'Not out of need, but to rebuild ties': Bengaluru techie uses Swiggy deliveries to meet people, find clients
BENGALURU: In a country where tech professionals usually seek the safety net of salaried jobs after entrepreneurial setbacks, Padmanaban Ebbas (40) is trying something unique in India's start-up capital, Bengaluru.
Each evening, he delivers food for Swiggy. But along with each order, he hands out printed flyers advertising his services as a full-stack developer.
Late Wednesday, a viral post on X amplified his story. A customer shared Ebbas' flyer, which highlights 19 years of experience in web development, mobile apps, UI/UX design, and machine learning, along with his personal contact details.
The post has since been widely shared across India's social media circles, with many impressed by his ingenious approach.
Ebbas told TOI that his deliveries are not driven by financial distress, but by a deliberate effort to rebuild business connections. 'I've been moonlighting on Swiggy just to meet people. Everyone has requirements. Directly meeting them helps,' he said.
Ebbas completed his engineering degree in 2006 and worked in the IT industry briefly before launching his first startup in 2008. He later took a two-year break and started a tech firm which faced troubles during pandemic.
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'People reached out with job offers since the post went viral, but I don't want a job. I want to build again,' he said.
In India's gig economy, moonlighting as a food delivery worker to generate B2B software leads is almost unheard of. While many former founders transition into salaried corporate roles or consulting gigs, Ebbas' hybrid approach stands out for its directness and risk-taking—physically meeting potential customers while delivering food.
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