Entrepreneurs Nikhil Kamath and Kishore Biyani have launched The Foundery, a 90-day residential program designed to help early-stage founders build investible startups through real-world execution. Positioned at the intersection of a school, an accelerator, and a venture studio, The Foundery aims to replace traditional classroom learning with hands-on company creation.Selected ventures can retain up to 25% equity and receive seed funding of up to ₹4 crore, making the initiative one of the most founder-aligned early-stage programs in India.
Why This Initiative Matters
India’s startup ecosystem has matured, but founder education remains largely theoretical. The Foundery addresses a growing gap between academic business training and the realities of building companies from scratch.
Key shifts driving this model include:
- Rising demand for execution-first founder training
- Limitations of traditional MBA-style education
- Need for capital-efficient, investible startups from day one
By focusing on building, failing, and iterating in real time, The Foundery aligns learning with market outcomes.
Founder Perspective: Building Over Fitting In
Nikhil Kamath highlighted the philosophy behind the initiative:
“Most of what we call education was built for a world that doesn’t exist anymore. It teaches people to fit in when progress comes from those who don’t.”
The Foundery, he explained, is designed for builders individuals who want to create, break, and rebuild rather than follow predefined paths.
Kishore Biyani: Learning Through Creation
Emphasising experiential learning, Kishore Biyani added:
“This isn’t a classroom or an incubator. It’s a live business-building environment where entrepreneurs learn by creating, testing, failing, and evolving.”
The approach reflects Biyani’s long-standing belief that businesses are best learned by running them.
A Mentor-Led, Founder-First Ecosystem
The Foundery is backed by a high-profile mentor network, including Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Kunal Bahl, Mithun Sacheti, Varun Berry, and Aakrit Vaish. This access gives founders direct exposure to operators who have built and scaled companies across fintech, consumer, retail, and technology sectors.
Strategic Implications for India’s Startup Ecosystem
Founder-Led Learning: Experience replaces theory
Capital Alignment: Equity retention keeps incentives founder-first
Startup Quality: Focus on investibility improves long-term outcomesTogether, these elements signal a shift toward more practical, outcome-driven founder development.With The Foundery, Nikhil Kamath and Kishore Biyani are challenging how founders are trained in India. By blending capital, mentorship, and hands-on execution, the initiative creates a new blueprint for startup education one built for a world where learning happens by doing.
