Rakshan Selvam: Building a Future for Young Founders

Rakshan Selvam is a sixteen year old founder from Pondicherry who is currently finishing his twelfth grade while building his venture, Zerra. Growing up with an intense curiosity, he began to see his youth not as a barrier but as a distinct advantage that allowed him to think boldly and act early. His entry into the startup world was marked by a lack of mentorship and structured guidance, which became the primary motivation for his entrepreneurial path. He realized that many other young people faced this same information vacuum and decided to build the environment he once lacked.

The idea for Zerra formed when he was thirteen, born from the frustration of finding only scattered resources that offered inspiration but little practical execution. He wanted to create India's first youth focused startup ecosystem where young minds could collaborate and build real ventures. One of his toughest hurdles was gaining credibility while still being a student, as many did not take his vision seriously at first. He had to learn everything through constant experimentation and observation without a clear blueprint to follow.

"I started seeing age as an advantage," he says, reflecting on how he used initial skepticism as fuel for his resilience. Today, Zerra has evolved from a simple mission to solve a guidance gap into a structured platform focused on long term founder growth and youth empowerment. Rakshan takes great pride in proving that age does not define capability and his vision is for Zerra to become a movement that changes how youth entrepreneurship is approached across the country. He believes that staying close to real problems and maintaining an authenticity of mission will keep his business ahead in the long run.

His work is helping shift the cultural mindset that entrepreneurship is reserved for experienced professionals, opening doors for younger innovators to take their ideas seriously. Rakshan advises others not to wait for a perfect plan or support system but to start with a problem they deeply care about. "Do not wait for permission to create impact," he urges, emphasizing that a willingness to act is what truly defines potential.