Vijay Shekhar Sharma to invest ₹1-2cr in Indian AI startups
Business
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma just announced he'll personally invest ₹1 to ₹2 crore in Indian startups building AI models.
Speaking at the Cypher 2026 conference, Sharma said that while he can't use Paytm's funds (since it's a listed company), he'll support innovators by connecting them to Paytm's distribution network.
Sharma calls for indigenous AI
Sharma believes India needs to build its own AI, not just rely on foreign tech.
He pointed out how Paytm changed mobile payments and hopes local talent can do the same for AI.
Sharma shared that, just like we built Paytm, we should build indigenous AI, adding that strong domestic AI could make India a global tech leader.