- Bengaluru entrepreneur Dilip Kumar sent a cold email to Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath in 2018
- Kamath responded within ten minutes and offered investment within two days after assessing the startup
- Kamath and his wife attended a demo class to evaluate Kumar's startup firsthand before investing
In a story that highlights the power of direct outreach, Bengaluru‑based entrepreneur Dilip Kumar revealed how he sent a cold email to Zerodha co‑founder Nithin Kamath, and got a response in just ten minutes. In a post on X, Kumar explained that he was building his startup in 2018, but had no network in the VC or angel ecosystem. Feeling stuck, he resorted to what many would dismiss as a long shot: a cold email.
To his surprise, Kamath replied quickly and within two days he offered investment. The email trail - later shared publicly, shows Kamath and his wife Seema even attended a demo class of the startup to assess it firsthand.
"The cold email that got my first investor and my current boss. Every relationship starts with someone taking the risk to reach out first. You're one good cold email away from changing your trajectory. If you write it like you mean it," he wrote on X, along with screenshots of an email thread.
Check out the post here:
The cold email that got my first investor and my current boss. Every relationship starts with someone taking the risk to reach out first. You're one good cold email away from changing your trajectory. If you write it like you mean it. https://t.co/yCuQJPPuXz pic.twitter.com/qn08SuKYfp
— Dilip Kumar (@kmr_dilip) October 26, 2025
Kumar's post sparked a wave of responses from users who shared similar stories or weighed in on the importance of bold, direct communication. One user wrote, "It's inspiring how a simple cold email can open doors to valuable relationships. Taking that first step really pays off in the end!"
Another commented, "Reaching out requires a lot of courage. And courage eats skills for breakfast in reality."
A third said, "it's actually nt risk to reach out....risk is illusionary in the mind of feeling embarassed of other side not responding."
A fourth added, "@Nithin0dha is a gem when it comes to making you feel special. Had a few interaction over email with him.. it was always special!"
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