‘There’s Never Been a Better Time’: Nithin Kamath on Building Startups in India Amid Global Uncertainty

India’s startup ecosystem may be facing global headwinds, but Zerodha Founder and CEO Nithin Kamath believes optimism is not just necessary, it is essential.

In a recent LinkedIn post shared on National Startup Day, Kamath addressed growing concerns around India’s economic growth and geopolitical instability. He acknowledged the challenges but struck a strongly hopeful note, urging entrepreneurs to look beyond pessimism and focus on long-term opportunity.

“There’s a lot of pessimism about India’s growth prospects right now, amplified by the sheer amount of geopolitical drama we’re living through. But if we aren’t hopeful that India will do better, then everything becomes moot,” Kamath wrote.

India Has Problems, But Progress Matters

Kamath did not downplay the structural issues facing the country. Instead, he placed them in a broader global context.

“This isn’t to say we don’t have real problems. We do. But every successful country has had to deal with its own share of thorny challenges along its development path,” he said.

According to him, the key question is not whether problems exist, but how the country responds to them. He emphasised that India’s journey should be viewed realistically, recognising both constraints and progress.

“It’s better to think about things as they are, rather than as they should be, and then work toward what they could be.”

National Startup Day: A Moment of Opportunity

Marking National Startup Day, Kamath said there could not be a better time to start building in India, despite global uncertainty.

“I can’t think of a better time to build something in India, and for the world, despite all the challenges,” he noted.

He described the present moment as “unprecedented”, with global power structures being reshaped across geopolitics, economics, and technology.

“Massive shifts create massive opportunities for entrepreneurs who can see them coming,” Kamath added.

From a Nascent Ecosystem to a Maturing Market

Reflecting on how far India’s startup ecosystem has come, Kamath drew a sharp contrast with a decade ago.

“If I were tweeting this in 2015-16, the startup scene barely existed outside of a few big e-commerce companies,” he wrote.

He pointed out that India once lacked local capital, ecosystem recognition, and societal support for entrepreneurship.

“People genuinely thought startups were what you did if you had no other skills in life.”

Today, that perception has changed significantly. Kamath highlighted stronger domestic capital pools, especially long-term investors, an improving ease of doing business, a vast domestic market, and consistent government backing for startups.

AI Lowers Barriers for New Founders

One of the biggest enablers, according to Kamath, is artificial intelligence.

“AI has dramatically reduced the barriers to experimentation,” he said, adding that founders can now test ideas that previously required large teams and heavy funding.

He concluded with a direct message to aspiring entrepreneurs.

“Given all of these converging factors, if you’ve always had a dream to build something, there’s never been a better time to take your shot.”

As global uncertainty grows, Kamath’s message stands out as a call for resilience, realism, and renewed confidence in India’s entrepreneurial future.