WTF is with Nikhil Kamath

The street believes struggle makes the founder, so we removed the struggle — twenty-five strangers, a brand and four crores each, ninety days in one house in Alibaug and then sat down to ask the only question that scared us: does a head start make a founder, or unmake one? Nikhil Kamath, Kishore Biyani and Ronnie Screwvala audit the model, the equity split everyone questions, the two philosophies...

So we ran an experiment. We call it The Foundery. Sixty days ago, twenty-five people we'd never met moved into a house in Alibaug — each one handed a new-age consumer brand, four crores, and ninety days to build a real business with us. Not a college, not an accelerator: a place where we become your co-founders and build the company alongside you. In this first conversation, Nikhil Kamath, Kishore...

I got two of the biggest names in Indian pharma into one room, Rajeev Juneja of Mankind and GV Prasad of Dr. Reddy's, who'd somehow never actually met before this, and what came out was part masterclass and part origin story, from why being relentlessly contrarian beat following the herd, to how a college dropout from Meerut turned everything he hated about a medical store into a pharma giant, to...

I always assumed India was becoming the pharmacy of the world, until this conversation made me sit with the sharper truth that we're the generic pharmacy of the world, and from there we got into whether China really killed our API industry or whether Indians still quietly lead it, why a drug like semaglutide turns into a miracle and a problem the second everyone wants it, the side effects nobody w...

Spent a few hours with young bright founders below the age of 25 from the 3rd WTFund cohort. WTFund is a non-dilutive ₹20 lakh grant. From over 3,000 applications, we shortlisted 8 startups. We spoke about what they’re building, but also about doubt, ambition, money, and the uncertainty that comes with starting early. Some clear ideas. Some unfinished thoughts. A conversation that felt more real t...

I sat down with His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s youngest minister and the world’s first AI Minister, to unpack how modern governments think about the future and the role younger leaders play in shaping it. A last-minute conversation in Dubai that opened up a thoughtful discussion on youth in politics, leadership, and how AI is beginning to influence the way nations are governed. Big...

Came for a conversation, Left with a shift in perspective. A solid case to prove that age isn’t the barrier we think it is. A big thank you to   @IndiaGlobalForum   for hosting this dialogue. And to Manoj Ladwa, for being the bridge that makes conversations like this happen.  #NikhilKamath Entrepreneur & Investor Host of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' Podcast X:  https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/   Insta...

Three founders leading India’s skincare wave – Bhakti Modi (Tira), Shantanu Deshpande (Bombay Shaving Company), and Diipa Khosla (Inde Wild) join me to share the highs and lows of building beauty and skincare brands and the trends shaping this booming industry. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:39 - Bhakti’s journey & love story 05:14 - Diipa’s road to Inde Wild 10:34 - Persona’s role in brand building...

Bhakti Modi (Tira), Shantanu Deshpande (Bombay Shaving Company), and Diipa Khosla (Inde Wild) joined forces to answer one question: What should 25-year-old Dilip build next? Bhakti Modi CEO, Tira Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/bhaktim679/. .. LinkedIn: / bhakti-modi-98a32293  Diipa Khosla Founder, Inde Wild Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/diipakhosla. .. LinkedIn :  https://in.linkedi...

In this unfiltered conversation, we discuss bad bets, overhyped markets, and where VCs should actually put their money. I sat down with Deedy Das (Principal, Menlo Ventures), Nikunj Kothari (Partner, FPV Ventures), and Niko Bonatsos (Early-Stage Venture Capitalist) to get their hot takes on industries. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - Deedy’s journey & the Anthropic story 05:10 - Nikunj’s backgro...

What industries will die out in the next decade? I sat down with three venture capitalists from Silicon Valley to decode. #NikhilKamath - Investor & Entrepreneur Twitter: [ https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio ]( https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm9WZVh3cHVTX3JEeGptVjlOZ1R3cW5rVkZJUXxBQ3Jtc0tuekFjWnRXME9XUUVLcDNCTk9YcHd5OU1MV1NMamE0cWE1T25meGJ4VWRMa21OY3VYLWM2T...

As someone from Bangalore, I’ve been a bit bothered by how much flak we get, especially about traffic. So I set out to see if the criticism is fair, and what’s actually being done about it. In this episode, I spend the day with two of Bengaluru’s top police officers — B. Dayananda, IPS (Commissioner of Police) and M.N. Anucheth, IPS (Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic) — to understand what’s re...

This episode is a playbook for any curious 20-something in India dreaming of building the next big consumer electronics brand. Whether it’s smartphones, earbuds, AI-powered glasses or health wearables, we dig into what it really takes to break into, and survive, this highly competitive space. I sat down with three brilliant minds in the game who’ve actually done it: Carl Pei (Co-Founder, Nothing),...

India has long been a tea-drinking nation, but in recent years, a new wave of craft beverage brands has started reshaping the way the country drinks. Specialty coffee, kombucha, and premium mixers are carving out space in an industry dominated by mass-produced options. While the demand for high-quality, homegrown beverages is growing, breaking into this space isn’t as easy as it looks. Import duti...

India’s craft beverage industry is on the rise, with brands redefining the way the country drinks. Specialty coffee, kombucha, and premium mixers are no longer just niche products—they’re part of a larger shift toward quality and innovation. As global trends in artisanal drinks take hold, Indian consumers are becoming more curious and willing to experiment. But building a brand in this space comes...

In this conversation, we seem to be headed towards more questions than answers.. but perhaps questions that need to be asked. Most importantly... Where is Health headed? In this episode of WTF is Podcast, we have Nithin, Prashanth, Jitendra, Seema and Bryan uncover many such questions/concerns, trying to determine what is next in this space of Heath & Longevity. As AI progresses, I wonder if tomor...

How far are we all willing to go for Good Health & Longevity? Is technology & AGI closer to figuring it all out? Can an algorithm tell us how to live our best life? Stay Tuned! #NikhilKamath Co-founder of Zerodha and Gruhas  Host of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' Podcast  Twitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/i...

There seems to be a preconceived bias about the real estate ecosystem in India. With this episode, we aim to dive into the nuances that explain the complexities of the business. And who better to explain it than Irfan Razack from Prestige Group, Nirupa Shankar from Brigade Group, and Karan Virwani from WeWork & Embassy. We deep dive into family businesses, passion versus wealth, new-age real estat...

Diving deep with India's real estate titans who collectively shape over 100 million sq. ft. of prime property. I probe Irfan, Nirupa, and Karan on navigating a $200 billion industry through economic shifts and tech disruptions. From innovative funding strategies to sustainability challenges, uncover the blueprints behind their empires in this candid discussion.

Psychology believes that you start telling yourself you’re passionate at something when you realise you’re better at that something - same logic for talent? How important is it to be talented but also be “relevant” in the industries that seem cool to be in? In this episode of ‘WTF is’ Podcast, we have Kriti Sanon, KL Rahul, & Badshah - who chose career paths which are quite offbeat. Is it sheer ta...

Psychology believes that you start telling yourself you’re passionate about something when you realize you’re better at that 'something'.  This could be one of those episodes.  Stay tuned to find out!

India has had a long, colourful, and mixed history with Liquor over the centuries, with ancient fermented drinks and traditional liquors like feni and toddy. India today, holds the third-largest market for alcoholic beverages globally, which is remarkable given the challenging business environment of red tape-ism, varying excise duties across states and much more. In episode #18 of “WTF is” Podcas...

​​India holds the third-largest market for alcoholic beverages globally. Despite it being such a big market, it is said to be one of the tougher industries to enter and sustain, given the complexities.  There is also this misconception that making a lot of money in the liquor industry is easy, but what seems to be less apparent is the red tape-ism.. varying excise duties, distribution challenges a...

Data suggest that young folks under the age of 30 are spending a lot more time on social media and gaming and less time on TV and physical sports. In this episode, we have the CEO of Nazara Technologies,Krafton India and Lila Games, leaders in the Indian gaming space. We also have Animesh Agarwal (8bit Thug), a protagonist of the Indian gaming Industry,turning gaming into a full time career in ind...

Virtues required to build a business today seem to have become a cliché. What often gets lost in the cracks are the subtle nuances that actually make or break a business. The importance of risk-taking and the power of a contrarian mindset in running a successful venture requires far more than mere intellect. Founders of OYO, Mama Earth, and Rare Rabbit open up about what makes them tick, from the...