'We made this decision with tears': Indian-origin founder explains why he left Canada with his kids

Maulik Pandya’s experience echoed the frustrations voiced by several Indian-origin entrepreneurs abroad.

Canada’s reputation as a welcoming hub for entrepreneurs has been questioned after Indian-origin founder Maulik Pandya shared why he decided to leave the country with his family.

Pandya, who founded the AI-driven food technology venture ‘Eatance’, described his departure in a reflective post on LinkedIn, stating that the move had been emotionally difficult but ultimately necessary.

“We are leaving Canada. We made this decision with tears. We have to leave this beautiful home we made for our family and two daughters,” he wrote, adding that the choice was not sudden but followed “many sleepless nights and mental struggles.”

In his post, Pandya said he had spent recent months entangled in Canada’s bureaucratic processes, which he described as increasingly difficult to navigate.

“Many countries offer single-window facilities for startups, but in Canada, we faced new traps every day. It felt like our innocent children became part of this system,” he explained.

He noted that the challenges extended beyond professional frustrations and began to affect his family’s health and state of mind.

“For us, it was no longer just about business but about the mental peace and future of our children,” Pandya wrote.

The entrepreneur shared that he and his family had decided to begin a new phase of their lives in the UAE or India, describing the move as a step towards stability and peace of mind.

“We are not asking for anything else. We are just closing this chapter and moving forward for the well-being of our children and our peace,” he said.

Pandya’s post drew significant engagement on LinkedIn, gathering thousands of reactions and comments. Many users expressed empathy for his situation, while others urged him to return to India, citing the improving environment for startups at home.

One user responded, “This is a heartbreaking story, but sometimes an end is just a new beginning.” Another wrote, “Return to India, the environment for entrepreneurs is better here now.”

Pandya’s experience echoed the frustrations voiced by several Indian-origin entrepreneurs abroad, who have cited rising tax pressures, regulatory complexity, and administrative hurdles as barriers to running small and mid-sized businesses in developed economies.