Emerging Markets, Premium Vision: The Woman Powering Zero Latency India

In this episode, Bob Cooney talks with Parinitaa Rajgarhia, the driving force behind Zero Latency in India. From stumbling across her first VR experience while on a family trip to launching the country’s first large-scale free-roam VR arena in Mumbai, Parinitaa shares her entrepreneurial journey, market insights, and lessons learned.

They discuss:

• How she evaluated the business opportunity for VR in India and set her pricing strategy
• The role of sampling in building trust and upselling customers to longer experiences
• Why premium VR works in developing markets and how to position it
• Marketing strategies that deliver results in a market with low initial awareness of VR
• The importance of personal engagement in sales and the cultural factors that influence booking behavior
• Overcoming gender biases as a woman leading a tech entertainment business in India

Whether you’re an operator, investor, or just fascinated by how immersive attractions succeed in emerging markets, this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to launch and grow a premium VR brand.

🎧 Listen now to hear how Parinitaa has not only sustained but expanded Zero Latency’s presence, and why she believes the Indian market is just getting started.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Parinitaa’s first encounter with VR and decision to bring it to India
• 02:07 – Launching Zero Latency Mumbai with young kids and no gaming background
• 03:15 – Pricing strategy and competitive analysis in an untested market
• 07:44 – Surpassing projections in the first month and lessons from the pandemic
• 11:19 – Who pays for premium VR in India and how the market has evolved
• 14:26 – Pricing for the Indian market vs. the West and introducing 15-minute “sampler” sessions
• 16:24 – How short experiences build trust and upsell to 45- and 60-minute sessions
• 20:20 – Marketing spend, customer acquisition, and the importance of education
• 26:21 – Expansion to Hyderabad and budgeting for launch marketing
• 29:12 – Why Instagram and WhatsApp drive 80% of bookings
• 33:19 – The cultural and operational reasons 60% of bookings happen over the phone
• 49:01 – Breaking gender barriers as a woman leading a VR business in India
• 50:55 – The motivation to challenge stereotypes and build a lasting brand