The Foundery is a venture builder that creates new consumer businesses alongside the co-founders who will run them. Through an intensive 90-day residency, co-founders build alongside experienced operators and specialist teams to take a business from thesis to launch.

A venture builder creates new businesses from scratch. Instead of investing in existing startups, venture builders generate business ideas, assemble co-founders, provide capital and shared teams, and build companies internally from day one.

Startup schools teach entrepreneurship. Accelerators invest in startups that already exist. The Foundery is different: we help create companies from scratch. Co-founders work alongside experienced operators, shared teams, and capital to move from idea to launch. This isn’t about learning entrepreneurship from a textbook. It’s about living it. You don’t just leave with notes. You leave with a business.

The Foundery is a joint venture by WTF Media and Think9.

India is bursting with entrepreneurial talent - but most people don’t have access, mentorship, or structure to translate that spark into a business. The Foundery bridges that gap. It’s designed for a generation that has ambition, but not necessarily the network or capital to start. This is where those with the drive finally get the platform.

We focus on consumer businesses across beauty and personal care. health & wellness, fashion and lifestyle, food and beverage, and consumer tech. We are particularly excited about categories that touch everyday Indian life but are ripe for reinvention.

Cohort 01 is currently working closely with our ecosystem and building from offices across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.

Anyone with the drive and ability to build from scratch can apply. We look for bias for action, resourcefulness, resilience, independent thinking and evidence that you can turn ideas into action. You don’t need to have founded a startup before, but prior experience building, operating or launching something will matter.

You must be 18 or older as of 31st December 2026. There is no upper age limit.

No, you bring the co-founder mindset and skills, we bring the Idea Vault. If you already have an idea, you’re welcome to share it with us during the application process. However, selection isn’t based on a pitch deck.

Yes. If the business is still at a very early stage. We’ll assess whether it can fit into The Foundery’s venture-building model and be built alongside our ecosystem.

After the Bootcamp and final selection, each co-founder is matched with an idea from our Idea Vault based on their strengths, conviction, and the opportunity within a category. The decision is mutual - you won’t be forced into building something you don’t believe in.

It’s a multi-stage filter designed to understand how you think, execute, solve problems and respond to ambiguity. Application Form → AI Interview → Task Submission → Panel Interview → 5-day In-person Bootcamp → Final Selection.

For our first edition: 38,000+ registered to apply 3000+ completed the application and paid the fee 600+ reached the panel interview stage 82 were shortlisted for the 5-day bootcamp 36 were selected to enter the 90-day residency 30 made it through to the final cohort (average age: 27 years ; 57% women)

Yes. You can apply with a co-founder you already know - but each person must apply and get selected individually. If both of you make it in, equity alignment and roles will be defined transparently during the residency.

There’s a ₹5,000 + GST non-refundable application fee payable after submitting the application form and before the AI interview to support the technology and resources required to run the selection process at scale. There are no additional fees for the bootcamp or the residency.

Applications open: 18 September 2026 Applications close: 24 October 2026 This is the deadline to complete all stages of the application - application form, payment, AI interview and task - to be eligible for the interview panel. Shortlist announcement: Mid November 2026 Bootcamp: End of November 2026 Final cohort announcement: First week of December 2026 90-Day venture build: 15 January 2027

Your application dashboard will show your current stage and any next steps. Shortlisted applicants will also be contacted directly where required. Expect a 7-10 day response time.

Yes. Founder readiness evolves and we encourage serious builders to reapply.

No. Applications are open globally though the residency takes place in India.

The residency runs for 90 days and is fully residential and in-person. Being physically present is a core part of the model, not an optional component. Co-founders live and build together - refining the idea, building the product, shaping the brand, and preparing for launch.

At The Foundery Sanctum in Alibaug - a three acre residential campus designed for focus, creativity, and speed. Alibaug provides the stillness, space, and nature to think - creating a deliberate mental shift while still being easily accessible from Mumbai.

The residency is a 90-day venture-building sprint. Co-founders work alongside The Foundery teams to validate the opportunity, develop the product, build the brand, set up operations and prepare the business for launch. Throughout the residency, they work closely with entrepreneurs, operators and specialists who have built businesses themselves.

Mentors, product teams, brand teams, AI stacks, content strategy, supply chain experts, legal and finance support, investor access - plus wellness, fitness, nutrition and mental health support.

Yes. Co-founders may travel home when the build schedule allows, provided it does not conflict with critical sessions or milestones. Partners, children and family are also welcome to visit The Sanctum at designated times. The residency itself, however, remains fully residential for co-founders. We understand that individual circumstances can vary, so these can be discussed with us.

Think of it as a ‘high performance sanctuary’. We’ll take care of accommodation, meals, high speed internet, dedicated workspaces, meeting rooms, fitness facilities, and recreational areas - so you can focus on building. The Sanctum will have basic medical support, first-aid, and 24/7 emergency coordination.

There may be circumstances under which a co-founder chooses to leave, or where both sides agree that continuing is not the right fit. Any IP, work product or venture assets created during the build remain subject to the ownership terms agreed at the start of the residency.

Yes, co-founders receive a stipend during the residential phase.

Up to 25% equity to co-founders, along with a 5% MSOP* pool that can be unlocked based on performance. An additional 5% ESOP* pool is set aside for the founding team. * MSOP: Additional equity that co-founders can earn based on performance. * ESOP: Shares set aside for employees, so they can own a part of the company.

Each business receives up to ₹4 crores from The Foundery to support its 0-to-1 journey.

After the 90-day residency, co-founders are expected to continue building from Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru, where The Foundery’s operating ecosystem, teams and partners are concentrated. The specific city will depend on the needs of the business.

Yes. The Foundery will help prepare businesses for fundraising and provide access to its investor network. The Foundery FWD is our annual investor showcase where businesses are presented to a curated group of investors and ecosystem partners. Participation does not guarantee future investment.

Building a business comes with uncertainty, and not every original thesis will survive unchanged. Where a business needs to pivot or evolve, co-founders continue to have access to The Foundery ecosystem as they navigate the next phase.