In a bold move that blurs the line between capital and creativity, Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha and one of India’s most unconventional entrepreneurs, has made a strategic investment in One Hand Clap, a rising creative agency making waves with its unorthodox storytelling and culturally resonant campaigns.
This is not just an investment in advertising—this is an investment in imagination with purpose.
Nikhil Kamath, known for his disruptive thinking in finance and philanthropy, has now turned his focus to the creative sector. While venture capital often chases metrics, Kamath’s decision signals a deeper intuition: the future of brand building lies not in reach, but in resonance.
One Hand Clap is not a traditional agency. It’s a studio of cultural engineers, working at the intersection of storytelling, design, and digital-first strategy. The firm’s recent work has shown an appetite for high-risk, high-impact narratives that challenge norms—exactly the kind of thinking that appeals to Kamath’s contrarian instincts.
Founded by a collective of creatives, strategists, and former ad-world misfits, One Hand Clap is positioning itself as a creative partner for brands that want to break convention, not just campaigns.
What makes them different?
Narrative over Noise: Their work prioritizes emotional depth and socio-cultural insight over trend-jacking.
Format Fluidity: From podcasts to branded web series, they go far beyond the 30-second spot.
Minimalist, Meaningful Design: Their visual language strips the unnecessary, keeping only what resonates.
Kamath’s interest here is more than monetary—it’s philosophical. In his own words, “The best stories today don’t come from media houses; they come from small rooms filled with big ideas.”
This investment signals a shift in how India’s new-age entrepreneurs view creativity—not as an expense or outsourced function, but as strategic IP. Kamath is betting that the brands of tomorrow will need more than algorithms and ad budgets. They’ll need human insight, cultural fluency, and emotional fluency—core strengths of One Hand Clap.
It also opens doors for the agency to expand into more experimental formats—original IP content, immersive digital storytelling, and brand ventures that sit at the edge of commerce and culture.
Kamath’s move could serve as a bellwether for India’s startup ecosystem. As founders build not just products but public personas and communities, storytelling becomes essential—not optional. By backing a creative agency, Kamath is essentially arming the next generation of disruptors with narrative artillery.
It also underscores a larger reality: Creative capital is no longer secondary. It’s strategic. And those who recognize that early are positioning themselves at the forefront of the brand revolution.
This partnership between Nikhil Kamath and One Hand Clap is more than a financial alignment—it’s a creative alliance. One rooted in shared values of curiosity, clarity, and courage to question the expected.
In a business world that often underestimates emotion and story, this investment is a timely reminder: Sometimes, the most powerful strategy is a well-told truth.