This episode is a playbook for any curious 20-something in India dreaming of building the next big consumer electronics brand. Whether it’s smartphones, earbuds, AI-powered glasses or health wearables, we dig into what it really takes to break into, and survive, this highly competitive space.

I sat down with three brilliant minds in the game who’ve actually done it: Carl Pei (Co-Founder, Nothing), Rahul Sharma (Co-Founder, Micromax), and Amit Khatri (Co-Founder, Noise). We tried to decode the what, how, and WTF of this industry—from regulations and the fairness of trade tariffs, to startup realities and what disruption might look like next.

You might just spot the next big idea as they share some untapped opportunities waiting to be built in this sector.

Resource Document: https://iridescent-party-a15.notion.site/Consumer-Electronics-Resource-Document-1e1aef3ec3e980f29b86dd9bae34410d

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

01:12 - How Apple sparked Carl’s love for tech

05:05 - The reason for Y Combinator’s success

07:28 - Carl’s ‘lazy genius’ approach towards his career

15:05 - How Nothing differentiated itself

16:36 - US tariff’s impact on China, India & the industry (Note: Since this episode was recorded before recent changes to global trade & tariff policies, some views may not reflect current regulations.)

22:10 - Carl’s philosophical views on life

24:23 - Rahul’s journey & the roots of his entrepreneurial spirit

29:30 - Micromax’s early days: From payphones to GSM innovation

38:23 - How traveling to villages led to Micromax’s success

50:47 - Competing with China & Micomax’s manufacturing pivot

1:00:00 - Apple’s vertical integration strategy: Lessons for companies & governments

1:05:00 - Learnings from Rahul’s risk-taking & resilience

1:09:00 - Amit’s journey from education to building Noise

1:23:34 - Roadmap for 20-somethings entering the electronics industry

01:41:47 - Identifying gaps in the commodity market

1:48:02 - Disruption in smartphones through design and AI opportunities

1:57:40 - Today’s youth vs. yesterday’s corporations

2:01:13 - Building India’s supply chain & unlocking its market opportunity

2:07:21 - An electronics launchpad for young entrepreneurs

2:16:45 - India’s semiconductor push & restarting efforts

2:22:26 - Future of TV: One UI for all streaming apps?

2:25:41 - Can India build a global ecosystem in electronics?

2:35:58 - Health wearables & EdTech opportunities

2:42:44 - Advice for 20-somethings who want to break into this industry

#NikhilKamath - Investor & Entrepreneur

Twitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/

#CarlPei - CEO & Co-Founder, Nothing

Twitter: https://x.com/getpeid

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/getpeid/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getpeid/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getpeid/

#RahulSharma - Co-Founder, Micromax

Twitter: https://x.com/rahulsharma

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-sharma-83038634a/

#AmitKhatri - Co-Founder, Noise

Twitter: https://x.com/iamamitkhatri

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamamitkhatri/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsamitkhatri/

India has long been a tea-drinking nation, but in recent years, a new wave of craft beverage brands has started reshaping the way the country drinks. Specialty coffee, kombucha, and premium mixers are carving out space in an industry dominated by mass-produced options. While the demand for high-quality, homegrown beverages is growing, breaking into this space isn’t as easy as it looks. Import duties drive up costs, fragmented supply chains make scaling difficult, and price-sensitive consumers often hesitate to pay a premium. Unlike mass-market beverages, where marketing muscle can drive sales, craft brands have to build awareness, educate consumers, and create demand from scratch. In episode #22 of “WTF Is” Podcast, Nikhil Kamath sits down with some of the biggest names in India’s craft beverage industry—Rahul Reddy (Subko), Matt Chitharanjan (Blue Tokai), Aneesh Bhasin (Svami), and Adithya Kidambi (Mossant). They share their journey of navigating regulations, shifting consumer habits, and competing with legacy brands to bring high-quality, locally made beverages to the mainstream. Resource doc: https://www.notion.so/Resource-Craft-Beverages-19d26a5adf3180b68f1adbbbd2eea2f5#NikhilKamath Co-founder of Zerodha, True Beacon and GruhasTwitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcioInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio#MattChitharanjan Co-founder of Blue Tokai LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/mchitharanjan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_chit #AdithyaKidambi Co-founder of Mossant Fermentary LinkedIN - https://in.linkedin.com/in/adithya-kidambi-8866b1269 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kidambiadithya/ #AneeshBhasin Co-founder of Svami Twitter: https://x.com/aneeshb LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneesh-bhasin-252b661/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aneeshb/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gentlemenlisten/ #RahulReddy Co-founder of Subko Coffee Twitter - https://x.com/rahulreddysc LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulgreddy/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raah_hool Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rahul.gurram.reddy/ Time stamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:48 - Matt’s Intro | Childhood & Family 00:05:13 - Starting Blue Tokai & Career Journey 00:07:29 - Adithya’s Intro 00:14:13 - Building Mossant 00:17:54 - Challenges in the Industry 00:20:05 - How big is Blue Tokai?00:21:39 - Aneesh’s Intro 00:25:36 - Starting Career Path leading to Beverage Industry 00:27:38 - Rahul’s Intro00:39:26 - Building Subko 00:42:40 - How are Subko & Blue Tokai different?00:47:54 - Hacks for a 25 year old to Compete with Subko & Blue Tokai00:50:30 - Cafe Offerings of both Coffee & Food00:58:09 - Waves of Coffee - Shift to Coffee01:04:27 - How Big is the Craft Industry in India01:10:21 - How to Influence the Crowd at a Coffee Shop 01:12:31 - Difference between Good & Bad Coffees 01:18:13 - Difference in Coffee Culture of India and USA 01:24:11 - Opportunities in Tier-2 Cities01:28:59 - Recent Consumption Trends01:33:21 - What’s Kombucha?01:41:28 - Difference of Flavour Palette in India and Abroad01:44:01 - Consumption Patterns in India 01:49:24 - Awareness of Kombucha as a Product01:58:21 - Craft Beverage Taxation Policies02:05:47 - Mossant’s Journey 02:09:27 - East Asian Beverage Markets02:10:12 - Building a Global Indian Beverage Brand 02:19:12 - How to Compete as a New F&B Brand 02:21:57 - Svami’s Journey 02:30:20 - Differentiating as a Tonic & Non-Alcoholic Brand 02:31:59 - Is Quick Commerce Sustainable in India? 02:41:12 - Svami, Mossant vs Schweppes 02:47:32 - Effects of Coffee as a Commodity02:49:13 - Steps to Starting a Cafe 02:58:07 - Learning from Abroad Beverage Markets 03:01:12 - Favourite Coffee Shops, Kombucha Brands, Non-Alcoholic Beverages 03:14:59 - Beverage Industry as an Investor #WTFiswithnikhilkamath

India’s craft beverage industry is on the rise, with brands redefining the way the country drinks. Specialty coffee, kombucha, and premium mixers are no longer just niche products—they’re part of a larger shift toward quality and innovation. As global trends in artisanal drinks take hold, Indian consumers are becoming more curious and willing to experiment. But building a brand in this space comes with unique challenges. In this episode, Nikhil Kamath sits down with Rahul Reddy (Subko), Matt Chitharanjan (Blue Tokai), Aneesh Bhasin (Svami), and Adithya Kidambi (Mossant) to explore the challenges and opportunities in India’s evolving beverage space.From sourcing the best beans to disrupting the beverage industry, they break down the art of brand-building, competition in this industry, and what lies next for craft beverages in India. #NikhilKamath Co-founder of Zerodha, True Beacon and GruhasTwitter: https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcioInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio#MattChitharanjan Co-founder of Blue Tokai LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/mchitharanjan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_chit #AdithyaKidambi Co-founder of Mossant Fermentary LinkedIN - https://in.linkedin.com/in/adithya-kidambi-8866b1269 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kidambiadithya/ #AneeshBhasin Co-founder of Svami Twitter: https://x.com/aneeshb LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneesh-bhasin-252b661/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aneeshb/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gentlemenlisten/ #RahulReddy Co-founder of Subko Coffee Twitter - https://x.com/rahulreddysc LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulgreddy/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raah_hool Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rahul.gurram.reddy/