Nikhil Kamath’s latest venture ‘WTFund’ paves the way for young entrepreneurs to shine
The target is to motivate and innovative people with bright visions and views to take the chance, and help them transform their industries into better places
Nikhil launched a new fund “WTFund”
On Monday, Nikhil , the co- founder of Zerodha and stock broker, launched a unique initiative by the name ‘WTFund’ which is a grant agnostic, non-dilutive fund meant purposely for young entrepreneurs of age 25 and below. The target is to motivate innovative people with bright visions and views to take the chance, and help them transform their industries into better places. This funding model defies the norm by offering non-dilutive rupees 20 lakh to chosen investors, ensuring they retain ownership of their startups.
In addition to just financial support, WTFund has services on offer that are designed to compliment the retail program such as mentorship pods, a lively community within the WTF ecosystem, and a specialized go-to-Market studio. The selection process will consist of a comprehensive set of activities whereby 40 exceptional youths will be awarded grants and mentored for a whole year of their business life.They will be nurtured until they achieve their milestone of securing their initial institutional funding, ensuring their dreams are backed by unwavering support every step of the way.
“The India of my childhood differs markedly from the country we see today. Back then, the emphasis was on securing stable employment rather than pursuing entrepreneurship and embracing risk.” said Kamath, while sharing his vision for WTFund, highlights the profound impact young founders can have on India’s entrepreneurial scene, painting a picture of transformative potential fueled by their fresh perspectives and passion.
Kamath further added, “Young founders tend to create the most impact within entrepreneurship. At WTF, our goal is to cultivate a culture that encourages young entrepreneurs to embrace risk by providing a comprehensive support system. We are excited to launch the fund and see where it goes.”
WTFund is on a mission to discover the cream of the crop among young entrepreneurs, aiming to handpick and guide forty exceptional individuals throughout a year-long journey. Entrepreneurs from every sector are invited to submit their applications via the WTF website, fostering a diverse and innovative community of trailblazers.
The WTF began as a podcast hosted by Nikhil Kamath and has since grown into a tool which encourages the unique approach and brings everyone on the same ground. The coming out of the new venture out of WTFund shows how Mr.Kamath intends to create a generation of courageous and creative entrepreneurs who will, by their disruptive character, write a new chapter in the Indian business saga.
Besides being an angel investor, Kamath has supported over 15 startups including Licious, Zapkey, The 1% Club, and the others as per Tracxn. Right at the beginning of this year, he led a $10 million funding round which was meant to support the specialty coffee roaster Subko. This surely shows how much he cares for supporting and raising up entrepreneurs in different industries.
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