Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath invests in creative agency One Hand Clap

Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha and a prominent investor in India’s startup ecosystem, has taken a stake in One Hand Clap, a creative agency launched by Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan—both alumni of the now-defunct comedy collective All India Bakchod (AIB).

The announcement came via an Instagram post from Shah, who reflected on the agency’s journey and expressed gratitude for Kamath’s backing. "Here’s to the next decade of building killer stuff together," he wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aakash Shah (@aakaaashhhh)

Founded in 2019, One Hand Clap has carved a niche in India’s saturated advertising and content landscape by combining cultural fluency with digital agility. Among its most talked-about campaigns is a viral parody featuring MS Dhoni, crafted for electric cycle brand EMotorad. Drawing on its comedic roots, the firm has become known for executing content that resonates deeply across platforms.

The agency, which began as a two-person venture, has now scaled to a team of 85. Its client list includes some of the most recognisable names in digital consumer India—Swiggy, Netflix, BGMI, CoinDCX, Bajaj Chetak, and more recently, CRED and Prime Video India.

Kamath’s investment, financial details of which were not disclosed, signals a fresh infusion of capital and credibility for the agency as it sets its sights on building larger-scale campaigns and diversifying its production infrastructure. The investment is in line with Kamath’s growing interest in supporting creative entrepreneurship beyond traditional tech sectors.

"Kamath gets our DNA," Shah noted in a separate statement, adding that the investor's ethos aligns with One Hand Clap’s mission to defy conventions in brand storytelling. Manakkodan echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the investment affirms their thesis: in today’s content economy, authentic storytelling and agility are non-negotiable.

The deal marks yet another instance of India’s new wave of investors looking beyond fintech and SaaS to back creative and cultural businesses—ventures that often operate at the intersection of media, marketing, and entertainment.