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A few months ago, @nikhilkamathcio launched India’s first non-dilutive grant for founders 25 and under: WTFund. 1,500+ applications. 160 shortlists. 15 founders. 9 companies. That’s cohort 1. Applications for Cohort 2 are live now, with the deadline on Oct 15th. I had a super discussion with the WTFund Team to understand what they’re really looking for. We’ve also discussed some of the common questions founders like yourself may have. Let’s take a look 👇 1/ Can you apply as a full time student? How much time commitment do you need? Yes! You surely can apply as a full-time student. Lot of founders in cohort 1 are full time students. Time commitment is individual to each. As long as you’re committed, can prioritise stuff and are 2/ How does the referral program work for Cohorts? Every #WTFunded founder has 5 referrals each. If you’re able to score a referral from any one of them you’re guaranteed an interview. The submission process is shorter and you’re given an edge. Having said that - don’t think 3/ Why should you apply to the WTFund? Sure, the 20 Lakh grant may seem appealing, but this is where real value lies - - Resources: Access to payments, credits, mental health support, and insurance, amongst several others - Mentorship Pods: Hand-picked operators guide you every 4/ Can you apply with just an idea? Do you need to be at the pre-revenue stage? Revenue is not a prerequisite: just Proof of Work. Here's what they mean - - Show you can take something from start to finish, like a college project or side hustle. Effort matters. - Demonstrate 5/ Does WTFund help with follow-on funding? Yes - WTFund offers follow-on funding with dilution, either directly or through partners like Rainmatter, Gruhas or Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund. They also host quarterly Demo Days, giving you a chance to pitch to top VCs, angel 6/ If a similar company was funded in the previous cohort, do I still have a chance? Absolutely! There’s no barrier to entry, even if a similar company was funded before. ⏯️Harnidh’s advice: "I encourage everyone to apply regardless of past cohorts. We don’t factor this in 7/ You’re looking to fund 40 companies every year, and C1 had 9 companies. How many cohorts are you planning to have? An average of 10 companies will be funded by each cohort. 8/ If you’re rejected in the first cohort but have addressed the feedback, can you reapply in subsequent cohorts? Suchet and Harnidh had an interesting take: Addressing the feedback you receive is a strong indicator of your commitment to your idea or business. If you’re 9/ Founders often hear from VCs that having a co-founder is essential, as very few VCs fund solo founders. Does WTFund have a preference against single founders? Not at all - three out of the nine companies funded in Cohort 1 had solo founders. Harnidh: “Honestly, having a 10/ After reviewing over 1,500 applications, what advice would you give to founders applying to WTFund? What should they keep in mind beyond what's mentioned on the website? Here are a few key qualities to consider: - Resilience: The ability to bounce back from failure, showing 11/ A special message from the WTFund team: Suchet: Age does not equal wisdom. We’re here to challenge that notion. We’re ready to bet on you - just apply! Vivek: We want to see if you have the audacity to challenge conventional thinking. There are options other than a 9-to-5