Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Vikram Pai, CEO of ReferRush, recently shared his inspiring journey from failure to triumph after his startup was selected for Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath's WTFund grant program.

Pai's six-year entrepreneurial journey was anything but smooth. “Six years. Five failed businesses. ₹2 crore earned and lost. I went down to my last ₹4,000,” Pai wrote on X (formerly Twitter), describing the relentless challenges, including betrayal, financial struggles, and even partial paralysis. Despite the hardships, he persevered, fueled by his belief in ReferRush.

The turning point came when ReferRush was among nine startups chosen from over 2,400 applicants for WTFund's second cohort. WTFund, spearheaded by Kamath, offers up to ₹20 lakh in grants, along with mentorship and strategic guidance. This milestone marks a new chapter for ReferRush, now generating ₹1.5 lakh daily revenue and achieving profitability within months.

Kamath highlighted WTFund's mission: “There's something about being young—the audacity, the relentless energy, the willingness to take risks before the world tells you otherwise. We're backing founders who aren't just dreaming of change but building it.”

The second cohort supports entrepreneurs from 50+ cities, focusing on diverse sectors like AI, HealthTech, EdTech, and CleanTech. WTFund's efforts underscore its commitment to empowering early-stage startups, fostering innovation, and creating a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.