From Nikhil Kamath to PhonePe's Rahul Chari: Meet the startup founders who are redefining the future of sports ownership in India
From Zerodha's
Nikhil Kamath
to PhonePe's
Sameer Nigam
and
Rahul Chari
, a rising wave of Indian startup founders and venture capitalists are buying stakes in sports teams — signaling a strategic shift in how entrepreneurs are diversifying their investments.
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For these founders, sports franchises offer more than financial returns. They're platforms for community building, brand visibility, and long-term value creation. And the trend isn't confined to cricket or football — it extends to emerging leagues in esports, volleyball, and even pickleball. If this model succeeds, it could redefine sports ownership in India, favoring hands-on startup builders over celebrities or large conglomerates.
Among the notable moves:
Accel
's Prashanth Prakash, Kamath, and Curefoods' Ankit Nagori co-own the Bengaluru Badgers in the Global eCricket Premier League (
GEPL
), an esports initiative by JetSynthesys.
Swiggy
, along with cricketer
Rishabh Pant
, owns Mumbai Pickle Power in the World Pickleball League, while PhonePe's Nigam and Chari acquired the Mumbai Meteors in the Prime Volleyball League.
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These investors bring a founder's mindset to sports — approaching team ownership much like launching a startup. 'We intentionally positioned GEPL to attract builders — founders and VCs who understand zero-to-one growth and scaling ecosystems,' said Rajan Navani, CEO of JetSynthesys.
Prakash echoed the sentiment, noting his GEPL investment was driven by startup-style analysis. 'We assessed the right to win — whether the tech creates a sustainable moat — and whether the product appeals to Gen Z for the next decade,' he told
The Times of India
.
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Infosys
co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, an early JetSynthesys backer, sees this shift as part of a larger sports-tech convergence. 'We need to rethink how the digital and physical worlds merge,' he said. 'Leagues like GEPL are creating new economic ecosystems — players, owners, leagues, and sponsors that didn't exist before.'
Navani emphasized that investors like Kamath and Prakash are deeply involved. 'They're not just financial backers — they bring early-stage thinking, brand building, community focus, and a global vision,' he said. 'Unlike traditional corporate owners, these founders are hands-on and long-term in their commitment.'
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