India talks a lot about startups. Unicorns, funding rounds, pitch decks, and MBA degrees dominate the conversation. But here is a simple question we rarely ask, are we actually teaching people how to build businesses, or just how to talk about them?
Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, and Kishore Biyani, the man who reshaped Indian retail, think the system is broken. Their answer is The Foundery, a new kind of business launchpad that promises to turn ideas into real, investible startups in just 90 days.
This is not a business school. It is not a typical accelerator either. Think of it as a co-founder factory, where learning happens by building, failing, fixing, and building again.
Why The Foundery Exists
Traditional education teaches structure and safety. Entrepreneurship lives in chaos and uncertainty. As Kamath bluntly puts it, most education prepares people for a world that no longer exists. MBAs make managers, not builders.
The Foundery is built on a different belief, founders are forged through experience, not theory. Instead of lectures and case studies, participants work on real problems, test ideas in the market, and learn directly from people who have done it before.
What Makes It Different
The programme runs for 90 intense days. During this time, participants move from a raw idea to a business that investors can actually fund. They work closely with mentors, operators, and investors, not as students but as collaborators.
Unlike many accelerators, equity matters here. Participants can retain up to 25 percent ownership in the businesses they help create. If the venture shows promise, it can receive seed funding of up to ₹4 crore, along with continued strategic support.
In simple terms, no certificates, no fancy titles, just ownership, capital, and responsibility.
Who They Are Looking For
The Foundery is not hunting for perfect pitch decks or polished resumes. Its selection process focuses on potential over polish. Applicants are tested on how they think, how they solve problems, and how they respond to failure.
Aspiring entrepreneurs, mid-career professionals, and early-stage founders are all welcome, as long as they bring creativity, conviction, and the willingness to learn by doing.
Mentors Who Have Been There
The mentor list reflects real-world experience, not theory. Founders and leaders like Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Kunal Bahl, Rama Bijapurkar, Aakrit Vaish, and others guide participants across idea validation, execution, and scaling.
These are not motivational speakers. These are people who have built companies in India’s tough, unpredictable markets.
Why This Matters Right Now
India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more serious phase. Easy money is gone. Investors want solid businesses, not just big stories. In this environment, builders matter more than ever.
The Foundery arrives at the right time. If it works, it could change how India discovers and develops entrepreneurial talent. Not by asking where did you study, but by asking can you build something real?
And that question might just shape the next generation of Indian founders.
