Indian edtech giant Byju’s, which raised about a billion dollars last year as the pandemic accelerated growth of online learning services in India, is about to kickoff its fundraising spree for this year.
Byju’s is in talks to raise over $600 million in a new financing round that would value the Indian startup at $15 billion, up from about $11 billion late last year, and $5.75 billion in July 2019, two people familiar with the matter told TC.
Byju Raveendran, the co-founder and chief executive of the eponymous startup, informed some existing investors last month that he would be raising a sizeable round this month, a person familiar with the matter said. The new round is in advanced stages of talks, and some new investors are expected to participate, the people said.
The startup declined to comment last month and earlier this week.
The startup plans to use the fresh capital to acquire more startups. It is currently in talks with a U.S.-based firm — the name of which TC could not determine — for an acquisition, and is conducting due diligence to buy Indian physical coaching institute Aakash, the people said, requesting anonymity as talks are private.
Byju’s, which is profitable, generated revenues of over $100 million in the U.S. last year, Deborah Quazzo, Managing Partner of GSV Ventures, said at a session held by Indian venture fund Blume Ventures earlier this week.
Byju’s prepares students pursuing undergraduate and graduate-level courses, and in recent years it has also expanded its catalog to serve all school-going students. Tutors on Byju’s app tackle complex subjects using real-life objects such as pizza and cake.
This is a developing story. More to follow…
