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Nikhil Kamath

Co-Founder

Basic Information


  • Name: Nikhil Kamath

  • Date of Birth: 5 September 1986

  • Nationality: Indian

  • Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

  • Companies:

  • Zerodha (Co-Founder & CFO)

  • True Beacon (Co-Founder)

  • Gruhas (Co-Founder)


Professional Background



Zerodha


  • Co-Founded: 2010

  • Role: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

  • Description: Zerodha revolutionized the brokerage market in India with its discount brokerage model, significantly reducing transaction commissions. The company handles over 1 crore clients, contributing to over 15% of Indian retail trading volumes.

  • Achievements: Largest stock broker in India, disrupting traditional brokerage services with in-house technology.

  • Additional Initiatives: Zerodha runs Rainmatter, a fintech fund and incubator, investing in various fintech startups.


True Beacon


  • Co-Founded: 2020

  • Role: Co-Founder

  • Description: An asset management company that helps ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNI) invest in the Indian markets through privately pooled investment vehicles.

  • Objective: Disrupting the UHNI wealth management arena with innovative investment strategies.


Gruhas


  • Co-Founded: 2021

  • Role: Co-Founder (with Abhijeet Pai)

  • Description: A real estate investments and proptech company. Gruhas invests in incubators, startups, and special situations with a proptech-focused fund.

  • Fund Size: Announced a $150 million proptech-focused fund.


Notable Events and Contributions


  • Chess Charity Match: In June 2021, Kamath participated in an online charity chess match against Viswanathan Anand to raise funds for COVID-19 relief. Controversy arose when he admitted to using computer assistance during the game.

  • Podcast: Launched "WTF is" podcast in March 2023, featuring notable guests like Tanmay Bhat, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, and Ronnie Screwvala.

  • Philanthropy: In June 2023, Kamath committed to donating 50% of his wealth to various charitable causes, including climate change, education, and healthcare, by signing The Giving Pledge.


Media Presence







Summary


Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, has made significant strides in the Indian brokerage market with innovative, low-cost trading solutions. Alongside his success in brokerage, he has also ventured into asset management with True Beacon and proptech with Gruhas, continually driving advancements in the financial and real estate sectors. Kamath's strategic approaches and philanthropic initiatives position him as a prominent figure in both business and charity, with a strong media presence to support his endeavors.