Zerodha founder and CEO Nithin Kamath has declared that India is entering its most powerful phase for building companies, despite widespread market pessimism about the country's growth prospects. Speaking on National Startup Day, Kamath argued that investors and entrepreneurs are overlooking a significant opportunity shaped by domestic capital, policy support, and transformative technology.

Optimism Amid Current Challenges

Kamath acknowledged the prevailing negative sentiment in his post on social media platform X, stating: "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."

While recognizing real economic headwinds, the Zerodha CEO emphasized that successful countries have historically navigated thorny challenges during their development. "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. What matters is how we respond," he noted.

Transformation Since Mid-2010s

Kamath highlighted the dramatic evolution of India's startup ecosystem by comparing today's landscape with conditions in the mid-2010s. He recalled that the startup landscape barely extended beyond a handful of large e-commerce firms during 2015-16, with limited infrastructure for entrepreneurial ventures.

"Today, everything has changed," Kamath wrote, pointing to deeper pools of domestic capital, particularly from long-term investors, improving ease of doing business, and active government support for startups.

Global Shifts Creating Opportunities

The Zerodha CEO framed current global uncertainty as a structural reset rather than temporary disruption. "We are truly living in unprecedented times. The world order is being redrawn geopolitically, economically, and technologically," he observed.

Kamath believes the retreat from unchecked globalization and growing focus on national self-sufficiency could benefit India. He emphasized that massive shifts create substantial opportunities for entrepreneurs who can anticipate these changes.

Technology as Key Enabler

Artificial intelligence emerged as a critical factor in Kamath's analysis. "Most importantly, AI has dramatically reduced the barriers to experimentation," he wrote, noting that founders can now build and test ideas that would have required entire teams and significant capital just a few years ago.

This technological advancement has fundamentally lowered the cost of ambition, making entrepreneurial ventures more accessible to a broader range of innovators.

Convergence of Favorable Factors

Kamath concluded that these converging forces represent a rare opportunity for 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," he stated.

Despite acknowledging near-term uncertainties, the CEO maintained that the broader environment remains favorable for entrepreneurs, declaring: "I can't think of a better time to build something in India, and for the world, despite all the challenges."

Zerodha has launched a new feature on its Kite trading platform that allows investors to track IPO lock-in expiry timelines, aimed at helping users assess potential post-listing price risks in newly listed stocks. The update represents a significant enhancement to the platform's analytical capabilities for retail investors.

Understanding IPO Lock-in Periods

The feature introduction follows insights shared by Nithin Kamath, founder and CEO of Zerodha, who highlighted that substantial portions of shareholding in IPOs remain locked even after listing. Various investor categories face different lock-in restrictions that can significantly impact stock performance.

Kamath explained that when these lock-in periods expire, large shareholders may sell portions of their holdings, increasing share supply in the market. This selling pressure can impact stock prices, particularly in weeks following expiry, regardless of changes in company fundamentals.

New Feature Implementation

Zerodha has integrated IPO lock-in information directly within the Kite platform to help investors track these critical events. The feature provides comprehensive visibility into upcoming lock-in expiries for recently listed companies.

Market Impact and Investor Benefits

Market participants frequently monitor lock-in expiries as key post-IPO events, especially for companies with significant promoter, venture capital, or private equity ownership. The new tracking capability addresses a critical information gap for retail investors.

Analysts indicate that visibility into these timelines can help retail investors:

• Better anticipate periods of higher volatility
• Make more informed trading decisions
• Assess potential price pressure from large shareholder selling
• Plan investment strategies around lock-in expiry events

Strategic Advantage for Retail Investors

The introduction of IPO lock-in tracking on Kite represents Zerodha's continued focus on empowering retail investors with institutional-grade information. By providing easy access to lock-in expiry data, the platform enables users to factor in potential supply-side pressures when making investment decisions in newly listed stocks.

This feature enhancement aligns with broader market transparency initiatives and helps level the information playing field between retail and institutional investors in the IPO investment landscape.