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Nandan Nilekani says there are abundant opportunities for entrepreneurs today, citing “tyranny of choice”.
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Energy transition is a lucrative sector, with “big energy” (grid-scale projects) and “little energy” (rooftop solar, home batteries).
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Nilekani emphasizes the need for efficiency and market creation in the “little energy” space.
Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, believes that the current era offers unparalleled opportunities for entrepreneurs. In a conversation with Nikhil Kamath on the podcast “People by WTF”, Nilekani highlighted the abundance of choices, referring to it as the “tyranny of choice”. He emphasized that young people today have a higher chance of creating successful companies than ever before.
When asked to suggest a sector for investment, Nilekani pointed to energy transition as a key area. He agreed with Kamath that defense and energy are lucrative sectors, but for different reasons. Energy transition, in particular, is expected to involve trillions of dollars in investment.
Nilekani differentiated between “big energy” (grid-scale projects) and “little energy” (rooftop solar, home batteries). While big energy requires massive capital investment, little energy offers opportunities for multiple players. However, Nilekani noted that creating efficient markets and scaling solutions in the little energy space remains a challenge.
For a 20-year-old with Rs 1 crore in capital, Nilekani advised focusing on a few key areas and avoiding the temptation to spread resources too thin. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing and removing non-essential pursuits to achieve success in the chosen field.
