Rainmatter started in 2016, with a few of us doubling up on our day jobs and trying to help startups that were trying to expand India’s capital markets ecosystem. Nine years later, it has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined.

So far, we’ve invested over ₹1,500 crore across 160+ startups spanning fintech, climate, health, media, and deep tech. We’ve also earmarked 10% of everything Zerodha earns to invest in startups, and another 10% for the social sector through the Rainmatter Foundation.

The thesis has evolved from just expanding the capital markets, but the thread running through it is simple. As a country, we need to own more of what we consume. Sovereignty, in the truest sense.

We’re not a typical VC. We don’t take board seats, and we’re not in this for quick exits. We’re not interested in forcing founders into short-term decisions just so we can make money in five or six years.

The simple reality is that building a good business is hard. Building one that is genuinely useful, scalable, and profitable is even harder when investors are pushing you to speedrun success and sustainability.

That kind of pressure usually leads to shortcuts. And shortcuts, more often than not, come at the consumer’s expense.

So our approach has been simple: be patient, back founders for the long term, and help them build the business the right way.

That, more than anything else, is the heart of Rainmatter.

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