The healthtech venture is rolling out an ESOP liquidity programme letting select early employees cash out part of their vested stock options ahead of a potential new funding round.
Temple, the wearable technology startup founded by Deepinder Goyal, has introduced a liquidity programme allowing some early employees to sell a portion of their vested employee stock options, according to a Moneycontrol report. Around 20 of the company’s estimated 200 to 220 employees are eligible to sell up to 25% of their vested ESOPs, with participation entirely optional. The transaction values Temple at $375 million — nearly double the roughly $190 million post-money valuation from its seed round in February 2026.
Rewarding Early Employees
Temple’s February seed round raised $54 million from investors including Steadview Capital, Peak XV Partners, Dharana Capital, Info Edge, and NKSquared, the family office of Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. An internal memo reportedly cited outside investor interest at a $500 million valuation as the company weighs its next funding round. “Before we close our next round, I want some of this value to reach the people who created it,” Goyal was quoted as saying. Neither the memo nor programme details have been made public by Temple.
What Temple Is Building
The startup is developing a lightweight wearable device worn on the side of the forehead, which it describes as a “precision instrument” measuring “Entropy” — an indicator of the metabolic and sympathetic demands placed on the body. These are claims made by the company, which is currently accepting registrations for early access.
Ownership and Goyal’s Broader Role
The paperwork filed with regulators indicates Goyal was allotted about 28.6% of Temple’s shares after its seed round, with Steadview Capital retaining about 5.3% and Peak XV Partners about 3.2%. There was also an employee stock option pool reserved at 10% of share capital. Goyal resigned as group chief executive officer of Eternal, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit, on Feb. 1, 2026, but is still part of the firm as vice-chairman.
