonstrated ultra-short take-off capability during the test. The aircraft later crashed, which LAT said was anticipated due to known structural defects identified through simulations.

“The main objective of the test flight was to test uSTOL, which was successfully demonstrated,” the company said, adding that it is already building Lat One v0.2. “Making a plane take off is only 20% of the problem. Making it land safely is where the work lies.”

LAT said the test yielded significant learnings and that the next version of the aircraft is expected to attempt a complete mission.