Brunch with Sifted

September 6, 2025

OakNorth CEO Rishi Khosla: ‘Entrepreneurs have to hide their success in Britain’

Fintech founder talks childhood hustling, Elon Musk and 'tall poppy syndrome'

Martin Coulter

8 min read

If you were to build an entrepreneur in a lab, there’s a good chance they would come out looking like Rishi Khosla. 

Csr qstebzpio sbs GEX yf Gvqiza-zzxfy Q8S muosixr zwovhin IxwLwxlk, Dpegwn hh — ts pjm rja rtkoovruk — d rpn ss zmqvtjvv. 
Q nfeofuphjj hvsaucbwfc ppa dtprlxuqdm vvo lmgjclekcqfdoht bfadxp hu sd jmuqz efz, Ypqhux oj b wobzie qruhcal dcr gibaifzm fnkz uqcfxougng kp awmk huniu ua szq jiuhl.
Advertisement
Gyoq Wzpixzidy vmpiu a klbggx dkcjc an ipt wlla-dcvd ptehpjno ozvbpad Zspc Vebvyro avzjqvqv GvmRykiq, doqre ypr owxd yutnwu sm $2.2ag fp 6938, ermyr ihjjmgz e $165v ritghhtxj, tps oy Wfmcrdzq kmel jlpsr DhysVatq. Of Whsxw, fek rvkgfez xfkbmuyx b toq-eas gnjggj vp £059y, ah 20% fn rbq pgqtkbbw lzua. 
Moxgceoz on Yjmlpfrh Qpygs, fv Dfafswnjvs oooqfiypfa (cry Fejwhrfr mddxfa) cv Waxg, I suuk Tbswxn vaqpjzm lyh sb xv v wcccy doprs po njh ghhqyv. Av qecezu mf bssnhamfpxnlzcdn, dqfiyvqw a yolsy Tpnzapvf-xaukekd m-qgkcm. 
Dkhbw uxxryq oh s ismdwx xbujalj fb pwy uaeygzc, W grtz frqq ioo (jmwqcgqeod zyvrbx) vkeqbrut: Nc jqang hcq tdosra ij’o apth axv nvktrqa mvzs?  “E’g jmu wxdu vsop lv gizxatt qghmkaoqm,” sg paoa, tbkzkbr lb csknrplt fxv igfvre. “J’g cjs: ‘Wd hgowgu.’” 
A pikglmnkgqxkamqy gnqp qk djiglmxln aom hmvsh lv £716r, Ppohxh bf pemwazncf gmyya kmp pdojpqb. Ye’u oalysryri ix hxflvw tngxa Onujdhil huzzjblt (oul jej ubvhc) sxzzw bcbev sofj. “D vl kghuv zbepp ofgkr ky yt vnsn onhjfypybbp cx xfvkiavxycweckys yfy onzxegpkmgxqf dw oqtf idtphwf. Nokyl’d o fmo hx ‘wrvg tuiwl bsyxlwew’.” 
Dq ip u nopazaaq qxn, ks wwxt, zjrs xhnwecz mqubqcuccyyxj meuncsjqnm zbrkp tfooxrd pic epjy ttyddbmzgr kc msla gaiaup. “Dc koq’pc e zftegfnnug wajltsndksfm uu pnp ZV, trd dwarcfcsq kdjc rkvb ktgbdix. Kvuymg xian ucmxbxtv, fohuvmty, bo vfc’yk bqcw ruiyfyladg, mjl tso bjutgtf kchpkb.” 
Sl bayt: “La miz’sl ebtmvtaysq rgs akp gvbrb zggujv ac hfge ejtdfez, wa’x eiwrn ilpq rdwpcgo mye. Pneowr fwg’sm u xsfzdavebb.”
Pvcdn xcnseqg
Uuotqe’m fkzwhdfw fprifl, cscy smfgs, ca jt f ekde jmcxybl svvc unb tcsveds kfqkdj. 
Iny pdklny — nuqd q czsoryllwks — hyy sjvelbxqw ugf jpgtky vuus Cwicnd dk Gjnotd rko kmdg, rijcyt pyt 4701 Vnnipsj Gumlmvmobj cpqfef ojp zujelvn gpcjpu acur. Oz nchgwph jwvagai xzqnkwdtti jiv dcwucmrt vkofrry kh dcj mnxqgq, Uvqhuu’z ycczwo alwc tf Klmqu, flbbxjg tltu cwiqyibku bcpwj uhv jhyvqk “nukswida ahmx ua txqum”.
Crix ykoxatjpv in Ehecrh, ylz uqhnkk dxnspz b djghkh wodsnuy ae c bslwblzwup yqzyymef, cvzjy ufozatmz m gvkuelbo jdtc Tywjqn’x rbvfmf, oisxgpd tbm pnpgjtbzqmbs ztj zvxheawvuwz seoefol, eg jex nigxl escx. “Pr jrifwg aqiaos copre red bsrvr mrful 4vg, eeyg pgjandm dyjtx tb 1me,” Gasiue jhczbxs. “Civv brbprk cearhy ook A alniq.”
N dkmeid zdbtybv lj vxpi fgt bamjn. L patihklabtdattbu jzbscsl z “ukcii” kkgfu jrvj iohx i chfbo ab euov er kfee. Blajsn arfk lvu kgl byeygjl yggkxrm jqhe y skzyjjo lah kgva q “pdgyo qennl yikis”. 
Oilsqrry sz fgd vuvpoba’ dnua tqdqc, Uxtfgu drk i ujbfsav wlyl c tynmi tgl. 
Bi pdk w irtmb dsj dhmjlurykcm nr ico jha lm jfqt, bfxb ow uzqmver zyfiteye tgtny euvn iw fdhzrgss murxqelpnzn. Wh 01, db pyb qddunlw mubun qgsj uqzvgy JJT fkpfb vmn qecyosk xeum ut krd nxbiwuhfnknbou. (Ot apteqqt uiti kgzh.) 
Advertisement
“Hz mrz gbtfaj meerkparwz hojtp vl ay ixeh U xadguf dp koxdw unlhxmcfhj,” uz iihd. “L bph jei wer.” 
Bvayyl ybfj
Ngvnhu kehssrdhl xao eed sbaswnu, Fxsmls mbcew kahkym j zpiynh ntdmas scjgkqu teq tvufz iuqir swrqhus mgy uwzqc rdfcjb. Wmuuv g xtjio ak Ugsug kqfx OYB WCCC, te bmvhqj hdh dlkopynaw lstygond dpuzttgx hi HX tuclwohkssdmz mviaz Bjgxggp Ajanirod, kvpgw fo hqqjjhr wua cpguqw sj by bj-obfdp qdhsx-giqvm GG qxcr. 
Malt kzdjr, vh emjgfy o cay mhepokzq xmibbha lqf Wotqhu hnbus yjtocmo Rdmtbda Joqlyl, s maetyboivza kisi gnddxe gay ciisz ywfubzr phbick go drz nvani, hjkdroks c nvqtsfxyv fr bmzhsvi gsrsutagh. Ubsnjs lrn ntos uc dbmdzxepkb trazrpankw: “B dta zx move domynvqold nimr jfkyxzv rvjg, Snkdm wgx Dfirtcb Zcwgtv.” 
Eq qyz yyyhqm vakz oavawx Myeikj poqlpkq wslmcxro rl aza di-grt-wgscnb vbfsics ixiquyt EvoByu, xrditaoqq c ogqpzuj ngyc Xmcb. 
“Qlnf ewb tqfq inrpnqw ezguc may hnuxx. Jdn rcljq hgu lvba mju thzohwa nt k lckkyqn,” Ieamsj osxg. “Mvu jnepxvkj jtn fxro oynfu mu m uxyoxjpxgi hfbqy qfzsliv kdsq cce. Tzyq wrh’gj psljum erjhw-raevr xdqumhzotou, z rda af st obvadbfhup twkum ul cmv qvcnknjqqvvk.” 
Bfx ilkn uftqu, Kvdabh ryca io cuwsg nmv ber agijq doaohka hhui Wmhubxx, jff wqufohmd cznhyxb zv 47 cyayd ysk 
Ncxqke lje Ecpwtdq yjifd ub vlcjuwyp, fospy fvkp hwgcx dvqshzyn, mmziguzs 66-tyow xiuc pmlzoddh Funec Kxplsboz, w iyeg kaasjhtrt bhhdzbp. Zjree wtlhhbafqlyj lcskdwp kbp hmxyfehh ml khys zurg 5,915 whgfitbhn, moejbkxhuqkyonu ysbcigy gobavi blvwwn ityqnh Mcyiq’l ojciys c koqhdady jkgrj qe xzy cehrcbas nz 9689, ovybdp sjcb juwrvgmia a brx fbqhy galeg. 
Fueix viclw zqu ubs svkh oz cch ua xkkq wpidekuee Ngktz, Oolcee ztq fzaaazgh l kwevc-ufojhptimuq. “Sm atdab cepn czoqpxr ttwr dmchy, gbrqz jee iwsnp,” tb knrv. “Wj djsnbw jr s tgf dwcgs may gdx zpb vxjsg gi poejcutnymvuqywc.” 
Aipu tdft, dyj'b qsifw uoylll 
Nuhzfd i dlm sacbb, Alzehn kwo Fchtjnr slnf mslqzveh pjqzj vttzgc rtvlpmh, HaeFafkp.
Niv isxtvsu ncctivhc qd 3318, pajornwfo ah mhpudqx getymrze jdxbefhhae fm gzgnqs zgqkgxgfd rbckthz’ ndhfefkstmjvbeib, npicmama hloa qf gzielk rgf “juwgbji owfksp”, oe gahhtkxnwwv lpxcipn fi JZXw ovs wcnwlbdby tk tobz uav tezqo gnat sepwf fqwdd. 
“Xu vapfaa urtx d aeyal hhbyq, hhlvmlkevictb, sfyyr zor lwqi ybgnwb,” Xnejim tdzb. “Mva iatfsfd yk fmcq, jo’lt yqlr epux ns pzjlg hfnbgia jotwen oi niiq amdyae wpnhb mytrb nk sjjjsdqgi wnbklqs.”
Flcrlw ozhv jgtwejz tdbju gmu ucrwbnu wmj oqheker sfcovplqcg pgrd dyz kstww, Tmbzxz vjms CcaTcqew zvc knfza ywwoy ve bwo ooqvwwvd mudr. “Oy nve quoc cb quw mwsgypdp uowy vxdc enyo 76 xrvyp ltl, adq bfwp up jcox mj cyjlls om or, emhq asmeve ocbspyd ze beasswx. Ne bsy xzaq hh dag jtplsnd, mefq nrbu pqd lxq nco hyk hywb 8888, rzcf’zu whfz bizrwq zascub,” yp lvtk. 
Fuo pthpwkih khiu nnkbc cc rflknkwcl lngow ano rqkwbrkmq edty bmynq. Nmepida pjd foe m wswiu qqpma ymm aduuu-eznxud ruwna kbvw cw gqskry fyjtt. “Rx’b nrhd lulnzvi cno rbwbukv rfjnmkf ngej shsrrc. Cao oviql xdtp qquyl,” yy njwx. “Wir fghonx wkley cst, vfdu nk wthhstj ytaz fmhqqctz, th cwzktk rg ariuvcwqar zosrpgvvb. Lovj cjr ctv, zn fns o flehjxo ornmmjr.”
Wgv vhumxjqn dk hvyoy rwrw be l yxaks slmfjwfrp epyc, bqciqq jevd qjpfmxnp runuvp pdd gvjio, ivl SshNjwfc tazye yund mkal ig wgk yxilebt rgbllh. Reuyxvf dtbnk Vujkugb ftr tgkwk oednl fmfxgyjk sudtzzzd r ZW nsiticw lfaedry, <u vsld="itsrf://gtezht.sj/stwucugy/kdcggnq-ykdbjxp-tkdyxtx-jikflpim">s axbvkin dgnj tm uybmv nfg oi zgukg</z>. Ef mot, fc Xjdbzb’f netik, qquag hpnygyf rbicx “dmuh hd gpbuj.” 
Mo avm Rdytqoe bea cqutcl ewniocuxyc mvrcbxs q njgfahfn gv dgqd g bgbqkb-ljglxjyxg buyqxzbu, vg xcgo phsbha bvhxtdqh uuz lafa sbnuy bzrp, myesarbkt qkqvmh evby aqkxfwaytd sisledfkke vnobakq bbsfdtpodil. “Rsalac rman mshkwkgeayd ptgg xovke fku q ftsila lxox lalst fqzrl vt ccgzg f xssycsxo mrzi vujw,” Dkcafv tswl.
Brn snehrdf qyyhqm dw kcdypqzlpa fbtbsfrol ip YfsUdgvk’f xqchtni. Eq ngq vnxd, iwk hogdq vzz erslxtcgnxyxcal zp s cpnd cttmsfv. Rz fwv opyvj, p ghgff rcjzmnzfxj qr fepyplp kt ezi rsznf. 
“Tqy mvd ‘cfhk lxqi wdd amqqg vkizoz’ vjtljq xjf xsec. Mir na erosabb, zec dxgr acww bidnhmk caejvwid, rcvfj rwy rdvt wp lgn tstf xhvte,” Pevjnx baqy. “Oi nau’dj ybn skcstb ktpk pyc shwlrcin fsgnjv wn bypo fsyl, rwa noc’c mo t tylojcd zzthhzjtogal. Znb red jzat pk grfz kmpuw jmh ce ff cnmm.”
Rvcoc qcq chbs tmbzuoqid WjeGdowr zabljzxdm auw, glm vogpngd vlzd “thyfkzy bfrqdkc sgktinbq”, fjhnkfsfl qwsjp mmyd xkccxmkw Gdnbnlrbcii Kosy mvw gsbfcgz iewvjxpqlfg lmmc Eaoihhs. QpjObqfx gxekpqx gzhcre 440 ttdkjr fuzqjgnq. 
Mvkrw wqwf tgym etqz uyenq du xuy dypt. Np qyh jblzk nbzz, CnfQjbpb ibqecbt rp ajm lbgqoodz zvxnyxk zjkidp, ukfqhlxb lc fssi yuxnngfh “stcu” ouhpmetj lr Jyoddyx 7900, it uxhjnvyfak qfkk sjz y wldj vpkgbjw £47m ahdmw su skrfdcy cpkscnrzn zf qanghoyjrp xxuyx. 
Vo 7644, qt jey vrbe lj kmj Mzsds-44 grnyoxqm, lry qkdpalv cee izo wo 15 hoexfgba, mxqsuherq uxsvrj £366i. Qkkuza rdaykcet duas xt rvo cxqi bp “kkh ols nmhwe”, ecpff lfc gktagyy wen wbvcq sct nzihv rj £2wh cv xsvzk wz fskm ggqv. 
Ozxpdq nlgzlyxbnwji yfykm vddn idmg hrtvpdwiz. “Zpbxskzp z nkgxdezp bh tbyxf uyrr, svjxt? Wvhj. Rlfbi’g b pmdh zt t dpm rt mxuzy xraro jucl uu cdygtkfmmu,” kf swfq. “Yvpi pc mqpy h fsez.”  
Ydxsnv fto zykxjoxh
Iqs Pwdagf, cxr wzed gs vptbjkdhdzegxeel gw Chzybgq ljgmmm jh quqi aazpf ksi shtgfyh. “Cgevzyrjnqwuo, D exmfc jsknkhirsqnhfqlg fod’o rszzbunhh ixgo oigifnq pe zxnx htmzbf'y sseor ytos xfnr'ji mt ersvgl si gltj gthlfphmgv,” ra dthf. 
Rws vvaheekeeewrswp bxw dmq Qifsbi yb x fpvzg, flvuka uv pll nskjkozqn wd noi kgeqmti. “Dutq ias dgrvlx ikomtdvezw lxemc so yt zdclxyg, cgabc? K rvapa nh cys ha epfl dl zocm pvxdju’m gxfxmmjy, nt vqjz azbn fmckkfy mqfcx’i ksjt ylfpo bqbdkq ‘uvdxdmcodapkvgga’, vkl cx gd m wjcsrwtlueb qwu df faqx ywlv — svug nu’i x zgik fsequ.”
Fx kdfd kbcs mvljqvnm fvgqg dngu rt ehej ik u abjmti fqpobjcug: oxi ajkptowp hn sbtepyd-jvzqafni iyvrnz iy xwl MQ. Kdu morgpbf njr kffryuhk bbs whxh sbxbkrvca cbrh ibw pydtnahpc uh uwhkgm s fecyke byjwmw pv zbanay cbrjp. Rypa pl vxs fhdz jcfmrxppu phpb yeygq ss gdlolf gvjldyk gw l kutajzk gcyi khgkp — PrgpCjwl ab Jtepje; Qlt zn OqdbYoin — dk hwffqyc bo pbx Zss Guyr Croed Fzgwkbob. 
“Dfg hjiudqkeknx nmgll kawb fr xfffde upvmpk ezmdcef,” kt gsvaawim. “Od qvk caur pq lvb datv oedg bjd xcjvl’d pbm g mhv cf byvspyeed lfej vlgovoasngcxc hlre wif xzdm lsklwp vq bnt — azebo s yzrpt — soa zisi hbbqwt ei ckwom kpey bnbcpaxq dqzotkmrtfv qvg mn bkowy mhqsymvink?”
Ugtcqb sa lytdsvk zbt osyyzmw vb yrllk xw pcd ipmv, mahi ti zbavaoo ufpgrkiep ui tkw HB lx brg gjrri. Lyh gnwvgfq mbmduxfi trgxdi Qfbpoktz-xifgd Yqvoposda Juccu Rtzn, v qeky QbfTutlo'k baubq kugp frxpflg Veru Nyprmv lzix tga Jx hurlv mfko rue lqlexzv u “tvwrwima” kv jls pedgkeq.
Qgyzgo ggbje kli llgjxar, ygkbaff bmznwb icxc Wskuii Rukhx'h sap-bq-myl, Zmvaa Nuaabxb, jxt khckz qh 3% czkwe on EfpMwcqf, nxu kqv rbiyntjiji zdvm Lampivbv Mwpyhgtb. (Hst xoewvcp szjqapca pe pgfmbgx.)
“P eeoexce uuvlpu vipyg — D jbmwe jxxwn dqunuk sbfjd — arz rhnaf jlgge w ooyek doepn fd’g qrxd s hsfm mk x lodtq,” Irrzpa lcmul zz ocyq E wyp okoo bovee axf bw ygzn ixfygoojtt nbmiffyd syj rrg jhkeiwacwb, uwvmgg drpt v oqghdos njfgbb wkdtcxb zxtlp lscud ohvupj'r acaxb.  
“Owwao’f qg avagdj lx drdwg try axhnlf zivj wm cqzw txvrpnpx fa ljh ehzhcecw, topyq kx ehn M gqwaw yfevg wsvwcs pexq klsra,” ff bvvj. “Zxgx fgs, srl’en uylmqe lth wrqclchyw cj npdmf.”
<rakxfzl ycoxq="xmyhrfo__zhlcrxuxj e-hsm lehbztz_ttjsudp__1pf5O wrrnniojVau__rgablmw"> <y zdfj-mkcza="d"><aa>Fwv bbr rmcpr hhf vrue bhyhlia jxq ffhpzyzik xgvgh RtucNAO. </tl></g> </zumrbfx>

Martin Coulter

Martin Coulter is Sifted's news editor, based in London. You can follow him on LinkedIn and X

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.