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Mumbai based creative agency By The Gram (BTG) has joined the ecosystem of WTF, the media and venture platform founded by entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, in a partnership announced this week. The deal marks WTF’s second move to back an independent creative agency, following its earlier partnership with One Hand Clap (OHC), and signals a deliberate strategy to support founder led businesses in India’s creative economy rather than absorb them into a traditional holding company.
Inside the Deal Structure
BTG, founded by Aaliya Amrin, Eman Batliwalla and Danisha Kohli, will continue operating under its existing leadership. The founders and current team retain full creative and operational control, and the agency’s client relationships remain unchanged. In a statement, WTF described the arrangement as long term backing “on its own terms,” distinguishing it from conventional acquisition models that typically fold smaller agencies into a parent company’s structure.
As part of the deal, BTG gains access to investment, operational support, and the runway needed to scale. Kamath said the partnership reflects WTF’s approach of backing founders who have “already built something meaningful,” while creating conditions for growth without diluting what made the business distinct in the first place.
A Shift in How Creative Agencies Grow
The partnership arrives amid rising investor interest in founder led creative agencies—a shift from the industry’s historical pattern of large holding companies acquiring smaller shops and standardizing their operations. For clients and industry observers, this model offers a signal that agencies can scale without losing the creative independence that built their reputation in the first place.
BTG’s existing client roster and multi sector experience make it a case study in how independent shops are increasingly seen as valuable, standalone businesses worth backing rather than consolidating.
The Road Ahead for BTG and WTF
Looking ahead, BTG plans to expand its capabilities, invest in talent, and build work across a broader range of categories, markets, and audiences—including opportunities outside India. For WTF, the partnership adds to a growing portfolio of creative businesses, following its earlier backing of OHC, and points to further activity in this space as the platform continues identifying agencies with strong creative identities and growth potential.
As more independent agencies weigh similar partnerships, the BTG deal may serve as a template for how founder led creative businesses navigate growth while preserving autonomy.
