WTF is Nikhil Kamath Doing with Young Entrepreneurs?
A few months ago, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath unveiled the ‘Innovators under 25’ initiative, marking the launch of WTFund. The programme selected nine Indian startups led by exceptional founders under 25. For its first edition, WTFund, a non-equity grant fund, selected 15 entrepreneurs working across various sectors including AI, healthcare and others. The initiative provides up to INR 20 lakh in non-equity grants. Interestingly, the entrepreneurs can retain the full ownership of their startup with Kamath not having any stake in them. Empowering Young Entrepreneurs (Nikhil Kamath with the startup founders selected for the ‘Innovators Under 25’ programme.) As strange as it may sound, Kamath, as an investor, is not looking to have any equity in these companies; he’s clear about his vision of honing emerging young talent in the country. “For the Innovators under 25 programme, my approach is sector-agnostic, but focuses on startups solving real-world problems, especially in health tech, energy transition, space tech, and AI. The reason for offering non-dilutive grants and not taking equity is simple: It is about empowering young founders to grow without the immediate worry of dilution,” Kamath told AIM. In 2025, Kamath plans a similar or larger investment to support early-stage startups and provide them the runway they need. He clarified that his focus was on resilient founders who deeply understood their problem space. “Does this idea serve a real purpose? Can it scale effectively with strong unit economics? If a startup can create long-term value while making a tangible impact, that’s what seals the deal for me,” said Kamath. AIM had the opportunity to interview five startups from this programme, which places a strong emphasis on AI and tech. Equipping Creators with High-Performance Cloud Computing Founded by CS graduate Advait Bansode, Mars Computers aims to disrupt the creative and developer ecosystem by making high-performance computing accessible via the cloud. The startup connects users to data centres through a low-latency pipeline, allowing resource-intensive applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve to run seamlessly on lightweight devices such as MacBook Air. “Businesses avoid the hefty cost of buying machines,” said Bansode, emphasising the efficiency of their subscription model. Mars also addresses the flexibility needed for freelancers and small businesses, enabling users to subscribe based on their project requirements rather than investing in permanent hardware. “If I just want to do one project for a month, can I pay for it? That question sparked the idea.” The startup’s abstraction layer ensures that users experience local-computer-level performance while benefiting from scalable cloud solutions. Speaking about their ambitious vision, Bansode said, “We are excited about building tech that hasn’t existed in the market before.” Harnessing DNA for Data Storage Young TED speaker Anagha Rajesh founded BioCompute with the aim to meet the growing demand for sustainable and scalable storage solutions. Leveraging on the remarkable density and longevity of DNA, the startup aims to commercialise its use for archival storage, potentially replacing traditional storage media that require frequent replacements and consume significant energy. “The idea is that DNA can last for thousands of years,” explains Anagha, emphasising the longevity and cost-effectiveness of the technology. By developing an enzymatic approach to DNA synthesis, BioCompute tackles the bottlenecks of cost and scalability, with the ultimate goal of integrating DNA storage into data centres globally. “If we can demonstrate significantly lower space, energy, and replacement costs, this technology will sell itself,” she said. “Biological systems are inherently more energy efficient.” BioCompute also focuses on reducing the reliance on chemical synthesis methods, adopting biological alternatives to make the process more efficient and environmentally friendly. AI-Powered Diagnostics for Gastric Cancer Founded by MBBS students Tanmaya Gulati and Ria Khurana, RNT Health Insights is on a mission to improve early detection of gastric cancer using AI. Their solution integrates spatial and temporal deep learning models into real-time endoscopy procedures, helping doctors identify lesions that might otherwise be missed during screenings. “Our models predict in just 30 milliseconds,” said Gulati, showcasing the speed and precision of their technology. The solution acts as a “second set of eyes” for doctors, analysing 30-35 frames per second during endoscopic procedures to detect even the smallest abnormalities. “Sometimes lesions appear for milliseconds on the screen and can be easily missed by doctors,” he explained, underscoring the critical role of AI in filling diagnostic gaps. With India ranking third globally in gastric cancer cases, the founders believe their startup has the potential to save countless lives. The team is also working on making the technology compatible with high-definition endoscopy equipment, ensuring broader adoption across healthcare systems. “We want to integrate it without interfering with the existing workflow,” said Khurana. Education with AI-Powered Companions Founded by IIT graduate Sparsh Agarwal, Pixa is creating AI-powered toys that serve as interactive companions for children aged 5 to 12. These toys, integrated with advanced language models and custom memory stacks, function as personalised tutors, teaching topics ranging from programming to healthy habits through voice interactions. “Rather than spending $20 a month on multiple apps, parents get a single, screen-free solution,” said Agarwal. The toys feature advanced AI capable of generating dynamic and personalised content for children, from quizzes to stories, ensuring they never outgrow the experience. Parents can monitor their child’s progress through an app, which also tracks vocabulary levels and provides summaries of interactions to ensure a safe environment. “We wanted to ensure kids have access to powerful educational tools without increasing their screen time.” He also said that with AI, users won’t have to encounter the limitations of pre-loaded educational gadgets anymore. (Source: Pixa) Sales Preparation with AI Founded by Bhavesh Kotwani (BITS Pilani), Nikhil Mehta (IIT), and Pooja Midha (2X founder), CallPrep is transforming sales workflows by automating pre-meeting preparation, giving sales reps valuable insights without leaving their usual platforms. “We are trying to make the information work for the salesperson even before they step into the meeting,” the founders said, demonstrating how their AI-driven tool is helping sales teams scale more efficiently. By integrating seamlessly into calendars and CRM systems, the platform delivers actionable intelligence tailored to each meeting, helping sales teams save time on administrative tasks. “Sales reps are overwhelmed with multiple solutions, but with CallPrep, they don’t need to go outside their platform for insights,” the founders explained. Focusing on mid-market and enterprise-level B2B companies, CallPrep differentiates itself by addressing the underexplored pre-meeting space. Unlike competitors targeting post-meeting insights, CallPrep ensures sales teams are prepared with context-specific data like competitor battle cards before their meetings. In addition to the startups above, WTFund has invested in businesses that are building sustainable and healthy solutions for humans and pets alike. Urban Animal offers India’s first dog DNA testing service, revolutionising pet care, while Oh! Nuts caters to health-conscious Indian consumers with premium, nut-based snacks. Pawsible Foods introduces sustainable, plant-based pet food using Kavaka™ mycoprotein, and Pamawel targets menstrual pain relief with its plant-based, non-steroidal, FDA-approved formulations.
“If a startup can create long-term value while making a tangible impact, that’s what seals the deal for me,” Kamath told AIM.
“If a startup can create long-term value while making a tangible impact, that's what seals the deal for me,” Kamath told AIM.
["AI", "Data Center", "DNA", "Innovators Under 25", "Nikhil Kamath", "WTFund"]
["Go", "Data Center", "AWS", "AI", "cloud computing", "ML", "Nikhil Kamath", "Scala", "RAG", "Innovators Under 25", "Aim", "deep learning", "WTFund", "R", "DNA"]
["AI", "ML", "deep learning", "Aim", "RAG", "cloud computing", "AWS", "R", "Go", "Scala"]
As a rare blend of engineering, MBA, and journalism degree, Vandana Nair brings a unique combination of technical know-how, business acumen, and storytelling skills to the table. Her insatiable curiosity for all things startups, businesses, and AI technologies ensures that there's always a fresh and insightful perspective to her reporting. She now hosts her tech segment 'Point Break' on AIM Tv.