Young entrepreneurs today are changing the way businesses are built and managed. As kids, we all used to dream of making money by working desk jobs, but today’s youth no longer wait for job opportunities to present themselves. In fact, they are creating them by stepping into the business world and launching new ventures to fulfill the current market needs.
One such inspiration is Zahaan Kapadia, an IBDP student at Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, and an international Taekwondo athlete ranked among the top players in the world with a gold and silver medals at the World Championships. Through years of experience, training and competitiveness, Zahaan realised the importance of quality sportswear for performance, comfort, and confidence.
Turning this experience in competitive sport with an entrepreneurial mindset, Zahaan founded ZACTIVE, a youth-led activewear brand that is built for movement, discipline and intent that delivers premium performance apparel while using its profits to support underprivileged children.
We at Youth Incorporated had the privilege to interview Zahaan and know more about how his journey as an athlete shaped his vision, why ZACTIVE is more than just a clothing brand, and how he defines success as something rooted in discipline, inclusion, and lasting social impact.
In Conversation with Zahaan Kapadia
1) As a young entrepreneur when did the idea to build an active wear brand ZACTIVE first take place? Explain the challenges and learnings you faced while launching this brand.
The idea for ZACTIVE came directly from the life I was living. I grew up inside a sport where training gear felt more natural to me than a school uniform. Between long hours of practice, travelling for Taekwondo and playing football, I was fortunate to see how some of the best athletes’ train. Over time, I also became aware of what they wear and the kind of gear they rely on and that exposure, along with my natural curiosity about training gear and sportswear, became my reference point.
As I competed and travelled more, I realised how much the right fit affects performance. Good sportswear makes training easier, but not every athlete has access to it. When talent is already there, small things like comfortable, flexible gear can make a big difference. The wrong clothing can restrict movement and stop you from performing at your best.
That is where ZACTIVE comes in. The brand operates as a social enterprise, using activewear as a sustainable way to generate revenue. These profits are then used to support Vipla Foundation helping improve access, opportunity, and infrastructure for young athletes at the grassroots level.
Transitioning from an athlete to an entrepreneur meant that challenges were part and parcel of the journey. While having access to quality gear I realised that manufacturing it requires learning details of fabric, moisture-wicking technology, sourcing right materials and finding reliable vendors. Just like in Taekwondo you realise if you miss a training session there are no shortcuts similar principle applies here. Every detail in the supply chain and execution matters. Balancing IB, elite training, and building ZACTIVE has been demanding, but it has taught me discipline and respect for the process.
2) You mentioned that all profits from ZACTIVE are donated to the Vipla Foundation, so how does it feel to see your brand directly contribute to providing sports equipment and opportunities to underprivileged children?
Sports has given me discipline, my confidence and honestly, my closest friends. So seeing ZACTIVE directly contribute to the Vipla Foundation feels like I’m finally able to pass that energy back. When we provide sports equipment or opportunities through these profits, to me, it’s about the message we’re sending to those kids: ‘You are an athlete and you belong on this field.’ I’ve seen firsthand how a kid’s body language changes when they put on a proper kit or use a real football instead of something makeshift. Their shoulders straighten up. They play at their optimal. Knowing that a T-shirt someone bought for their morning run is helping a talented kid feel that surge of confidence that’s the most rewarding part. It makes the late nights balancing IB exams and business logistics totally worth it.
3) What is your long-term vision for ZACTIVE over the next five to ten years? Do you look forward to expanding beyond t-shirts into other products or collaborations
Looking 5 to 10 years ahead, my vision is to scale the business and grow alongside India’s evolving sports culture, where now sports is turning into a lifestyle and a discipline for millions of young people. As more kids pick up a racket, a ball or a martial art, they deserve gear that supports their effort. At the same time, my most important outcome for me is that the Vipla Foundation grows alongside the brand, creating a sustainable pipeline where ZACTIVE’s growth directly funds grassroots sports development. We also plan to expand beyond t-shirts into a more specialised training apparel like track track pants that actually move with you and gear that can handle the intensity of a real workout.
At the same time, I look forward to collaborating not just with big brands but with sports foundations, schools and professional athletes who share the same belief that sport is a tool for empowerment.
4) As an international Taekwondo athlete and a national-level footballer. How have these two very different sporting experiences shaped who you are today and how do they influence the design and purpose of your activewear brand?
Taekwondo and football sit at opposite ends of the sporting spectrum. Taekwondo is individual, it’s about explosive power and split-second precision, while football is a team sport built on endurance, focus and performing even when you’re exhausted and others depend on you.
These two worlds have shaped who I am and how I design for ZACTIVE. Taekwondo demands stitching, speed and flexibility, while football requires endurance and breathability over long matches. These experiences taught me that the smallest details in sportswear like stitching, comfort, sweat-wicking and movement can impact performance. I made sure that my brand ZACTIVE is built around a function first ensuring athletes at all every level have the right gear, while also using the brand’s success to support the next generation of young athletes through the foundation.
5) In your view, how can sport act as a tool for empowerment and inclusion, especially for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds?
Sport is often described as the ultimate leveller. On the field, nothing else matters, only how hard you’ve worked and how much you’re willing to put in. However in reality, that level playing field only exists when everyone has access to the basic tools needed to participate.
For young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, sport becomes a powerful tool for empowerment because it builds confidence through competence. When a young person realises they can master a skill, win a match or take responsibility within a team, that confidence doesn’t stay on the field. It carries into the classroom, decision-making and life beyond sport.
Inclusion, for me, begins with visibility and belonging. When a child feels out of place before they even start because of a lack of proper gear or resources, the game is already unequal. Through ZACTIVE and the Vipla Foundation, providing proper equipment helps remove that visual and psychological barrier. It sends a simple but important message: you belong here.
Once the friction of limited access is removed, talent is free to speak for itself. That’s when sport stops being a privilege for a few and becomes a pathway to confidence, opportunity, and a different future for many.
6) What advice would you give to young athletes who want to explore entrepreneurship or build their own small business?
I’m still very early in my own entrepreneurial journey but I’ve realized that the most meaningful ideas come from things you’ve personally lived and witnessed. ZACTIVE is exactly that for me, it’s my lived experience. I don’t think you should worry about the scale yet, every big thing starts as a small business. Focus on the ‘play’ and the problem you’re solving. As athletes, we already know that if you want a result, you have to put in the reps. If you just apply that same foundation of effort to your business, the results will follow.
Thus, Zahaan Kapadia’s journey is a simple reminder for all that the same discipline, consistency and resilience that can shape an athlete can also shape a new venture. With his brand ZACTIVE, he has turned his experiences of his two favorite sports into a brand rooted in performance and purpose proving that success is not just about the money or fame but also using your brand as a platform to support the underprivileged and empower the next generation of athletes to dream big.
