Founded by Kishore Biyani, Nikhil Kamath and Ronnie Screwvala, the venture builder will begin its second 90-day cohort on January 15, 2027, at its Alibaug-based Sanctum.
The Foundery, a venture-building platform founded by entrepreneurs Kishore Biyani, Nikhil Kamath and Ronnie Screwvala, has opened applications for its second cohort, inviting aspiring entrepreneurs to build businesses from the ground up through a structured 90-day programme.
Scheduled to begin on January 15, 2027, at The Foundery Sanctum in Alibaug, Maharashtra, Cohort 2 will bring together selected co-founders to identify business opportunities, develop products, validate consumer demand and establish operating companies with access to capital, experienced operators, mentors and shared execution infrastructure.
Unlike conventional startup accelerators that typically require applicants to arrive with an established business idea or pitch deck, The Foundery follows a venture-building model in which participants explore opportunities from its Idea Vault. Co-founders are matched based on their professional experience, capabilities, conviction and suitability for a particular business category.
The programme then supports participants through the process of turning an initial business thesis into a market-ready venture, bringing product development, consumer insights, branding, technology, distribution and capital planning together from the outset.
The Foundery’s First Cohort Builds 18 Companies in 90 Days
The announcement follows the completion of the platform’s first cohort, during which matched co-founders developed 18 companies over a 90-day residency in Alibaug. The ventures were subsequently presented to investors at The Foundery FWD in Mumbai in July 2026.
At the event, the 18 companies generated more than ₹550 crore in non-binding expressions of investment interest, with indicated valuations exceeding ₹1,400 crore. These figures represent preliminary investor interest and indicated valuations rather than confirmed investments or realised company valuations.
The first cohort also connected participants with entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, creators and cultural figures, including Santosh Desai, Rajan Anandan, Aakash Chaudhry, Prasoon Joshi, Garima D. Bahl, Aditya Sehgal, Harsh Mariwala, Diipa Khosla, Rana Daggubati, Jonty Rhodes, Ranveer Singh, Falguni Nayar and Anil Agarwal, among others.
The exposure was intended to provide founders with perspectives on consumer behaviour, leadership, design, investment, media, culture and business execution. Following the residency, Cohort 1 companies have continued working on product development, team building, distribution and go-to-market strategies, with launches planned through the remainder of 2026.
Founders Emphasise Execution, Consumer Understanding and Ecosystem Building
Ronnie Screwvala, Co-founder of The Foundery, said that access to capital alone is not sufficient to build enduring businesses. He highlighted the time entrepreneurs often spend assembling the people, resources and infrastructure required to launch a company.
According to Screwvala, bringing these elements together from the beginning can help founders accelerate execution, reach the market sooner and respond more effectively to changing business conditions.
Kishore Biyani, Co-founder of The Foundery, emphasised the importance of continuously understanding India’s evolving consumer market. Drawing on his experience of building consumer businesses over three decades, Biyani said the next generation of entrepreneurs would need to develop products and brands for the changing needs and aspirations of Indian consumers.
Nikhil Kamath, Co-founder of The Foundery, described the initiative as an effort to build a stronger ecosystem for Indian consumer brands, with the potential to expand internationally. He said the broader ambition extends beyond the success or valuations of individual companies to creating the foundations for building approximately 200 Indian brands over a decade.
Cohort 2 to Build on the Venture-Building Model
With its second cohort, The Foundery aims to build on the experience of its first batch while bringing a new group of co-founders into an environment designed around concentrated mentorship, capital access, operating expertise and execution support.
The model places emphasis on company creation rather than only startup acceleration. Instead of expecting entrepreneurs to independently assemble teams, develop ideas and establish operational systems, the venture builder brings these elements together within a shared programme.
As applications open for Cohort 2, The Foundery is positioning the initiative around a broader ambition: developing entrepreneurs and creating consumer businesses that can grow from early-stage concepts into operating companies with long-term market potential.
About The Foundery
The Foundery is a venture builder founded by Kishore Biyani, Nikhil Kamath and Ronnie Screwvala. It works with aspiring entrepreneurs to develop and launch businesses from the ground up. Participants are matched with opportunities from its Idea Vault based on their strengths, experience and conviction, and undertake a 90-day venture-building programme at The Foundery Sanctum in Alibaug, supported by capital, operators, mentors and execution infrastructure.
