Nikhil Kamath marks Zerodha’s 16th birthday with nostalgic note: ‘Hope we’re all still in same room in 2042’

Nikhil Kamath celebrated Zerodha’s 16th birthday and reflected on the people behind its journey.

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath marked the company’s 16th birthday with a warm Instagram post, sharing pictures from the celebration and reflecting on the people who have been part of the brokerage firm’s journey over the years.

Nikhil Kamath marked Zerodha’s 16th anniversary with a heartfelt post about its long-standing team. (Instagram/nikhilkamathcio)

Rather than focusing on business milestones or numbers, Kamath’s post centred on the relationships within the company and the familiar faces who have remained associated with Zerodha for more than a decade.

‘Here’s hoping that 16 years later, we are all still in the same room’

Sharing pictures from the gathering, Kamath wrote in the caption: "To the 16-year-young startup Zerodha, happy birthday. Key learnings from the day: Nithin is back and can laugh sometimes, after a long time. Seema is cancer-free and auditioning for Wonder Woman soon. Karthik is getting jacked. Venu is very good-looking. And Deepa, Kailash Nadh’s wife, always looks happier when he is not in the room. Different things set different companies apart. For Zerodha, that distinction, I think, could be how many of the same people were in the room 15 years ago: no kids, no white hair, no things. Here’s hoping that 16 years later (2042), we are all still in the same room."

The post drew several reactions from social media users, many of whom congratulated the company and highlighted the long-standing bonds within the team.

One user wrote, "Happy 16th birthday, Zerodha!" Another said, "The same people, stronger bonds." A third person commented, "What a journey over 16 years." Another user reacted to Kamath’s closing remark and wrote, "The 2042 reunion line hits differently."

Take a look here at the post:

Nithin Kamath’s message to startup founders

The birthday post comes shortly after Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath sparked a discussion online by urging startup founders not to present artificial intelligence as the primary differentiator in their investment pitches.

Writing on X, Kamath said: "The number of investment decks I get leading with “we use AI” is ridiculous. It’s reached a point where it automatically makes my eyes roll, and I’ve almost stopped looking at them. Founders need to realize that AI is just table stakes now. Bragging that your product uses AI is like bragging that you take a bath every day. It’s not a differentiator."

He further argued that opening a pitch with AI claims could make it easier for investors to ignore the proposal, particularly at a time when AI tools have made it simpler to create polished-looking presentations. According to Kamath, founders need to focus on what genuinely makes their business different rather than repeating the same AI-led messaging seen across startup pitches.