Nikhil Kamath's WTFund Unveils Second Cohort: Supporting Young AI Entrepreneurs in India

Nikhil Kamath Unveils Second Cohort of WTFund to Support Young AI Entrepreneurs

The initiative has selected 22 founders under the age of 25 to support through funding and mentorship. WTFund is back with its second cohort, featuring 22 founders leading nine startups in its initiative for entrepreneurs under 25. Led by investor and co-founder of Zerodha, Nikhil Kamath, WTFund provides up to ₹20 lakh in grant funding, along with mentorship and strategic support, to help early-stage startups scale their impact. The initiative aims to foster a culture of innovation, risk-taking, and resilience, equipping emerging and first-time entrepreneurs with the necessary resources to grow their ventures. "Entrepreneurs can build at any age, but there's something about being young -- the audacity, the relentless energy, the willingness to take risks before the world tells you otherwise," said Kamath. "With Cohort 2, we're backing founders who aren't just dreaming of change but are actually building it." The second cohort reflects the diverse entrepreneurial talent across India, with applications pouring in from over 50 cities, spanning Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 locations. The selected startups represent a wide range of sectors, including Tech/SaaS, D2C, EdTech, FinTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, and CleanTech, all working to address pressing local and global challenges. Interestingly, 6 of them provide AI-based solutions. The startups selected for WTFund's second cohort are: Nasadya (H2ive): Founded by Chaitanya Gulati, Subhechchha Paul, and Suhani Mohan, the startup develops solid-state hydrogen storage solutions for safer, more efficient industrial energy use, supporting sustainable fuel adoption. InnerGize: Founded by Shalmali Kadu, Sidharth Bhargava, and Mitansh, this venture offers a wearable device designed to reduce chronic stress and anxiety using non-invasive technology. Armatrix: A robotics company founded by Vishrant Dave, Prateesh Awasthi, and Ayush Ranjan, focusing on industrial automation with flexible robotic arms for hazardous environments. Drnk: A specialty beverage brand founded by Raj Thakkar and Aryan Gandhi, offering affordable drinks with a community-driven brand experience. Neoperk: Led by Satyendra Gupta, Neoperk provides AI-powered soil testing solutions to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. ReferRush: Founded by Vikram Pai and Rohan Verma, this platform enables AI-powered referral programs for eCommerce brands. Modus AI: Created by Sunit Gautam and Somesh Lund, this startup offers an AI-driven fraud detection system for financial institutions. Bytes: Founded by Aayush Kumar and Prakhar, Bytes develops an AI-powered Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) for two-wheelers, enhancing road safety. Ai.gnosis: Led by Raksheet Jain and Divyansh Mangal, this startup provides an AI-based developmental screening tool for early autism detection. WTFund's inaugural cohort, launched last year, featured 13 startups across various sectors. These startups received critical early-stage support, allowing them to refine their business models, expand their teams, and secure further investments. Several founders from the first cohort have also become mentors for the new batch, reinforcing WTFund's commitment to building a collaborative and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Meet 9 Startups Part Of Nikhil Kamath-Led WTFund's 2nd Cohort

Floated by Nikhil Kamath, WTFund aims to support young founders in India under the age of 25 years Zerodha cofounder Nikhil Kamath-led WTFund has selected nine startups for its second cohort. The grant fund will look to support the growth of innovative startups coming forth from various parts of the country. In a statement, the fund said that the selected startups under the second cohort will receive a grant funding of up to INR 20 Lakh. Targeting young Indian founders under the age of 25 years, WTFund claims to provide participating startups with "no-strings attached' grants, access to insights, mentorship and strategic partnership opportunities, and sales and marketing support. It will also help the selected founders figure out product-market fit (PMF) and build their go-to-market strategy with real time feedback. Additionally, startups under the second cohort will also get an opportunity to present their businesses to high-profile investors. "More than just capital, founders need a launchpad -- access to mentorship, networks, and the freedom to execute big ideas. With Cohort 2, we're backing founders who aren't just dreaming of change but are actually building it," said Kamath. After sifting through applications received from startups across more than 50 cities, the fund shortlisted nine names. Complying with UN's sustainable development goals, the selected startups are from sectors such as agritech, D2C, cleantech, among others. As usual, artificial intelligence (AI) is an underlying thread that runs through most of the startups selected as part of the second cohort. So, without further ado, let's take a look at the startups that made the cut . This is not a ranking of any kind and the startups have been listed in an alphabetical order. Kids who suffer from autism can receive therapies and support if the development disorder is detected at an early stage. While parents in metro cities have access to resources for personalised therapies and support strategies, the same infrastructure may not be available beyond India's biggest cities. To address this, Raksheet Jain and Divyansh Mangal founded Jaipur-based Ai.gnosis in 2024. The startup leverages its proprietary AI-powered tech stack to provide screening tools for early autism detection. Indian enterprises are embracing automation in a big way. Looking to further fuel this is Armatrix, which has developed flexible industrial robotic arms that can perform complex operations for heavy industries such as aviation, oil and gas, and shipbuilding. It enables companies deploy robotic solutions instead of human labour in hazardous environments. The startup is backed by the likes of Emergent Ventures, GradCapital and The Foundation for IoT and IoE. Road safety is a big issue in India as lakhs of people die in road accidents every year. Bytes is looking to solve this problem by building an AI-powered advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for two-wheelers. Its AI-powered safety systems, using cameras, improve vehicle safety by predicting and preventing accidents before they happen. Drnk is a D2C brand that sells affordable beverages for the young generation. It aims to provide healthier and sustainable products to its customers. InnerGize sells a wearable device that reduces chronic stress and anxiety using non-invasive technology. Backed by AC Ventures, Aman Gupta of boAt, and OYO's Ritesh Agarwal, the startup leverages Neuroacoustic Vagal Modulation technique, which gently stimulates the vagus nerve, known as the body's natural relaxation switch. The globe today is transitioning towards clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. To facilitate this switch, Nasadya offers solid-state hydrogen storage solutions for safer, affordable, and efficient industrial energy use. Indian agriculture, considered the backbone of the Indian economy, continues to be plagued by issues such as primitive tools, lower yields and over-dependence on monsoons. Looking to ease the woes of Indian tillers is Neospak, which provides AI-driven soil testing solutions that can help farmers improve yields by up to 20%. Businesses are always on the look out for new avenues and technologies to increase their reach and expand customer base. To solve this problem, ReferRush leverages its AI-powered tech stack to help ecommerce merchants build their own omnichannel and fully automated customer referral programmes. Still in stealth mode, Modus AI is building an AI-driven fraud detection system for financial institutions to ensure secure online transactions and reduced financial risks.