‘We’re in it for the long term…’: Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath reveals where he’s making his boldest bets

Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath is making bold bets on the mega trends shaping the future: climate technology, healthcare, and sustainability. Through Rainmatter, Kamath has backed 47 startups over the past year, focusing on long-term impact over short-term returns.

“We are not a typical venture capital firm,” Kamath wrote on X. “What good is money if the planet we live on is destroyed and our health deteriorates?”

Rainmatter focuses on sectors such as climate tech, fintech, healthcare, and storytelling. With no exit mandates or board seat requirements, the fund provides patient capital.

It provides support beyond finance through mentorship, industry networks, financial APIs and infrastructure to help validate business models.

Kamath shared a post that showed climate technology leading Rainmatter’s portfolio with Rs 120 crore invested across 15 deals, reflecting its dominance in the fund’s strategy.

Healthcare closely follows with 16 investments, albeit with lower ticket sizes, while fintech garnered Rs 70 lakh across eight deals, boasting the highest average deal size of Rs 8.75 lakh per investment.

Storytelling and other experimental bets round out the portfolio with four deals each, underscoring Rainmatter’s balanced approach in high-impact exploratory sectors.

One of Kamath’s key investments is Akshayakalpa, a project that is transforming rural agricultural practices by helping farmers adopt organic methods. “They go into villages, work with farmers, and introduce sustainable practices like beekeeping and organic farming. “It’s inspiring to see how this changes incomes and impacts neighboring communities,” he had written in an earlier post.

Another example is Two Brothers Organic Farms, which focuses on holistic farming techniques. These investments reflect Kamath’s belief that food production and environmental impact will face increasing scrutiny. “At some point, everyone will start to question what lies behind the food on their table – pesticides and herbicides – especially after moments like the coronavirus,” he added.

Beyond investments, the Rainmatter Foundation supports broader climate and sustainability efforts. Kamath is pragmatic about timelines but confident about the direction. “Will it happen in five or 10 years? You don’t know. But betting on these basic facts makes sense.”