Nithin Kamath finds public speaking networking 'especially harder after the stroke last year'

Nithin Kamath with wife Seema Patil at EY World Entrepreneur of the Year event in Monaco where the Zerodha co-founder was a finalist. (Image credit: @Nithin0dha/X)

Nithin Kamath, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Zerodha, has shared insights from his recent experience at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year event in Monaco, noting that public speaking and networking were "especially harder after the stroke last year."

The 45-year-old, who revealed he suffered a "mild stroke" in January 2024, made the comments in a detailed post on X reflecting on his first time at such a global event. He congratulated Stina from Yubico for this year's win and praised last year's winner, Vellayan Subbiah, for a "masterclass in public speaking."

Spent the last week in Monaco at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year event the first time Ive ever been part of something like this. And yes, I was judged for the first time since school group discussions and all.I didnt win. As @zerodhaonline, were building only pic.twitter.com/B42lo88efM
Nithin Kamath (@Nithin0dha) June 8, 2025

'Outside of the US and China, India is easily the most vibrant place for entrepreneurs'

Kamath's biggest takeaway from the global event was his conviction that "Outside of the US and China, India is easily the most vibrant place for entrepreneurs today. A stable government and the ability to reach tens and hundreds of millions — that’s our superpower."

Reflecting on the EY event, where he was "judged" for the first time since school, Kamath stated he "didn’t win." He attributed this partly to Zerodha's focus on building "only for India, with a single source of revenue," suggesting judges might have sought something "more global, more diversified." He also candidly added, "Also, I’m probably too anti-social for something like this — public speaking, networking — especially harder after the stroke last year."

Despite not winning, Kamath highlighted the value of meeting entrepreneurs from over 40 countries, observing common challenges across diverse cultures, such as growing target markets, acquiring active users, and talent acquisition and retention, all while balancing family life.

In early 2024, Kamath had shared on X that the stroke's possible causes included his father's passing, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and excessive workouts, accompanied by images of himself in hospital and on a treadmill.