Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has unveiled The Foundery, a radical 90-day residential startup accelerator pitched as a high-octane alternative to expensive MBA programs for aspiring consumer brand builders. Billed as a “startup launchpad,” the immersive program in Alibaug promises participants free capital, hands-on expertise and a distraction-free environment to transform raw ideas into ready-to-launch businesses, bypassing the debt trap of traditional business education.
Ditching MBAs for Real-World Execution
Kamath’s pitch is blunt: why shell out lakhs for case studies when you can build a real consumer brand with live support? The Foundery targets early-stage founders frustrated by part-time accelerators or generic advice, offering a fully residential setup where co-founders live, eat and iterate together. No classrooms—just 90 days of relentless execution, from concept validation to product launch and initial sales.
Located in Alibaug, the program kicks off with an in-person bootcamp in April 2026. Cohorts work in a curated ecosystem of operators, strategists and creatives who roll up sleeves alongside participants, not just mentor from afar. Kamath positions it as “the know-how you need to build from scratch,” emphasizing speed, problem-solving and tangible outcomes over theoretical frameworks.
Co-Led by Zerodha and Future Group Titans
The program is co-led by Nikhil Kamath, whose Zerodha scaled to India’s largest discount broker without VC funding, and Kishore Biyani, the retail mogul behind Future Group who pioneered mass-market brands like Pantaloons and Big Bazaar. This duo blends fintech scaling with consumer retail mastery, promising participants access to battle-tested playbooks on customer acquisition, supply chains and go-to-market strategies.
The in-house team includes entrepreneurs who’ve launched D2C hits, supply chain experts from quick commerce and creative leads from top agencies. Unlike remote programs, The Foundery enforces “heads-down building” in a shared living space, mimicking startup war rooms where ideas evolve through daily grind.
How the 90-Day Program Works
Applications open late December 2025, closing mid-January 2026, with shortlisting, interviews and cohort announcement by end-February. Selected duos (or solos pairing up) dive into:
- Week 1-4: Ideation to MVP – Validate consumer pain points, prototype products, test with real users.
- Week 5-8: Launch Prep – Build supply chains, design branding, set up e-commerce/quick commerce.
- Week 9-12: Go-Live and Scale – Launch, drive initial sales, iterate on feedback; secure seed capital if needed.
Capital support covers prototyping, initial inventory and marketing, with no equity taken upfront. Post-program, alumni get ongoing access to the network for scaling. The focus: consumer brands in food, fashion, health or lifestyle, where India’s $1 trillion retail market offers massive runway.
Timeline and Selection
- Apply: Dec 2025 – Jan 15, 2026 (website form + pitch video).
- Shortlist/Interviews: Jan-Feb 2026.
- Cohort Announcement: End-Feb 2026.
- Bootcamp Start: April 2026 (90 days residential).
Selection favors grit over polish: founders with domain hunches, execution bias and consumer empathy. Kamath stresses “trade-offs and realities,” preparing participants for startup’s brutal uncertainty.
Why Now? India’s Consumer Boom Meets Founder Shortage
India’s D2C market hit $20 billion in 2025, fueled by quick commerce, Gen Z spending and PLI schemes, yet lacks serial builders. MBAs churn managers; accelerators dilute focus. The Foundery fills the gap, creating “founders who ship” amid Zerodha’s playbook of bootstrapping to unicorn status.
Kamath’s move echoes his Rainmatter initiatives—skilling via practice, not lectures. Biyani adds retail street-smarts from scaling 1,000+ stores. Together, they aim to spawn 100+ consumer brands from cohorts over years.
Kamath’s Bigger Vision
This fits Nikhil’s “build in public” ethos: from WTF podcasts demystifying business to Rainmatter’s fintech grants. The Foundery scales that to consumer verticals, betting immersive intensity yields outsized hits. Risks? High dropout potential in 90-day pressure cooker; success hinges on cohort chemistry.
For aspiring founders, it’s a no-brainer: zero tuition, live capital and mentorship from India’s scaling legends. As Kamath put it, skip the fees—build the brand. Applications live soon; India’s next Mamaearth or boAt could emerge from Alibaug.
