Why I Left Canada to Build My AI Startup in Odisha

I Am No Ritesh Agarwal, but I Am a Proud Odia Tech Entrepreneur

I am no Ritesh Agarwal, but I am a proud Odia tech entrepreneur, and I left Canada to build my AI startup in Old Town Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

For the longest time, I believed that great startups could only be built in major cities like Bengaluru, San Francisco, or Toronto. Four years into entrepreneurship, I’ve realized how wrong I was. Today, I want to share why I made the decision to build my AI startup in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

From Canada to Odisha

In 2020, I was in Canada working as an Applied Research Scientist at Element AI, a ServiceNow company. While collaborating with some of the brightest minds in AI, I felt a deep urge to create something of my own. That led me to launch NeuralSpace, an AI company dedicated to developing AI tools for underrepresented languages across India, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Then, COVID-19 hit. Without external funding, I made a bold decision—I left Canada and returned to Bhubaneswar, my hometown, to build NeuralSpace.

A Team Rooted in Passion, Not Location

We started remotely, assembling a team from across India through referrals and mutual connections. Over the next two years, our team expanded, with more than 60% being Odia and others hailing from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Yamunanagar (Haryana). Despite being remote, Bhubaneswar became our unofficial headquarters.

We held multiple team retreats and workations in Bhubaneswar and Konark, booking OYO rooms for weeks at a time. These makeshift startup hubs fostered a strong team culture. Today, even our non-Odia team members understand Odia and have embraced the local culture—from Pakhalo and Dahibara Aludum to the city’s intense summers and cozy winters.

Lessons

Before moving to Canada, I worked at Insiders Technologies GmbH in Germany, a company with just 100 employees but a 25-year legacy of serving thousands of customers. They operated out of Kaiserslautern, a small German town, yet built an impactful AI business. This experience deeply influenced how I shaped NeuralSpace.

I realized that startup success isn’t about location—it’s about culture, resilience, and the right people.

Why Bhubaneswar, Odisha?

Odisha has always shown resilience, whether during Cyclone Fani or the COVID-19 pandemic. That same resilience is ingrained in my team. And Bhubaneswar, despite being overlooked as a tech hub, offers undeniable advantages:

✅ Supportive government policies – Odisha actively promotes startups and tech initiatives.
✅ Lower cost of living – We could focus on innovation without the financial strain of metro cities.
✅ High-quality talent – Many bright minds prefer to stay close to home if given the opportunity.
✅ Balanced lifestyle – The city offers a great work-life balance, with beaches and nature just a short drive away.

In fact, Odisha’s GSDP is projected to grow by 11% in 2024-25, while per capita income has surged by nearly 17%. I personally know at least five friends running startups here.

Looking Forward: AI Leadership and Mentorship

Although NeuralSpace has now shut down, its IP was successfully sold to existing customers, and the journey taught me invaluable lessons in AI strategy, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

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