Podcast
WTF is with Nikhil Kamath
Hosted by Nikhil Kamath · EN
"WTF is" is a podcast series where Nikhil Kamath hosts friends and industry experts and holds casual yet intellectually stimulating conversations. The podcast covers a broad range of topics of particular current relevance, including technology, social media, renewable energy, electric vehicles, philosophy, gaming, psychology and more.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Abundance vs Scarcity: We Built 20 Brands With 30 Strangers In 90 Days | The Foundery
1w ago01:35:39Tap to summarizeThe 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 built into this house, and what the three of us will do if twenty brands don't sell.00:00 Introduction06:18 Is The Foundery a selfish bet?12:29 Why building new beats the capitalist high18:28 How the company-builder model formed24:47 The new consumer categories driving the bets30:41 What happens after Day 9035:13 The equity split everyone questions: 25% vs 75%43:11 Where the ideas come from, and how the gates work50:56 Founder–idea fit and the flaws each founder owns58:05 Why equity beats an endorsement fee1:05:14 What happens if the brands fail1:11:08 What actually drives Nikhil1:17:46 Abundance vs scarcity in one house1:23:54 Social mobility and India's bubbles1:28:54 What the founders are unlearning1:33:09 Twelve months out: what they'd change#NikhilKamathCo-Founder of Zerodha and GruhasHost of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF'Twitter: @nikhilkamathcio on XInstagram: @nikhilkamathcio on InstagramLinkedIn: Nikhil Kamath LinkedInFacebook: Nikhil Kamath FacebookThe Foundery is a venture builder that forges entrepreneurs into co-founders and builds companies with them from the ground up.Website: The FounderyYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCtJssM5FzLXSWIf5VWUmT2w Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jointhefoundery/?hl=enKishore Biyani – Founder & CEO of Future GroupRonnie Screwvala – Co-Founder & Chairperson of upGrad, Founder of UTV GroupLinkedIn: Ronnie Screwvala LinkedInWatch 'WTF is' Podcast on SpotifyWTF is Podcast on SpotifyWatch 'People by WTF' Podcast on SpotifyPeople by WTF Podcast on SpotifyWatch 'WTF Online' on SpotifyWTF Online on Spotify#WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
Transcribe →We Gave 25 Strangers ₹4 Crore Each To Build 20 New Brands | The Foundery
2w ago00:01:15Tap to summarizeSo 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 Biyani and Ronnie Screwvala get into why we built it, what we're risking, and what happens if none of it works.#nikhilkamath Co-founder of Zerodha and GruhasHost of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' PodcastTwitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/The Foundery is a venture builder that forges entrepreneurs into co-founders and builds companies with them from the ground up.Website: https://www.thefoundery.in/Kishore Biyani – Founder & CEO of Future GroupRonnie Screwvala – Co-Founder & Chairperson of upGrad, Founder of UTV GroupLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronniescrewvala/Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4nsm4eznWatch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/yme92c59Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th#WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
Transcribe →Why One New Drug Takes Ten Years To Make | Mankind x Dr. Reddy's | WTF is Pharma?
2w ago02:51:06Tap to summarizeI 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 why a chemical engineer who says he owes his career to his marriage spent decades chasing one original molecule, and somewhere in between we got into why India makes the world's generics instead of discovering its own drugs, what it really takes in time and money to bring a single drug to market, why GV thinks the AI-will-cure-everything story is overstated, where GLP-1s go next, and the one thing they'd tell a 25-year-old trying to build in pharma.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction04:27 Rajeev Juneja's path from medical-store apprentice to building Mankind10:11 Mankind's contrarian OTC and bottom-up market strategy16:23 G.V. Prasad on science and the Dr. Reddy's lineage23:06 Segmenting the industry and how generic drugs are made29:15 Why drug purity standards are shared but enforcement differs36:40 Why India is the pharmacy of the world by volume, not revenue41:00 How margins are split across the pharma value chain45:17 Whether online pharmacy and consumer brands are real openings53:15 Whether hospital roll-up valuations are justified59:10 Tariffs, Jan Aushadhi and drug price controls1:03:21 How China built a pharma-innovation ecosystem in a decade1:10:02 Long-horizon governance and removing entrepreneurial fear1:15:40 China's incentives, talent and leverage over the US1:22:01 Why the Ayush and wellness market outgrows pharma1:25:05 The evidence, quality and standardisation debate around Ayurveda1:35:13 The sexual-wellness opportunity and the stigma problem1:40:26 The fertility, IVF and egg-freezing opportunity1:43:45 The API narrative debate and how a drug is synthesised1:50:54 Biologics, monoclonal antibodies and vaccines explained1:55:57 Stem cells and peptides, separating therapy from hype2:00:06 The semaglutide story and how GLP-1 works2:05:01 Mankind's ethical-selling philosophy on GLP-12:08:06 Why India leads in small molecules but lags in biologics2:15:07 Where a young founder can enter the GLP-1 wave2:23:38 The yin and yang of innovators and generics2:29:05 Diagnostics, CDMO and the China-plus-one opportunity2:37:18 Applying AI to pharma and the expired-medicine problem2:43:01 Why founders should never copy a set formula2:45:30 Succession, home diagnostics and the microfluidics frontier #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/in/nikhilkamathcio utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/Rajeev Juneja-Vice Chairman & Managing Director at Mankind Pharma LtdLinkedIN- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeev-juneja-27882a24b/G.V Prasad Reddy-MD & Co-Chairman at Dr. Reddy'sLinkedin-https://www.linkedin.com/in/gvprasadster/Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4nsm4eznWatch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/yme92c59Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th#WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
Transcribe →Generics, Ozempic & The Fear Holding India Back | WTF is Pharma? | Trailer
3w ago00:02:15Tap to summarizeI 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 wants to talk about, the ethics of running a prescription-driven business, whether the global enthusiasm around Indian hospitals is actually justified, and why fear might be the single biggest thing holding Indian entrepreneurship back.#nikhilkamath Co-founder of Zerodha and GruhasHost of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' PodcastTwitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/Rajeev Juneja-Vice Chairman & Managing Director at Mankind Pharma LtdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeev-juneja-27882a24b/G.V Prasad Reddy-MD & Co-Chairman at Dr. Reddy'sLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gvprasadster/Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4nsm4eznWatch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/yme92c59Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotifyhttps://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th#WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
Transcribe →We Backed 17 of India's Brightest Young Founders with ₹20L Grants | WTFund Cohort 3
Jan 3001:24:03Tap to summarizeSpent 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 than structured.https://www.allthingswtf.com/wtfund00:00 - WTFund Bootcamp02:02 - Intro03:20 - Prava - AI-Led Transactions10:22 - Astraeus Innovus - Preventive Cancer Screening18:45 - Turocrates AI - AI-Driven Diagnostics26:35 - AntiMattr - Voice-First Computing32:12 - O3 security - Securing AI Systems39:05 - Bloom Rehab - Tech-Enabled Recovery42:00 - Journey to Building46:22 - Philosophies of life50:31 - Placestation - Automating PCB Assembly55:32 - AEYI : AI-Powered CCTV Monitoring57:50 - Q&A with Nikhil01:04:14 - AI Girlfriend & Dating01:05:35 - Schools of Psychology01:08:26 - Nikhil's Birthday Plans01:09:11 - Golden Hour01:10:10 - Healthcare & Longevity01:12:33 - Trading01:16:32 - Advice for Young Founders #NikhilKamath Co-founder of Zerodha, Gruhas Host of ‘WTF is’ & ‘People by WTF’ PodcastTwitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcioLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio WTFund India’s premiere non-dilutive grant fund for emerging entrepreneurs.Twitter: https://x.com/TheWTFundLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/wtfund Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewtfund O3 Security A security platform that stops software supply-chain attacks in real time — whether it’s AI-generated or human-written code to production.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/o3_security/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aeyi/ Aeyi Aeyi is a GENAI-powered system that turns normal CCTV cameras into real-time safety and monitoring tools.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aeyi_surve/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aeyi/ Antimattr AI-powered earbuds for hands-free audio computing.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antimattr.one/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/antimattr/about/ BloomRehab Rehabilitation robots for neuro and ortho recovery.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomrehab/ Astraeus Innovus A ₹100 saliva test that screens for oral cancer in under 5 minutes.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/astraeus-innovus/about/ PlaceStation A desktop system that automates PCB assembly for faster, accessible electronics manufacturing.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/placestation_/ Prava A payments infrastructure layer built specifically for AI shopping assistants and agents.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pravapayments/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prava-payments/ Turocrates Improving patient outcomes using a digital and AI-driven operating system for diagnostic labs.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/turocrates-ai/ #WTFund
Transcribe →Nikhil Kamath ft. H.E Omar Sultan Al Olama | The Case for Youth in Politics | Special Ep
Jan 1101:42:55Tap to summarizeI 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 thanks to @IndiaGlobalForum for creating the space for conversations like this, and Manoj Ladwa, a dear friend and a rare connector between India and the rest of the world. People like him, through IGF are helping frame the ideas that will define this decade, and bring them to life00:00 – Introduction 01:24 – Why AI Changes the Power Balance Between Countries 05:05 – Jobs, Intelligence, & What AI Takes Away From Humans 13:20 – Why This Conversation Happened at IGF 15:42 – Making of a Minister 22:18 – Why does anything matter? 24:42 – Machiavelli 30:23 – Fear or love? How are Leaders Remembered? 33:26 – UAE's Legacy & It's Perpetual Importance 38:04 – How UAE goes about it's diasporic Governance 48:13 – Taxes, Value Exchange, and What Citizens Expect 55:09 – Education, Work, and the Path to Government 1:12:19 – The Phone Call That Made Him AI Minister at 27 1:14:22 – Corruption, Incentives, and Power Structures 1:24:46 – AI & Governance 1:27:55 – Global Neutrality, Building Bridges & Restraint 1:37:49 – Blockchain, Discourse, and Closing Reflections #NikhilKamath Entrepreneur & Investor Host of 'WTF is' & 'People By WTF' PodcastX: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/ #omarsultanalolama : Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications at Government of the UAE Twitter - [https://x.com/OmarSAlolama] LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-sultan-alolama-305b8366/?originalSubdomain=ae] Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4nsm4ezn Watch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/yme92c59 Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th #WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
Transcribe →
The Case for Youth in Politics | HE Omar Sultan Al Olama (One of the World's Youngest Ministers)
Jan 800:01:26Tap to summarizeCame 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' PodcastX: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/ #omarsultanalolama : Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications at Government of the UAETwitter - [https://x.com/OmarSAlolama](https://x.com/OmarSAlolama) LinkedIn - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-sultan-alolama-305b8366/?originalSubdomain=ae](https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-sultan-alolama-305b8366/?originalSubdomain=ae) Watch 'WTF is' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4nsm4ezn Watch 'People by WTF' Podcast on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/yme92c59 Watch 'WTF Online' on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/4tjua4th #WTFiswithnikhilkamath #PeopleByWTF #WTFOnline
Transcribe →Tira, Bombay Shaving Co., Inde Wild | WTF is Fueling India's Beauty & Skincare Revolution? | Ep. 25
Nov 503:36:40Tap to summarizeThree 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 - Intro02:39 - Bhakti’s journey & love story05:14 - Diipa’s road to Inde Wild10:34 - Persona’s role in brand building15:07 - How Shantanu started20:48 - Valuations & industry secrets27:30 - Decoding the salon industry34:58 - How Inde Wild made Champi cool again38:01 - Market size & shifting narratives45:14 - Marketing quality & building a community52:41 - Why fragrance is exploding1:00:42 - Community’s role in branding1:08:04 - Cracking the BPC industry1:22:26 - Omnichannel: A must-have?1:27:15 - Tariffs, growth & social selling1:31:00 - Can Indian brands go global?1:34:51 - Cracking influencer marketing1:42:15 - Sampling, distribution & minis1:48:07 - Sustainability: Do founders still care?1:52:54 - What’s the next wave?2:04:39 - How the world perceives India2:09:48 - Tech’s role in customising2:16:10 - Nikhil’s & Diipa’s tattoos2:18:14 - Why founders need grit2:19:47 - Bhakti & Tira’s origin story2:34:10 - Inside Tira: From concept to customer2:38:34 - Do celebrity brands work?2:44:51 - Why Diipa started Inde Wild2:48:25 - Mass, premium, prestige: Which segment is winning?3:05:45 - Quick commerce & Tier 2 markets3:11:11 - Ayurveda: Still a novelty?3:14:43 - The making of Bombay Shaving Company3:21:39 - From idea to product: Manufacturing & patents3:30:14 - Advice to aspiring skincare founders#NikhilKamath - Investor & EntrepreneurTwitter: [https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio] (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)Bhakti Modi - CEO, TiraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhaktim679/...LinkedIn: / bhakti-modi-98a32293 Diipa Khosla - Founder, Inde WildInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/diipakhosla...LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/diipa-khos....Website: https://india.indewild.com/?utm_campa...Shantanu Deshpande - Founder, Bombay Shaving CompanyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantanudes...LinkedIn: / shantanudeshpandebsc
Transcribe →Inside India's Booming Skincare Industry | Ep. 25 Teaser
Nov 500:01:55Tap to summarizeBhakti 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 ModiCEO, TiraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhaktim679/...LinkedIn: / bhakti-modi-98a32293 Diipa KhoslaFounder, Inde WildInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/diipakhosla...LinkedIn : https://in.linkedin.com/in/diipa-khos....Shantanu DeshpandeFounder, Bombay Shaving CompanyInstagram : https://www.instagram.com/shantanudes...LinkedIn : / shantanudeshpandebsc
Transcribe →Inside Silicon Valley's VC Playbook | WTF is Venture Capital? - 2025 Edition | Ep. 24
Sep 102:52:16Tap to summarizeIn 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 - Intro00:58 - Deedy’s journey & the Anthropic story05:10 - Nikunj’s background11:32 - Niko’s story13:31 - Sectors to avoid as an investor23:17 - Today’s hottest sectors27:31 - Emerging AI trends38:37 - Declining birth rates + AI’s role48:19 - Abundance & capitalism53:19 - Raising kids in an Instagram world55:39 - No tech: the next big business?1:00:55 - The future of dating apps1:06:52 - Key predictions for the next frontier1:10:14 - Will urbanisation continue?1:13:51 - Longevity & wellness industry1:16:01 - Which sector will boom by 2035?1:25:59 - Rethinking senior living1:32:52 - Content vs. product: what builds a brand?1:43:50 - Individual vs. legacy brands1:47:30 - EVs & mobility: the road ahead1:58:03 - Opportunities in beauty & luxury2:02:17 - Where live events are headed2:06:14 - Climate tech & its impact2:11:49 - Data centers: the best bet?2:15:13 - Vices as an industry2:24:18 - Wrapping it all together2:29:02 - Legal AI: opportunities & challenges2:32:29 - India in the global AI race#NikhilKamath - Investor & EntrepreneurTwitter: [https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm9WZVh3cHVTX3JEeGptVjlOZ1R3cW5rVkZJUXxBQ3Jtc0tuekFjWnRXME9XUUVLcDNCTk9YcHd5OU1MV1NMamE0cWE1T25meGJ4VWRMa21OY3VYLWM2T05iOUJtYTNWbWRSLW5YUXNzTTRHUUpjOGdZSGJzNEYxMkt2Y2hmWVNUeU51Nk5MRFVieVNtSTJwMkFXZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fnikhilkamathcio&v=wHQiewz8k9g)LinkedIN: [](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGNsNjlxS2NyU3VxOUNIQU1VUmczaWNobmtJd3xBQ3Jtc0tsVmczaDdwdkpMZWlNaVdISk1mQUFfbmhZNVB2al9OU1hwbF9rYTFoMFJGN2FKRnFreXFEaXZhRGttd2xLRHBpQVhIS19XaW5wQTZ3UjB6bm5vazVmdUkwSEdsU0MxS1lXYmJvVnhlekVRczc0RmdTRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fnikhilkamathcio&v=wHQiewz8k9g)https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/#DeedyDas - Principal, Menlo VenturesTwitter: https://x.com/deedydasLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debarghyadas/#NikunjKothari - Partner, FPV VenturesTwitter: https://x.com/nikunjLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikunjk/#NikoBonatsos - Early-Stage Venture CapitalistTwitter: https://x.com/bonatsosLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonatsos/
Transcribe →