Kite
Overview
Kite captures the intersection of artificial intelligence and financial technology, with ventures ranging from trading platforms to advanced AI infrastructure development. Founded in 2015 by Nithin Kamath in Bengaluru, India, Kite initially made a mark as a trading platform under Zerodha, raising significant attention yet remaining self-funded. The term 'Kite' now refers to various enterprises and technologies, including a groundbreaking infrastructure for the agentic web, developed by a company formerly known as Zettablock, based in San Francisco, California.
Recent Developments
- September 2025: Kite's recent $18 million Series A funding round, led by PayPal Ventures and General Catalyst, marks a significant milestone. This funding is set to expand Kite's AI and blockchain infrastructure aimed at enabling autonomous agents to transact using stablecoins. With this fundraising, Kite plans to cement itself as the primary infrastructure for the agentic web, a digital economy driven by machine transactions.
- June 2025: Gilead Sciences' Kite Pharma announced new real-world data supporting Yescarta® for treating large B-cell lymphoma in outpatient settings at ASCO 2025. These results highlight Kite's pioneering role in cellular therapies.
- May 2025: Kite Realty Group further expanded its influence by completing multiple acquisitions to solidify its position in high-growth real estate markets across the Sun Belt.
- July 2024: Zerodha’s Kite trading platform integrated AI functionalities to enhance user experience, introducing advanced tools for analyzing market trends and executing informed trades efficiently.
Company Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, India (initially) and San Francisco, California (for Kite AI infrastructure) |
| Founders | Nithin Kamath (Zerodha) and Chi Zhang (AI Infrastructure) |
| Revenue | Not publicly disclosed per individual business unit; Zerodha contributing significant volumes in Indian retail trading |
| Profits | Proprietary financials not disclosed developer-to-developer aspect in AI |
| Key Investors | PayPal Ventures, General Catalyst |
| Industry | Financial Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Real Estate |
| Number of Employees | Varies across divisions, Zerodha alone employs over 1,177 personnel |
Early History
Kite began as part of Zerodha’s venture into democratizing trading in India with a user-friendly platform that quickly gained a proprietary technological edge. It was symbolic of breaking market barriers through innovation, at zero cost metaphorically suggested by its name. Over the years, Kite's AI initiative under different leadership emerged from a pivot in 2022, embracing blockchain technology to cater to evolved digital market ecosystems synonymous with modern commerce.
Company Profile and Achievements
Kite’s ventures include robust AI-driven trading platforms and cutting-edge CAR T-cell therapies under Kite Pharma, a subsidiary of Gilead Sciences. Highlights include:
- Launching advanced features integrated with TradingView and Console systems by Zerodha’s Kite for user customization in trading operations.
- The development of Kite AIR (Agent Identity Resolution), an AI infrastructure designed for scalability in connecting transactional agents in the evolving internet economy.
- Kite Pharma's flagship CAR T-cell therapy, Yescarta®, gaining plaudits for durable responses in hematological cancer treatments widely adopted.
- Expansion of Kite Realty Group's portfolio into dynamic communities, enhancing mixed-use properties with modern aesthetics and tenant diversity.
Current Operations and Market Position
Kite maintains a leading edge in several domains—trading technology remains a heavyweight in the Indian stock market under Zerodha’s portfolio. The AI initiative is disrupting traditional transaction methods by promoting a scalable layer for digital agents to optimize machine interface relations. Kite Pharma continues to advance novel treatments in oncology, positioning itself at the forefront of cell therapy through extensive research and collaboration. Kite Realty Group capitalizes on urban sprawl across growth-prone regions, securing strong real estate returns.
Conclusion
Kite symbolizes a multi-faceted spectrum of breakthrough innovation, ranging from financial technology platforms reshaping market trading landscapes to cutting-edge cancer immunotherapies redefining treatment paradigms. As Kite ventures into the uncharted territory with AI advancements, the potential for changing the digital discourse becomes increasingly tangible. Kite's promising trajectory signifies continual growth, with expectations geared towards sustained leadership in technology-driven economic spaces.