Mumbai-based founder Yash Gawde’s recent encounter with Nikhil Kamath at Bandra’s Subko Cafe unfolded into a memorable lesson on taking chances, clarity, and storytelling in pitching a startup.
Yash was meeting a venture capitalist friend, Aakash Sood, who was breaking down how VCs think, why storytelling matters, and how clarity of thought should translate into pitch clarity. While engrossed in this conversation, they noticed a group entering a private room nearby — it was Nikhil Kamath, Zerodha’s co-founder and one of India’s youngest billionaires.
Despite initially wanting to stay out of the way to absorb the valuable advice he was receiving, Yash’s friend encouraged him to seize the opportunity. Without a business card on hand, Yash quickly tore a page out of his diary and scribbled a brief handwritten note introducing himself and his startup BeHooked, which is building an AI tool that converts ideas into ready-to-share social media videos.
Yash folded the note neatly and asked the café staff to deliver it to Kamath. The Zerodha co-founder read the note carefully, looked up, smiled, and waved at Yash — a small but powerful gesture that Yash described as making his entire day worthwhile.
The note and the post together underline two core messages: the importance of taking every chance to pitch, even informal ones, and that clarity in your story matters as much as the idea itself. Yash’s note was not a formal pitch deck but a simple, honest introduction conveying admiration, purpose, and readiness to connect.
This story resonates deeply in India’s competitive startup ecosystem, where founders often seek breakthrough moments. Yash’s approach—a low-tech yet heartfelt note combined with timely encouragement from a mentor—shows that sometimes preparation paired with courage can open unexpected doors, especially when backed by genuine storytelling. The respectful, personal touch made the connection memorable for Kamath, a nod to how human elements in pitching can shine amid a sea of polished digital deck submissions.
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As Yash summed up, “Take your shots. You never know which one will land.” In his case, a chance café encounter and a handwritten note sparked a moment of recognition from one of India’s top startup investors, illustrating the power of hustle and authenticity.
