PhysicsWallah Becomes India’s First New-Age Edtech to File ₹3,820 Cr IPO

Founded by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, PhysicsWallah has filed an updated DRHP with SEBI to raise ₹3,820 crore through a mix of fresh issue and offer for sale.

IPO Breakdown

Component	Amount (₹ crore)	Purpose
Fresh Issue	₹3,100	Expansion, tech infra, marketing, acquisitions
Offer for Sale (OFS)	₹720	Promoters selling ₹360 crore each

Financial Snapshot

• FY25 Revenue: ₹2,887 crore (up from ₹1,940 crore in FY24)
• FY25 Net Loss: ₹243 crore (down from ₹1,131 crore in FY24)
• Net Worth: Turned positive at ₹1,945 crore

Use of Proceeds

• ₹460 crore: New offline/hybrid centers
• ₹548 crore: Lease payments
• ₹470 crore: Subsidiary investments (Xylem, Utkarsh)
• ₹200 crore: Cloud/server infrastructure
• ₹710 crore: Marketing blitz

Strategic Context

PhysicsWallah is the first new-age edtech startup to file for a public listing in India, signaling a shift as private funding slows. With over 98 million YouTube subscribers across its channels and a strong Tier-II/III presence, it’s betting big on hybrid learning and regional expansion.

Meritto Launches Mio AI, the Autonomous Agent Suite Purpose-Built for Education

At a time when institutions face rising enrollment volatility, higher student expectations, and increasing operational complexity, Meritto, a product of NoPaperForms Solutions Limited, today announced the launch of Mio AI, its industry-ready Agentic AI built ground-up for education. Unveiled at the Delhi NCR Chapter of #EvolveByMeritto, attended by top education leaders, technologists, and changemakers, Mio AI represents a new class of intelligence that doesn’t just assist teams, but operates with purpose, alignment, and autonomy across the student lifecycle.

Built natively into Meritto’s Vertical SaaS platform, Mio AI brings a fleet of domain-trained, configurable AI agents that work across enrollment portals, marketing sites, communication channels, and internal workflows. These agents are not prompted, they’re proactive. They take initiative, adapt in real-time, and optimize for institutional outcomes like conversion, retention, and efficiency. With Mio, AI shifts from being a tool institutions use, to a teammate they rely on.

What makes Mio AI distinct is its architectural intent. While traditional automation tools operate at the surface responding to inputs, handling tickets, Mio AI embeds itself within the institution’s actual rhythm. It draws knowledge from the institution’s knowledge hub. It syncs in real time. It learns continuously. And through a no-code command interface, institutions define exactly how their agents should act: what to say, when to escalate, what tone to carry, ensuring every interaction is accurate, contextual, and brand-aligned.

In a sector like education where context, transparency, and sensitivity matter deeply, Meritto has taken a human-in-the-loop approach to AI deployment. Every Mio agent action is auditable, every conversation traceable, and every decision accountable.

“This is not about launching a feature. This is about launching a future,” said Naveen Goyal, Founder & CEO of Meritto. “Mio AI is our statement of intent: to build the intelligent infrastructure education needs next, not just to catch up with technology, but to lead with it. Education deserves more than generative gloss. It needs purpose-built intelligence that reflects its depth, scale, and human stakes.”

Built natively on Meritto’s vertical SaaS stack, Mio AI reflects the company’s broader vision for SaaS 2.0, where software is no longer just about digitizing workflows, but about infusing them with decision-making, adaptability, and autonomous execution. The platform is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing systems and teams, offering institutions an AI layer that is trained, trusted, and tuned to their brand and business logic from day one.

Over the coming time, Meritto will continue to expand the Mio suite, introducing agents that support lead nurturing, financial workflows, academic advising, and internal team operations, creating a truly distributed digital workforce for education.

“Mio doesn’t just save time. It makes time more valuable,” said Narendra Pal Singh, SVP Engineering at Meritto. “Mio AI agents don’t ask what to do, they know. And they act. That’s the shift from automation to autonomy. That’s the infrastructure we’ve built.”

The launch, hosted at Taj Palace, New Delhi, brought together leaders from India’s top universities, business schools, and EdTechs. In one of the day’s most anticipated sessions, Hitesh Oberoi, MD & CEO of Info Edge, spoke about what the AI convergence means for everyone shaping or stepping into tomorrow’s workforce.

This launch follows Meritto’s continued commitment to deep-tech innovation in education, including recent announcements like Collexo Pixi, a smart, unified student ID card. As India’s education sector prepares for its next wave of digital transformation, Meritto remains focused on what it has always done best: building systems that institutions grow on.

To learn more about Mio AI, visit getmio.ai.

Mio AI, Meritto’s purpose-built Agentic AI platform, is designed exclusively for educational institutions. Mio AI brings a fleet of intelligent, autonomous agents that proactively support enrollment, engagement, and operational workflows helping institutions scale smarter, act faster, and deliver seamless student experiences.

IPO Bound Imarticus Learning acquires MyCaptain for ₹50 Crore

• Imarticus Learning envisions impacting the lives of 5 million learners by FY28

India’s leading professional education firm, Imarticus Learning, today announced that it has acquired MyCaptain for INR 50 crores. MyCaptain is an Edtech company empowering College Students, Fresh Graduates and Early professionals with skills and jobs in new-age, non-tech careers. MyCaptain has over 5L learners on its platform and witnessed a strong growth, clocking a revenue of INR 27Cr last year, with an EBITDA breakeven. MyCaptain also boasts an NPS of 70, one of the highest in the Education industry in India. Imarticus Learning is looking to support the company scale by at least 5X over the next 3 years.

Tier 2 and 3 cities in Bharat are faced with significant challenges in terms of skilling and awareness about new-age career opportunities. Addressing these gaps, this acquisition of MyCaptain marks a significant milestone in Imarticus Learning's mission to deliver industry-relevant education even in the hinterlands.

With this acquisition, Imarticus Learning has expanded its reach by entering the college skilling segment through the 60+ Live Cohort-Based Programs across new-age careers. Through MyCaptain’s employability bootcamps in creative and new-age fields like Digital Marketing, Design, and Content, Imarticus is set to expand into new verticals — bringing these high-demand new age programs offline across their 20+ classroom centres in 16+ cities. 

MyCaptain has built a powerful grassroots network with students across 1,500+ campuses. Notably, 60% of its customers come from Tier 2 and 3 cities, while 80% hail from creative and entrepreneurial fields. This move reinforces Imarticus’s position as a lifelong career partner, engaging learners from college to leadership roles.

With this, Imarticus Learning has marked its fourth acquisition in the last four years, further accelerating its growth journey and strengthening its leadership in the education sector. The strategic move is a part of Imarticus Learning’s goal to reach 5 million learners over the next three years and expand to tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

This acquisition expands Imarticus Learning’s team to over 850 employees and enhances its senior leadership with a dynamic group of ex-founders, bringing invaluable entrepreneurial expertise to the organization.

Nikhil Barshikar, Founder and CEO of Imarticus Learning, said, “Our collaboration with MyCaptain marks a pivotal step in strengthening Imarticus’ vision to be the lifelong career partner for learners across their journey. What Zeeshan, Ruhan, and Sameer have built with MyCaptain is a company rooted in strong values, vision, and real-world impact. We’re thrilled to welcome them into the Imarticus family as we shape the next phase of growth together.

While previous acquisitions have helped us diversify our portfolio and address evolving learner needs, with MyCaptain, we aim to deepen accessibility in non-tech career domains and significantly expand our reach in Tier 2+ cities. As we set our sights on both India and global expansion, our shared goal is to impact 5 million learners by FY28, driven by innovation, inclusion, and long-term growth.”

Mohammed Zeeshan, Co-Founder and CEO, MyCaptain added, “MyCaptain began as a movement to challenge the status quo and open up alternate career paths for students across the country. Over the years, more than 5 lakh learners have trusted us to help them find direction, build real skills, and pursue careers that truly matter to them. With Imarticus’ scale and Nikhil and Sonya’s shared belief in our mission, we now have the chance to take everything we’ve built and scale it even further, making new-age careers more accessible and achievable for more than 1 million students across India. We’re excited about the journey ahead with Imarticus and look forward to reaching new milestones.”

Imarticus Learning in April 2023, acquired Hero Mindmine, the Hero Group training arm. It had also acquired game-based learning platform StratOnBoard in 2022, as well as social learning platform, Eckovation, in 2021. The IPO bound company has a robust presence across the country with over 20+ training centres and offices, and it has impacted the lives of 1 million learners through its transformative education and upskilling. It has collaborations with 25+ premier institutes and industry leaders, including IIMs, IITs, ISB, XLRI, London Business School, Oxford, PwC, and KPMG. The company is India’s first and only authorized prep provider for the top 5 global accounting & finance certifications- CMA (Certified Management Accountant), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), CPA (Certified Public Accountant), and FRM. Till date, Imarticus has placed 75,000+ learners in top companies across diverse fields.

About Imarticus Learning

Imarticus Learning is India’s foremost professional education company. It is dedicated to bridging the skill gap through high-quality, industry-relevant education, specialised training, career assistance, and mentorship from industry professionals. Founded in 2012 by Nikhil Barshikar and Sonya Hooja, the company aims to upskill professionals to fulfil various industries' current and upcoming job market demands. The company offers programs that prepare learners for successful careers in finance, data science, analytics, technology, marketing, and management.

The Mumbai-headquartered company is India’s first and only approved preparation partner for five global accounting and finance certifications: CMA, CFA, ACCA, CPA, and FRM. Since its inception, the company has impacted over one million careers, placing 75,000+ learners in top MNCs through its association with 3,500+ global hiring partners.

With 20+ offices and training centers across India and a team of 1,000+ skilled professionals, Imarticus Learning continues to drive growth and innovation in the education sector. It has collaborated with 25+ premier institutes and industry leaders, including IIMs, IITs, ISB, XLRI, London Business School, Oxford, PwC, and KPMG.

Piyush Goyal Inaugurates AI Lab as Galgotias commits to scale investment to INR 50 Crores into AI-Driven Future

Strengthening its leadership in future-ready education, Galgotias University inaugurated a state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education Lab. The event marked a significant announcement of scaling the University’s investment in AI-driven growth to INR 50 Crores over the next three years. In presence of Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, the university reaffirmed the strong commitment to enhancing educational infrastructure with a mission to embed innovation, hands-on learning, and advanced technology into the heart of its academic ecosystem.

The event was witnessed participation of prominent leaders that included Shri Brijesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh; Mr. Aman Gupta, Co-founder and CMO of boAt; alongside Mr. Suneel Galgotia, Chancellor, and Dr. Dhruv Galgotia, CEO, Galgotias University.

The new AI Lab is equipped with next-generation infrastructure to provide students with real-world exposure to AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies. The lab is designed to accelerate innovation, encourage interdisciplinary learning, and nurture industry-ready graduates.

Marking the occasion, Dr. Dhruv Galgotia said, “This AI Lab is a testament to our commitment to create a world-class, innovation-driven university. At Galgotias, we are not just teaching students about the future—we are building it with them. We aim to consistently contribute to the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 through cutting-edge research, technology integration, and skill-first learning. This initiative will power the expansion of AI-based infrastructure, research capabilities, and global academic collaborations.”

Designed to provide students with round the clock access to advanced computing, the lab is installed with NVIDIA GPU-powered systems that support high-performance AI applications differentiating it from standard computers. The move will democratise access to experiential learning enabling students to bridge the gap between theory and application.

Galgotias University has been at the forefront of educational transformation that also includes the recent launch of India’s first AI-powered Active Learning Block, developed in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Among other initiatives, the university is also exploring collaborations with leading global tech companies to set up labs for cybersecurity, machine learning, and robotics. With a strong emphasis on experiential learning, industry alignment, and global engagement, the university continues to set benchmarks in higher education.

The newly inaugurated AI Lab will also serve as a hub for innovation, faculty development, and industry collaboration, bridging the gap between academia and the rapidly evolving demands of the AI economy.

NextLeap Acquires PM School to Expand Product Management Education in India

NextLeap, a Bengaluru-based workforce skilling platform helping professionals transition into technology roles, has acquired PM School, a product management education provider. This acquisition strengthens NextLeap’s leadership in product management training, providing learners with enhanced resources, mentorship, and career support. The integration is already underway, with new offerings launching later this year.

Mohammad Yasir  ( CTO) and Arindam Mukherjee ( CEO)

Founded in 2021, NextLeap is a fast-growing startup revolutionizing career transitions for early-career professionals in India. 15000+ learners have already benefited from its bootcamp-style Fellowship programs designed to help individuals break into technology roles in Product Management, UX Design, Data Analytics, and Software Engineering. The company’s AI-driven, full-stack learning platform delivers outcome-focused education at an affordable cost, making career transitions more accessible.

Co-founded by former Flipkart leaders Arindam Mukherjee (CEO) and Mohammad Yasir (CTO), NextLeap has been recognized as one of the Top 100 EdTech startups in South Asia by HolonIQ in 2022. The company’s mission aligns seamlessly with PM School’s structured approach to product management training, making the integration a natural fit. With this acquisition, the goal is to build India’s most accessible and effective product management education ecosystem.

Arindam Mukherjee, co-founder and CEO of NextLeap, said, “At NextLeap, we believe career growth starts with the right skills and the right opportunities. Product management is a growing function in tech, but many professionals struggle to break into the field due to a lack of structured and practical learning. PM School has built a strong foundation in this space, and by coming together, we can bridge this gap at scale. This is not just about expanding our courses—it’s about giving learners the right guidance, industry exposure, and a clear path to meaningful careers in product management.”

Mohammad Yasir, co-founder and CTO of NextLeap, added, “This acquisition is about making product management education more structured and accessible. Many aspiring product managers find it difficult to navigate their career path because traditional learning methods don’t prepare them for real-world challenges. By combining PM School’s reach and expertise with our AI-driven learning platform, we’re creating a system that is more practical, hands-on, and aligned with industry needs. Our goal is simple, to help more people build the skills they need and connect them with the right opportunities.”

Ankit Bareja, Nikunj Sharma and Kushaal Devanahalli, co-founders of PM School, shared their thoughts, “We started PM School to give aspiring product managers a structured path into the industry. After 4.5 years of helping learners break into product management, we’re excited to see PM School continue its journey with NextLeap. This transition ensures our learners will have access to more resources, deeper mentorship, and a stronger bridge between learning and employment.”

NextLeap is backed by leading investors, including InfoEdge Ventures, Mukesh Bansal (Founder of Meraki Labs, Cult.fit, Myntra), Kalyan Krishnamurthy (CEO, Flipkart Group), Kunal Shah (CEO, CRED), and Amar Nagaram (CEO, Virgio). The company raised a $2M Seed round in 2021 to accelerate its mission of bridging the gap between traditional education and real-world skills.

Samsung Partners Bengaluru Startup EMBIBE to Transform TVs Into Educational Tools with Personalised Learning Experiences

• The collaboration aims to transform TVs into educational tools with personalised learning experiences for CBSE, ICSE, IB, Cambridge, all State Boards, JEE & NEET students
• EMBIBE’s integration will provide students access to a comprehensive collection of award-winning 3D explainers and personalised adaptive practice with hints & solutions
• The Samsung Education Hub app is available on all Samsung Smart TVs and Smart Monitors, offering an exclusive 50% discount on all annual subscriptions, one per EMBIBE profile.

South Korean electronics giant, Samsung, has partnered with Bengaluru-based EMBIBE, an AI-powered personalised learning outcomes platform, to integrate it into the Samsung Education Hub app, a designed-for-TV education app. The collaboration will help TVs become effective educational tools providing personalised learning experiences for students.

Through this partnership, EMBIBE, as part of the Samsung Education Hub app, will offer extensive educational coverage, supporting all major curricula, including CBSE, ICSE, IB, Cambridge, all State Boards and major entrance exams such as IIT JEE and NEET. Students will benefit from a large collection of award-winning, immersive 3D explainer videos, designed to make even the most complex topics easier to understand and more engaging to learn.

“The Samsung Education Hub app aims to expand the role of TVs in homes, transforming them from mere entertainment hubs to a seamless platform for online learning. This innovative ‘designed-for-TV’ education app is set to revolutionise the online learning experience, making it engaging and accessible to all. Our vision is to create a future where education knows no boundaries and knowledge is within easy reach at the click of a button,” said Viplesh Dang, Senior Director, Visual Display Business, Samsung India.

“Our partnership with Samsung TV marks a significant leap in delivering a truly personal, engaging, learning experience through one of the most trusted and loved mediums. Samsung has partnered with EMBIBE because we’ve solved two critical challenges: creating stunning interactive, multi-modal content and delivering it through a deeply personalized experience powered by AI. The synergy between Samsung’s innovation and EMBIBE’s expertise in edtech is a powerful combination that sets a new standard for educational excellence, creating a transformative learning experience for everyone,” said Aditi Avasthi, Founder & CEO at EMBIBE.

At the heart of EMBIBE’s offering is its personalised, AI-driven adaptive practice, which adjusts to each student’s learning level. Through the Samsung Education Hub, students will be able to access EMBIBE’s video-based learning resources and also its AI-powered adaptive practice in English, Hindi and 10 major regional languages, backed by over 10 years of educational engagement data of more than two crore students. They can choose from 54,000 practice tests and use personalised score-improvement features that will provide useful insights for improvement. In addition, students can avail Samsung’s exclusive discount of a flat 50% on EMBIBE annual subscription purchased on TV.

EMBIBE content will be available on all 2024 Samsung TVs and smart monitors and will be gradually made available on earlier models. Existing subscribers of EMBIBE, who own Samsung TVs will have seamless login and access to this rich educational content, along with Samsung TV users who wish to subscribe to the platform. Earlier this year, Samsung had teamed up with the leading ed-tech platform, Physics Wallah for Samsung Education Hub on 2023 & 2024 Samsung TVs.

Google, NCERT Partner for Dedicated Youtube Channels for Students in 29 Languages

Technology giant Google has partnered with the India's National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to launch dedicated YouTube channels for students from grades 1 to 12.

These channels will offer educational content in 29 Indian languages, including Indian Sign Language. This initiative aims to make high-quality education more accessible and inclusive for students across India.

Additionally, Google is collaborating with the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) to offer certified courses on YouTube. These courses, backed by India's prestigious IITs, cover a wide range of subjects and allow learners to earn certifications through the NPTEL-SWAYAM portal.

Key Highlights:

• Content: The channels will offer curriculum-based educational content for students from grades 1 to 121. This includes subjects like sciences, literature, sports psychology, and even rocket propulsion.
• Languages: Content will be available in 29 Indian languages, including Indian Sign Language, ensuring that students from diverse linguistic backgrounds can benefit.
• Certifications: Google is also collaborating with the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) to offer certified courses. Learners who complete these courses can earn certifications through the NPTEL-SWAYAM portal.
• AI Integration: Google is leveraging AI to enhance the learning experience. AI tools will identify key concepts in videos and provide definitions, images, and additional context from Google’s Knowledge Graph.

This initiative aims to break barriers to learning and provide high-quality educational resources to millions of students across India.

Upgrad Raises $60 Mn in Series-F from Temasek at Valuation of $2.25 Bn

Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, Temasek, has invested an additional $60 million in Upgrad, an edtech startup focused on higher education and upskilling.

This Series-F round of funding values Upgrad at $2.25 billion.

Additionally, Upgrad's founder and chairman, Ronnie Screwvala, has bought out Bharti Enterprises' stake in the company for $20 million, increasing his ownership to 45%. Upgrad is planning to go public within the next 7-8 quarters.

This comes within a week after Upgrad's MD, Mayank Kumar, stepped down from the company.

Temasek has been a consistent investor in Upgrad. Temasek participated in Upgrad's Series E funding round, contributing ₹81 crore (approximately $10 million) in 2023.

With the latest $60 million investment in the Series F round, Temasek's total stake in Upgrad is now 17-18%.

Upgrad has raised funds through multiple rounds of financing. Below is a summary of their previous funding rounds and the total funds raised:

1. Series A: Raised $15 million in 2015.

2. Series B: Raised $40 million in 2017.

3. Series C: Raised $50 million in 2018.

4. Series D: Raised $100 million in 2019.

5. Series E: Raised $120 million in 2021.

6. Series F: Raised $60 million from Temasek in 2024.

In total, Upgrad has raised $385 million across these funding rounds.

In April, Upgrad placed 55,000 learners in FY24, with strong hiring in fields like marketing, data, and tech 3. Approximately half of these placements were in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

Late last year, Upgrad reported a 96% rise in revenue to ₹1,194 crore (approximately $150 million) for the financial year 2023, although losses also widened by 67% to 1,142 crore (approximately $145 million).

Upgrad has attracted investments from several prominent investors over the years.

Besides Temasek, Ronnie Screwvala, Upgrad's founder and chairman, has also invested heavily in the company. Bharti Enterprises was an early investor but recently sold its stake to Ronnie Screwvala. IIFL Asset Management has also participated in Upgrad's funding rounds, along with Omidyar Network India, known for its focus on social impact. Educor Holdings has contributed to Upgrad's growth as well. These investors have collectively helped Upgrad raise a total of $385 million across various funding rounds.

ISRO's NSIL to Provide GSAT-16 and GSAT-18 Satellite Capacity to Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala

NSIL (NewSpace India Limited), a commercial arm of ISRO, has recently signed agreements to provide satellite capacity from GSAT-16 and GSAT-18 to the state governments of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. This initiative aims to broadcast educational content and benefit approximately 1.25 crore students in Andhra Pradesh, 1.5 crore students in Telangana, and 0.5 crore students in Kerala.

GSAT-16 and GSAT-18 are Indian communication satellites launched by the ISRO in December 7, 2014 and October 2016 respectively.

GSAT-16 provides communication services, including broadcasting, telecommunication, and data transmission. It carries 24 transponders in the C-band, 12 in the extended C-band, and another 12 in the Ku-band. Its coverage extends over India and neighboring regions.

GSAT-18 also serves communication needs and has 24 C-band, 12 extended C-band, and 12 Ku-band transponders. It covers India and parts of the Middle East. GSAT-18 enhances telecommunication, broadcasting, and broadband services.

Both satellites play crucial roles in expanding connectivity, broadcasting educational content, and supporting various communication services across India.

NSIL manages satellite capacity allocation through a structured process that involves coordination, agreements, and efficient utilization. NSIL collaborates closely with the ISRO, which operates and maintains a fleet of communication satellites (e.g., GSAT series). NSIL works with ISRO to allocate transponder capacity from these satellites.

Further, the entities (government departments, private companies, broadcasters) express their requirements for satellite capacity. NSIL negotiates agreements with these users. Agreements specify the duration, bandwidth, and other terms.

In the allocation process, NSIL allocates transponders based on users' service areas (e.g., state governments, educational institutions) and Frequency Band — C-band, Ku-band, etc.

NSIL balances commercial interests (leasing capacity to private entities) with social objectives (broadcasting educational content, rural connectivity). For example, providing GSAT-16 and GSAT-18 capacity to state governments for educational broadcasting.

NSIL monitors transponder usage, ensuring optimal resource allocation. It adjusts capacity based on changing demands and priorities.

Essentially, the Satellite capacity allocation involves distributing available transponder resources on a satellite to various users or service providers. Satellites have transponders, which are communication channels that receive signals from Earth, amplify them, and retransmit them back. Each transponder operates within a specific frequency band (e.g., C-band, Ku-band).

Different frequency bands serve different purposes. For instance, C-band is used for broadcasting, telecommunications, and data services. Ku-band is commonly used for direct-to-home (DTH) TV broadcasting and broadband internet.

Organizations (telecom companies, broadcasters, etc.) lease transponder capacity from satellite operators. They pay for the right to use a specific transponder or a portion of its bandwidth.

Accenture to Acquire Udacity, Launches New AI-Native Learning Platform

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire Udacity, a digital education pioneer with deep expertise in the development and delivery of proprietary technology courses that blend the flexibility of online learning with the benefits of human instruction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Accenture has also announced the launch of an AI-native learning platform — Accenture LearnVantage, to provide its clients with comprehensive technology learning and training services. The company will invest $1 billion in Accenture LearnVantage over three years and has agreed to acquire Udacity to build on and scale for clients Accenture’s deep experience in learning and training and meet rising demand for technology skills, including generative AI.

Udacity’s team. of more than 230 professionals will join Accenture LearnVantage.

Udacity is recognized for its cutting-edge learning approach that emphasizes the acquisition of practitioner-level technical skills. The acquisition will bring to Accenture Udacity’s capabilities in integrating proprietary content, expert services and scalable learning technology while seamlessly bridging the gap between online education and workplace relevance.

Founded in 2011, Udacity has highly regarded network of more than 1,400 experts and a vast library of exclusive content co-created with industry leaders, Udacity has served more than 21 million registered learners in 195 countries, providing localized course offerings in multiple languages, including English, Arabic, Korean and Spanish. In a crowded market, Udacity has differentiated itself through its combination of high-quality content and ‘human in the loop’ learning, coupled with an outcome-focused approach.

The rise of generative AI represents one of the most transformative changes in how work gets done and is driving a growing need for enterprises to train and upskill people in cloud, data and AI as they build their digital core and reinvent their enterprises,” said Kishore Durg, global lead of Accenture LearnVantage. “The addition of Udacity to Accenture LearnVantage will enable us to bring Accenture’s deep capabilities as a world-class learning organization to clients at scale, helping them build the skills of their people to achieve greater business value.”

“As we join forces with Accenture, we are thrilled to embark on this next chapter of our journey. Together, we are dedicated to delivering impactful and cutting-edge tech education that enables individuals and organizations to unlock their potential,” said Kai Roemmelt, CEO of Udacity. “This combined with Accenture’s world-class expertise and global footprint will allow us to reach even more learners and amplify our impact, empowering millions to thrive in the digital economy.”

Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including required antitrust clearances.

Accenture LearnVantage will work with technology ecosystem partners, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Microsoft, to provide generative AI content, industry-relevant technology training and cloud certifications for their joint clients. It will also work with additional world-class learning partners, including Pluralsight, Coursera, Workera and Skillsoft.

EMBIBE Signs MoU with Uttar Pradesh Govt to Form India’s Largest Public-Private Partnership; Set to Offer Free NEP Aligned AI-led Learning to All State Public Schools

EMBIBE will help improve the learning outcomes of 4,03,42,596 students from over 46,000 Basic Schools and 137,194 students from over 7,000 Madhyamik Shiksha Schools across Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh Basic Education and Secondary Education Departments have signed a non-financial MoU with EMBIBE to accelerate the achievement of Nipun Bharat goals for UP. EMBIBE has been chosen for its vast interactive content library and Artificial Intelligence led personalisation to ensure the achievement of better classroom teaching, student learning as well as learning outcomes enhancement in Science, Math and Social Science across over 55,000 schools.

The Uttar Pradesh Government is making substantial investments to install 40,000 Smart Classrooms in Upper Primary schools, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Labs at 880 blocks within Block Resource Centers (BRCs), and distributing 2,09,863 tablets to each primary school (2 per school). This comprehensive investment, as well as this MoU, reflect the Uttar Pradesh Government's dedication to fostering high-quality education and empowering students and educators with the necessary resources to thrive in an increasingly digital world. These initiatives are set to transform the educational landscape in the state, making education more accessible and engaging for the young minds of Uttar Pradesh.

The MoU has been signed between the two entities signifying the commitment to providing students in Uttar Pradesh with the very best in digital content that aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) guidelines. EMBIBE's engaging, AI-led classroom content powered by proprietary technology that allows for detailed tracking of lesson effectiveness will be used to power smart classrooms across the state. Students and teachers will also benefit from self learning apps which include state of the art technology that even works on low bandwidth - Augmented Reality for the masses accessible without investments in expensive infrastructure. Beautiful content including virtual experiments designed to foster the pedagogy of "learning by doing" is poised to make education more interactive and effective. Embibe’s strong investment in the measurement of engagement and its unique Knowledge Graph will lead to tracking and remediation of student learning outcomes at scale for the first time. All the content is aligned to the syllabus and curricular goals of UP and accessible in Hindi.

Commenting on the partnership, Ms Aditi Avasthi, Founder & CEO, EMBIBE, said, “Building an edtech platform and content capable enough to help realise the scale of the UP Government’s vision of Nipun Bharat has been a personal lifelong dream and possible only through 11 years of unwavering commitment. We are grateful for the opportunity and committed to the success of this partnership. We will ensure the innovation and adaptation needed to achieve last-mile impact. We are also very excited to collaborate with the dedicated and able teams at the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Madhyamik Shiksha who have worked tirelessly on the ground thus far.”

As the world’s foremost AI-led edtech platform, EMBIBE has delivered learning outcomes to millions of students across India to be their best. This partnership with the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh now takes Embibe’s footprint to 104,464 schools across 25 states across India, covering 596,250 teachers and 17,097,362 students. The company is leaving no stone unturned towards achieving its mission of ensuring a “no regrets future for every child” and increasing the supply of quality teachers by democratising access to the highest quality digital education.

EMBIBE has a singular mission - every child will have their best shot at a great education and every teacher will feel empowered by the tools and knowledge of the best teachers in the world.

This would only be possible if powerful algorithms are able to emulate teacher thinking in understanding a student, the content they consume and the context they consume it in; as well as having a deep content repository to be able to improve every child and teach every concept. Finally, it required the adaptation of this content and platform to many Indian languages and exam contexts to ensure that every student and teacher feels they are engaging in a world designed around their academic setting. We have achieved this goal over 11 years with the interplay of deep educational expertise, stunning content, design, AI and engineering.

EMBIBE gives students access to the highest level of personalisation both in terms of relevant content delivery and getting the right guidance at the right time during their preparation. Teachers are able to teach with stunning, contextual, interactive content at the touch of a button and are finally able to make meaningful interventions to help every child improve by the use of powerful algorithms with tagged content libraries. EMBIBE is a pioneer in the personalised education space with 9 patents. Along with its testing, practice and personalised improvement apps - EMBIBE recently added two more innovative applications to its suite of patented products - EMBIBE Lab Experiments and EMBIBE Lens. The Virtual Lab Experiments app can teach a student 10X better than the best equipped science labs by going ‘inside the reaction’ covering 100% of the science lab curriculum from 9th to 12th standard. EMBIBE Lens is a computer vision powered learning app which converts any textbook to a smart textbook with its library of 40,000+ 3D models, 35,000 videos and more. The platform caters to all school boards, test prep and govt. job exams, covering more than 400 exams in English, Hindi & 10 major regional languages.

Since its inception in 2012, the company has made education truly accessible and has served more than 2.2 crore students across India from across more than 1,300 cities, towns, and villages. EMBIBE’s impact & innovation have earned it numerous accolades, including being recognised by the World Economic Forum as a Global Innovator. EMBIBE is also the only Indian edtech company to have won the most prestigious internet awards namely, the Webby People’s Voice Award 2022, as “The Best Platform in Learning & Education”. It was recognised as the “Best AI Company in Education” by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in 2017, besides winning the AICRA Global Awards 2019 for “Best use of AI in education”, the Innovator of the Year 2019 by Accenture Vaahini, “Leading AI-Powered Learning Solution Provider” by World Education Summit in 2019, and the Google Play Best Of Users' Choice Award 2021, as "The Best App For Personal Growth”. EMBIBE also won the award for “Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education” by RAISE in 2020. To learn more about EMBIBE and its game-changing products, visit embibe.com.

BenQ Launches India’s-1st Google EDLA-Certified Smart Boards with Integrated Google Mobile Services (GMS)

BenQ India, a leading innovator of display solutions, will unveil its next-generation smart boards, the BenQ Board Pro RP04 and the BenQ Board Master RM04, at InfoComm India 2023, a tradeshow platform for Pro-AV solutions, being held from 25th to 27th October, 2023 at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. These smartboards are India’s 1st fully integrated boards with Google Mobile Services (GMS) and officially certified under the Google Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement (EDLA). This innovative collaboration brings the power of Google’s suite of applications and APIs to corporates and educational institutions, enhancing the experiences of business professionals, students and educators.

The Pro RP04 and RM04 achieved an India’s-first, becoming the first-ever smartboards to achieve the EDLA certification. With the support of GMS, which is Google’s own collection of applications and APIs, the new BenQ smartboards seamlessly integrate Google services such as Google Drive, Maps, Meet, and YouTube. Google Workspace apps such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides can now be installed and utilized directly from Google Play. These boards also safeguard user data by offering encrypted network communications and proxy-level security options. BenQ also hosts its cloud services on a secure AWS cloud infrastructure. This integration fosters an interactive and collaborative environment in both offices and classrooms.

"Embracing and conceptualising cutting-edge technology is at the heart of what we do at BenQ. The integration of Google Mobile Services into our smart boards marks a significant milestone in revolutionizing the user experience. This partnership not only enhances collaboration but also ensures a seamless and secure digital environment for work and education," says Rajeev Singh, Managing Director at BenQ South Asia.

Additionally, the smart boards come equipped with powerful tools like EZWrite 6, an innovative whiteboarding software, and InstaShare 2, a wireless screen sharing solution. EZWrite 6 enables corporates and educators to conduct engaging sessions and utilize specialized tools, while InstaShare 2 allows up to 9 persons to share and control their screens simultaneously, promoting collaborative work and learning.

Inclusivity is a key focus of the new BenQ Boards, featuring Text-to-Speech functionality for the visually impaired, multilingual translation for diverse language support, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to convert images and documents into editable text, aiding the visually impaired in their endeavours.

Jeffrey Liang, President of BenQ Asia Pacific Corporation further highlights the benefits that the smart boards would provide. "At BenQ, we have always been passionate about innovation and these smart boards are our way of furthering this revolution. With powerful tools such as EZWrite 6 integrated into the RP04 and RM04, we are empowering corporates and educators to make sessions fun again, while delivering their messages in the most effective manner. We hope to create stable, progressive learning and work environments and these smart boards are a part of this vision."

BenQ simplifies user and device management with the BenQ Account Management System (AMS) and the BenQ Device Management Solution (DMS), ensuring a seamless transition for institutions already using Google accounts and enabling efficient remote control of BenQ Board settings. In addition to their GMS integration and other features, the new BenQ Boards also offer a number of health-focused features, such as Eyesafe® Certified 2.0 screens and Air quality sensors.

AVAILABILITY – From Jan 2024

About BenQ Corporation

Founded on the corporate vision of “Bringing Enjoyment ‘N’ Quality to Life”, BenQ Corporation is a world-leading human technology and solutions provider aiming to elevate and enrich every aspect of consumers’ lives. To realize this vision, the company focuses on the aspects that matter most to people today – lifestyle, business, healthcare, and education – with the hope of providing people with the means to live better, increase efficiency, feel healthier and enhance learning. Such means include a delightful broad portfolio of people-driven products and embedded technologies spanning digital projectors, monitors, interactive large-format displays, and lighting solutions. Because it matters.

About BenQ Group

The BenQ Group is a $25+ billion powerhouse comprised of nearly 20 independent companies operating in over 30 countries across numerous industries with a combined workforce of over 100,000 employees. Each Group member is a recognized leader in its own field, contributing to the BenQ Group’s vast resources, broad R&D, and distinct strategic strengths. By leveraging each company’s vertical specialization to create true scale across horizontal markets, the BenQ Group controls a highly efficient value chain with the unrivaled ability to deliver critical components and world-class solutions in the following industries: TFT-LCD, green energy, fine chemicals, and advanced materials, lighting, IC design, precision components, system integration, branded business, and service. The Group is committed to profitable and sustainable businesses that share its long-standing vision of Bringing Enjoyment ‘N’ Quality to Life.

The BenQ Group companies are BenQ Corporation, AU Optronics Corporation (world’s top manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels), Qisda Corporation, Darfon Electronics Corporation, BenQ ESCO Corp., BenQ Materials Corp., BenQ Guru Corp., BenQ Medical Center, BenQ Medical Technology Corp., BenQ AB DentCare Corp., BriView Co., Ltd., Daxin Materials Corp., Dazzo Technology Corp., Forhouse Corp., Lextar Electronics Corp., LILY Medical Corp., and Raydium Semiconductor Corp.

AltUni by InsideIIM, An Alternative Digital Varsity, Raises $500K from Indian Angel Network and Other Angels

Mumbai-based AltUni by InsideIIM, an alternative digital university, has raised $500,000 in funding led by Indian Angel Network along with contributions from many other angel investors, reported Entrepreneur India.

Other angels who participated in this round are — Vishesh C Chandiok, CEO of Grant Thornton Bharat LLP; Ganesh Balakrishnan, Harsh Parikh, Narayan Babu, Supreet Singh, Ashvin George, Prashant Mohanraj, Shreyans Mehta, Amit Monteiro, Raghav Joshi, Mainak Shome, Bhoopesh Jain, Sandeep Bhadresa among others.

Founded in 2020, by Ankit Doshi, AltUni provides short modules of immersive online learning courses. The university does not offer degrees or diplomas but facilitates a connection between learners and industry leaders, and provides opportunities to interview with India’s top companies.

AltUni had earlier raised $0.5 million in angel round, in February last year, from Amit Gupta, Mukesh Maniar, Rahul Gupta, Gautam Gurnani, Rajit Desai, Vandana Serrao, Saloni Doshi, Suhani Doshi and Saurav Tibrewal.

AltUni's mission is to enhance India's human capital. College education is not sufficient to be employable at a time when Artificial intelligence is threatening the existence of many jobs. AltUni helps early career professionals and college students gain skills that will future proof their careers for the next decade.

"AltUni's dedication to addressing the challenges in the higher education sector aligns with our mission to support innovative solutions. We are confident that this investment will help AltUni further its mission and bring about positive change in the education landscape", Padmaja Ruparel, Co-Founder, Indian Angel Network (IAN).

Hero Vired’s Future Tech Domain Recorded An Impressive 20% of Its Total Revenue In the Past 12 Months

Aims to heighten focus in the domain with courses in Esports broadcasting, Extended Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Game Development

Hero Vired - India’s premium learntech company for professionals - recorded an impressive 20% of its total revenue in the last 12 months from its Future Tech domain.

Since the launch of the category in September 2022, this domain has witnessed growth, largely attributed to its pioneering position as a first mover and its key industry partnerships. In-lieu of the demand from the market, the company has today announced adding 10-12 courses in the next 2 years to enhance the focus on India’s Future Tech learning. Their expansion strategy will cover a diverse range of emerging tech programs such as Advanced Data Science, Extended Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Gaming, Esports and User Experience (UI/UX). To cater to the rapidly-changing and growing market size of Emerging Tech, Hero Vired has strategically aligned one-third of its workforce for the Future Tech domain to stay on top of the increasing demand. This forward-looking approach aligns with Hero Vired's core mission: to catapult Bharat into a prominent role on the global tech stage.

Talking about the expansion, Ms. Sushma Bharath, Head of Programs and Partnerships at Hero Vired said, "At Hero Vired, our main goal is to empower learners with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in fast-evolving technology fields. Industries like Gaming, Virtual Reality, Esports broadcasting, game development, and game streaming are rapidly growing, making it crucial to offer programs in these areas. We're strategically investing in and expanding our offerings in future tech domains to provide world-class educational opportunities to learners in India. This aligns perfectly with our vision to address the increasing demand for tomorrow's skill sets."

Hero Vired witnessed a remarkable growth in FY23, with revenue reaching a substantial 55 crores. Looking ahead, Hero Vired has set an ambitious target, aiming for a 2X revenue growth by the next financial year. To support these goals, the company maintains an active workforce of over 300 professionals, and it plans to add an additional 45-50 resources across various functions this year with almost one-third of its resources dedicated to building the Future Tech domain. These milestones underscore Hero Vired's unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation within the Future Tech domain.

The evolving tech market is positively impacting various industries in India. The Indian Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Market is poised to reach a remarkable USD 9.28 billion by the year 2028, exhibiting a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 28% during the forecast period 2022-2028. Furthermore, India's gaming market is assured to witness an astounding growth trajectory from $2.6 billion in FY22 to an estimated $8.6 billion by FY27. These statistics underscore the dynamic and promising future tech landscape in India. Esports alone is projected to create more than 11,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2025. Alongside this, the country boasts a thriving ecosystem of 192 VR and 246 AR startups, which are establishing a strong base for the Indian extended reality industry.

In India, future tech is set to disrupt the defence, healthcare, media, entertainment, real estate and education industries thereby creating millions of jobs and opportunities in the next few years. In FY’23 alone, 290K new jobs were added in the Indian tech industry as per a NASSCOM report.

Hero Vired is constantly expanding its program portfolio based on the dynamic market conditions with more additions to the future tech domain alone.

Acknowledging market trends, Hero Vired aims to add new programs like User Design, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning to their portfolio. Hero Vired laid the foundation of the Future Tech domain with its gaming and esports program in collaboration with Nodwin Gaming in September 2022, making it one of the first programs in the country to offer both theoretical and practical knowledge in Gaming and Esports through its immersive internships. Additionally, Hero Vired will continue to build the domain with strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Snapchat, Unreal Engine etc.

About Hero Vired:

Hero Vired is India's premium LearnTech Company for professionals and higher education aspirants. The company is a startup venture of the Hero Group that offers career-relevant programs, in partnership with world-class universities to make learners more competent and industry-ready for emerging jobs and skills of the future. With best-in-class short and long-term learning programs, Hero Vired offers overall professional development via skill-based programs and courses that are imperative to a learner's growth in India's rapidly evolving digital economy.

Kedaara Capital Invests In EdTech K12 Techno Services

The investment will support the company’s mission of providing high-quality education and technology services to the K-12 segment

K12 Techno Services Private Limited (“K12 Techno”), a leading education and technology services provider in India, today announced an investment from Kedaara Capital, for a significant minority stake in the Company. Through this investment, Kedaara seeks to support the company's vision of providing high-quality holistic education services to students and to schools in India by leveraging technology. This investment will also provide a partial exit to Peak XV Partners (formerly known as Sequoia Capital India).

K12 Techno is a technology and education services business providing full stack education, content, and technology services to more than 900 educational institutions across the country through a combination of own brand and a curriculum and technology platform. The company’s brand, content and technology are used by over 300,000 students in the K-12 space in India. The company has grown at a revenue CAGR of ~40% over last 5 years.

Kedaara will work closely with the Company’s professional management team led by its CEO, Mr. Jai Decosta, and other existing shareholders, namely, Peak XV Partners, Navneet Education Limited and Sofina Ventures, to augment its tech-enabled offering oriented towards world-class holistic education services.

Jai Decosta, CEO, K12 Techno Services said, “We are delighted to welcome Kedaara as a valued partner for the next phase of our growth, as it symbolizes a convergence of values and aspirations, and will help us continue to deliver on our mission to make an impact in the K-12 space in India. Our philosophy is to help nurture not just scholars, but also compassionate and capable individuals ready to shape a better world. We believe the congruence of technology with learning models built for India will help scale both holistic learning as well as improve outcomes.”

Sunish Sharma, Founder and Managing Partner and Anant Gupta, Managing Director of Kedaara Capital, said, "Education is the cornerstone of any society’s progress. India has over 260 million students enrolled in the K-12 segment, that aspire for accessible, high-quality holistic education. K12 Techno has done tremendous work to help schools bridge this gap by leveraging technology and process orientation. We are excited to partner with Jai and the K12 Techno team to help them accelerate their growth and further their goal of providing world-class holistic education services across India at affordable price points.”

“As long-term shareholders and partners to Jai and team, we’ve had a ring side view of K12 Techno's journey. Over the last 10 years, they have built a strong platform and tech stack to deliver high quality services to schools and students across the country. With Kedaara coming in, we believe the company will be well-funded and strengthened in its mission to build an enduring business.” added GV Ravishankar, MD, Peak XV. 

Sunil Gala, Managing Director of Navneet Education said, “Our partnership with K12 Techno has been based on a shared commitment towards promulgating knowledge and high-quality education in India. We have had a fantastic experience working with Jai and team over the last 10+ years. We are delighted to welcome Kedaara as a partner towards realizing this vision and are confident that K12 Techno will continue to create significant value for all the stakeholders in the coming years."

About K12 Techno

Founded in 2010, K12 Techno Services Private Limited is a leading education services provider in India, offering a dynamic suite of academic support, services, and solutions to educational institutions. Upgraded teaching methodologies, blended with the effective use of technology signifies K12 Techno’s approach towards K-12 education in India. 

The company provides full-stack services to over 900 educational institutions across India, under multiple brands. The company’s brand, content and technology are used by over 300,000 students in the K-12 space.

For more information about K12 Techno, please visit www.k12technoservices.com

Byju's Looks To Sell Great Learning and Epic To Repay $1 Bn Loan

Byju's, the struggling EdTech giant, in a surprising move offering to repay $300 million of the distressed debt within three months if the amendment proposal is accepted and the remaining amount in the subsequent three months.

According to a report by Reuters, Byju's is looking to sell two of its companies it acquired in 2021— Great Learning and Epic — to raise up to $1 billion in an effort to streamline its businesses and repay it's lenders.

In July 2021, BYJU’S acquired Great Learning Pvt. Ltd. for $600 million and Epic! for $500 million.

Byju's plans to sell these two companies are part of a "strategy review" to focus on its original area of K-12 education area while divesting from other business lines.

Valued at $22 billion last year, Byju's could also sell more of its assets in the future to raise cash, said the Reuters' report citing two of its sources.

BYJU'S has made 19 acquisitions and 2 investments, according to Tracxn. The EdTech company has spent over $ 2.88 billion for the acquisitions in previous years. 

Byju’s and its lenders have been involved in a conflict for almost a year, during which rounds of negotiations to revamp its loan agreement have failed.

In June, three of Byju's investor board members quit the company's board without explanation, leaving only company executives on the board. The same day, its auditor Deloitte quit mid-way through its audit, saying there was a "significant impact" on its ability to perform the audit according to necessary standards after "long-delayed" financial statements by the company.

National Space Innovation Challenge 2023 Launched by AIM, NITI Aayog in Collab with ISRO and Navars Edutech

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Navars Edutech successfully launched the National Space Innovation Challenge (NSIC) 2023.

NSIC 2023 is a National-level campaign designed to ignite next generation space enthusiast to understand and contribute towards growing Indian space economy and future space workforce. It’s a National platform to get inspired by industry leaders, seek opportunities for exploration and showcase ones innovation to the world.

NSIC 2023 is a unique challenge for school students across India that aligns with the nationwide excitement around the successful launch of Chandrayaan III by ISRO.

School Teachers, ATL In-Charges and mentors are encouraged for active participation.

With the goal of fostering innovation and curiosity among school students across the nation, the Atal Innovation Mission is proud to announce National Space Innovation Challenge (NSIC) open for all the school students across the country. Students of Classes 5 to 12 are given an open platform where they can innovate and enable themselves to solve modern-day space technology problems from August 11 to September 20, 2023.

Students (from ATL and Non-ATL schools) can submit their entries on the automated technology platform implemented by Navars Edutech through the link -https://navarsedutech.com/nsic/. Each student based on their interest and understanding, must select one problem which falls under any one of the Challenge themes.

NSIC offers integrated content from Industry mentor videos, resources and challenges for Junior Scientists (Grade 5-8) & Senior Scientists (Grade 9 -12) which the students can use to ideate and submit a short research report on a solution across diverse topics like Space Junk Collection Robot, Reusable Rocket Design, Satellite Design, Indian Spaceship Design for Mars, and more.

Navars Edutech is a Hyderabad-based astronomy and space edtech company that caters to school students.

Physics Wallah (PW) Launches PW Institute of Innovation, a Transformative 4-Year Residential Program in AI and Computer Science

Physics Wallah (PW), India's leading ed-tech platform, announces the launch PW Institute of Innovation (PW IOI), a 4-year residential program in computer Science and AI. Aimed at addressing the critical challenges faced by the Indian software industry, it is strategically located in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India. Designed to make students future ready by equipping them with industry-relevant skills and bridging the demand and supply gap of professionals, along with the employability gap.

The 4 year fully residential program offers a unique and holistic approach to education. With experienced faculty and industry leaders from top companies as mentors, an industry-oriented curriculum, up to 100% scholarships, and real-world projects, students are equipped for success in their professional journey. Personalized guidance, four comprehensive internships, networking opportunities, global exposure and a state-of-the-art campus further enhance the program's effectiveness.

Sudhanshu Kumar- CEO-PW SKills & Vishwa Mohan - CIO and President- PW IOI

The curriculum has been meticulously designed in a way that is aligned with the technology trends in the evolving market today. Additionally, students have the opportunity to pursue bachelor’s degree in parallel from a premier institute. The degree qualifies individuals to explore opportunities for further education in India or abroad and makes them eligible to appear for competitive examinations.

Vishwa Mohan, CIO at PW & President of PW IOI, said, “it is indeed concerning that despite the exponential growth witnessed in the Indian software industry, the employability rate of Indian engineering graduates has remained relatively low, with only marginal improvement over the years. Additionally, the significant increase in the demand-supply gap for skilled AI and data science professionals further highlights the need for a comprehensive transformation in the learning approach. PW IOI aims to address this issue by empowering professionals with employable and effective skills for the rapidly evolving job market.”

Sudhanshu Kumar, CEO PW Skills, emphasized “by combining real-world experience with an industry-focused curriculum, we aim to cater to the immediate needs of our students while also bridging the gap between demand and supply in future job opportunities. Towards the end of the course, the institute's placement cell will offer assistance in securing job offers, with partnerships established with over 500 hiring partners including Tata IQ, Siemens, Leadsquared, SAP, Oracle, KPMG, Amazon and others. Previously, PW Skills has placed more than 1500+ learners with an average salary of 22 LPA and top salary of 50 LPA.

The first batch of PW IOI is set to commence on 27th September 2023, with orientation on 25th September 2023. Registrations for the new batch are now open at pwioi.com, with the entrance exam scheduled for 19th August 2023.

About PW Skills:

PW Skills, the tech skilling vertical of Physics Wallah (PW), is one of the largest online platform for tech skilling with nearly 1 lakh users. The platform offers courses in Hindi, English, and Hinglish, providing a complete skilling ecosystem in one place. The ecosystem includes PW Virtual Lab, an Experience Portal, a Job portal, and a massive online community. To promote job readiness, the PW Virtual Lab provides necessary hardware through the cloud, enabling learners with basic PCs and internet connections to participate in software development and programming courses without the need for expensive hardware. The Experience Portal allows learners to work on end-to-end projects while adhering to industry best practices. Alongside hands-on training, the Experience Portal facilitates development tracking, and peer-to-peer collaboration, and provides an internship experience letter. PW Skills also offers placement assistance through its exclusive job portal. The platform has established partnerships with over 500 companies, including Tata IQ, Siemens, Leadsquared, SAP, Oracle, KPMG, and Amazon to offer top-notch job opportunities.

https://pwioi.com

Kalaari Capital backed Edtech AlmaBetter Allocates Rs 50 Cr Fund, Launches AlmaBetter Innovarsity

• Has affiliated with Woolf, USA, a global collegiate institution
• Will equip 5,000 learners with a master’s degree by April 2024
• Marks AlmaBetter’s entry into the postgraduate education space with the aim to meet growing demand for tech professionals

Kalaari Capital-backed ed-tech institute AlmaBetter allocates funds of Rs. 50 cr with the launch of AlmaBetter Innovarsity, an innovative autonomous institute that offers niche technical education in Data Science and AI, and Software Development fields.

AlmaBetter Innovarsity has affiliated with Woolf, USA, a global collegiate higher education institution with the same accreditation as other EU universities. The Innovarsity will equip 5,000 learners with a globally recognized master’s degree in Computer Science, by April 2024. The company said a portion of the Rs 50 crore fund will go towards scholarships based on merit, financial aid, and improving students’ overall learning experience.

The curriculum has been designed by the best minds from academia and the industry, keeping in mind the evolving industry needs. On program completion, learners will be credited with 90 ECTS credits, making AlmaBetter’s master's degree in Computer Science equivalent to an MS from any US or EU institution.

AlmaBetter Innovarsity’s postgraduate programs come with a placement assurance with their network of 700+ hiring partners. The institute will offer the master’s degree in CS with an option of four specialisations, including Data Science and Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Software Engineering, and Cloud Computing. These are 15-month programs that will propel learners toward high-growth careers in the tech domain.

The master’s degree programs are relevant for working professionals who want to switch into a rewarding tech career, as well as for recent graduates who are looking to venture into niche tech roles. The programs will allow learners enrolled with AlmaBetter Innovarsity to explore employment opportunities in India, the US, Europe, Canada and over 60 other countries.

This strategic partnership with Woolf marks AlmaBetter’s entry into the postgraduate education space in India. According to a recent report by Nasscom, in the upcoming financial year alone, the new-age tech industry is predicted to add about 3 lakh employees to its credit, taking the total tally of employees to almost 5.4 million. Addressing this opportunity, Shivam Dutta, Co-founder & CEO, said, ”Since the inception of AlmaBetter in 2020, the company’s mission has been resolute to empower capable and young tech minds across the country with the right skills so that they can build high-growth tech careers and contribute to the country's tech advancements.

“The goal for Woolf has always been to make quality education accessible to learners from across the world. As a part of the Woolf ecosystem, AlmaBetter is aiding tech enthusiasts and learners to become the skilled workforce that today’s tech industry requires”, said Joshua Broggi, Founder and Head of Institution at Woolf. Woolf boasts of an exemplary Academic Advisory Council, which features prominent academics, including Pramath Raj Sinha, Founding Dean of the Indian School of Business and Founder of Ashoka University.

Over the past three years, AlmaBetter has placed over 3,000 learners in niche Data Science and Software Development roles with an impressive placement rate of 92%. Their network of hiring partners include industry giants such as KPMG, HDFC, Myntra, Blenheim Chalcot India, JP Morgan Chase & Co., and many more.

About AlmaBetter

AlmaBetter is one of India’s leading AI-driven tech upskilling institutes to build modern-day technology careers. Incepted in 2020 by 5 IIT-educated founders, the company challenges the traditional way of education by focussing on outcome-based learning powered by AI, called “Competency-based Learning”.

The company is backed by Kalaari Capital and 15+ angel investors, including founders of marquee technology companies that include Vidit Aatrey (CEO, Meesho), Sanjeev Barnwal (CTO, Meesho), Rajesh Yabaji (CEO, Blackbuck), Varun Alagh (CEO, Mamaearth), and Rahul Dalmia (Early backer in Polygon Technology), and is bridging the much needed skill gap between industry needs and the tech workforce. With a record of more than 70% of learners getting an offer even before the completion of their program, AlmaBetter aims to establish itself as a significant contributor to the tech industry by continuously adding skilled tech workforce to the country’s talent pool.

The institute offers programs in niche fields such as Data Science and Software Development, which come with placement assurance for the learners, making the education risk-free. The learners are edified by instructors and mentors hailing from premier institutions and Fortune 500 companies. With industry-approved design of the curriculum, innovative and easy-to-grasp methods involving experiments, gamification, and capstone industry projects, the institute nurtures learners to stay at the top of their game, thereby ensuring optimal learning and career outcomes.

Edtech Startup Scaler Introduces GPT-4 powered AI Teaching Assistant

Scaler introduces GPT-4 powered AI teaching assistant to enhance learner experience

Since its pilot launch, 6000 learners from its Scaler Academy program have been provided access to the AI Teaching Assistant, enabling round-the-clock query resolution, and the company aims to extend this to all its learners by Q3 of 2023

Scaler (by InterviewBit), one of India's fastest-growing edtech startups, today announced the introduction of its GPT-4 powered AI teaching assistant for learners. By integrating ChatGPT functionalities into the Scaler Academy program, the tech upskilling ‘soonicorn’ aims to reduce the doubt resolution turnaround time of the learners, enhancing their learning outcomes.

This new system will enable comprehensive support for learners round-the-clock, enabling students to learn at their own pace. With the introduction of this solution, Scaler intends to address three potential pain points, namely, understanding problems, identifying optimal problem-solving approaches, and code debugging, thereby ensuring that learners receive immediate assistance at any time of the day.

Once learners identify and input their pain points as a prompt to the teaching assistant, the GPT-powered feature presents them with a suitable response to help them with their queries. Safeguards have been implemented to ensure the teaching assistant doesn't divulge the actual solution to the learner. Instead, prompts are presented that help them understand the problem better and figure out the answer independently. This approach promotes a hands-on and self-driven learning experience, where learners can develop their problem-solving skills and gain a deeper understanding of concepts. Through the implementation of 'prompt engineering,' Scaler aims to ensure that learners receive the best responses from ChatGPT, empowering them in their journey to overcome challenges and resolve doubts effectively.

Abhimanyu Saxena & Anshuman Singh - Co-Founders, IB & Scaler

In addition to this, Scaler has also introduced a 'Text Help Request' (THR) feature that enhances the learner experience by providing immediate and high-quality doubt resolution. Leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms such as BERT and Distilled BERT, the THR feature ensures accurate and contextually relevant guidance. Scaler's system delivers the most appropriate THR recommendations based on learners' specific queries by utilising BERT for text similarity matching and for computing text embeddings. Parameters such as Help Request and Teaching Assistant ratings, recency of resolved HRs, and a weighted scoring system contribute to the accuracy and quality of the recommendations. Within a week of its implementation, Scaler is already seeing a 30% better resolution of help requests raised by learners on average, an all-time low.

Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder of Scaler & InterviewBit, said, "While being mindful and empathetic towards the busy schedules of working professionals who undertake tech upskilling courses, it is crucial to provide them with an outcome-driven and high-quality learning experience at every stage of their journey. Previously, our Scaler learners relied solely on teaching assistants who were available for 15 hours a day to address their doubts. However, with the launch of our GPT-4 powered AI teaching assistant and the THR feature, learners can now have their doubts and queries addressed instantly. These new features greatly boost productivity for our learners, aiding them with all the means necessary to work their way around complex concepts and problem-solving challenges. By leveraging the power of AI and ML, Scaler is reshaping the landscape of tech education, empowering learners to achieve their goals efficiently and effectively."

Since the pilot launch a month ago, 6000 learners from its Scaler Academy program have been provided access to the AI Teaching Assistant, with the feature already significantly impacting learners' experiences. With over 33% more learners utilising the tool to solve problems independently without the intervention of a teaching assistant, Scaler has witnessed a significant uptick in learner satisfaction. The learner analytics also observed that learners who accessed the ChatGPT-powered AI teaching assistant were 10% to 20% less likely to raise help externally and could solve problems by themselves - the key idea being building a problem-solving attitude among learners towards software engineering that eventually leads to better outcomes within the program as well as on the job. The majority of exposed learners have rated the support as 5* and are glad they are able to get support from AI to code better!

Over the next three months, Scaler aims to make both the AI Assistant and the Text Help Request features accessible to all their 35,000 learners in the Scaler ecosystem.

About Scaler:

Launched in 2019, Scaler is India's leading tech education company that upskills working professionals and educates aspiring engineering students. Scaler's industry-vetted curriculum provides solutions to real-world challenges addressing the changing dynamics of the technology industry through two flagship programmes: Scaler Academy and Scaler DSML.

Scaler believes in creating real-life impact by focusing on 'impact-driven' tech talent. Enrolled learners are mentored and taught by leaders and subject-matter experts working with leading organisations, including MAANG companies. Scaler has generated enviable career outcomes in a short period, and on average, its learners see a 4.5x RoI (return on investment) and salary hike of approximately 126%.

To further redefine tech education, Scaler has launched Scaler Neovarsity - an online university that offers an outcome-focused Master's Programme accredited with ECTS and Scaler School of Technology - a 4-year residential UG program in Computer Science. Scaler is also the only edtech player in the country to establish 'Scalerverse', a distributed campus to add to its Neovarsity vision for learners, teachers, and mentors, encouraging holistic learning and development. Scaler Enterprise is the B2B arm that focuses on building relationships with domestic and global organisations to provide them with industry-ready talent. Over 800 companies have worked with Scaler for their tech recruitment needs.

The startup's parent firm, InterviewBit, is featured on the Financial Times's Asia Pacific High Growth Companies 2021, 2022 and 2023 ranking. Scaler is backed by marquee global investors like Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India), Tiger Global, and Lightrock India and has expanded its footprints across India and the US.