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Tag: Aakash Educational Services

  • Why Indian ed-tech companies are going global

    Why Indian ed-tech companies are going global

    MUMBAI: The advancement in technology has brought about various revolutionary changes in the educational sector in recent years. Post the rise of ed-tech start-ups, students in India are enjoying personalised learning experiences, and as a result, the popularity of these companies among kids and grown-ups alike has risen dramatically. 

    From appointing film superstars as their brand ambassadors to offering virtual learning experiences to users, ed-tech brands in India are pulling out the stops to become the top name in the education industry. Several ed-tech companies in India have already emerged as big names, and they are now gradually extending their reach to foreign countries as well. 

    The rise and rise of Byju's

    With a user base of over 65 million and a bunch of A-listers promoting it, Byju's is undoubtedly the most popular ed-tech platform in the country. Launched in 2011 by Byju Raveendran, Byju's, in the course of years has emerged as the most trustworthy ed-tech platform for students in India. 

    Over the years, Byju's has acquired several other players in the ed-tech space, like coding platform WhiteHat Jr, TutorVista, offline test prep Aakash Educational Services, Osmo, etc. Valued at $11 billion, the Byju Raveendran-led start-up is now eager to make its presence felt in the international market. 

    Byju's is already a known name in the US ever since its acquisition of Osmo, an American learning start-up that is popular among kids aged between five and 12. During the Disrupt 2020 conference, co-founder & CEO Byju Raveendran had claimed that the company has plans to launch a digital learning app aimed at kids in several English-speaking markets. He also added that WhiteHat Jr will introduce math subjects to students in Australia and New Zealand. The company is also angling to expand its operations to countries like Singapore and Germany. 

    On the marketing side, Byju's is a brand known for its close association with the Indian Premier League (IPL). Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the IPL, has roped in 18 sponsors for this year's tournament, and Byju's has once again made the cut. As the reach of IPL is unparalleled in India, the ed-tech giant will likely continue its association with cricket in the coming years too. Moreover, the popularity of IPL is not just confined to India, and it will help Byju's to familiarise its brand among foreign viewers too. 

    upGrad: Offering courses to Indian learners from foreign universities

    Headquartered in Mumbai, upGrad is one of the largest homegrown online learning companies. It was recently reported that the start-up is planning to increase its line-up of global universities threefold in 2021. 

    Touted to be India's largest higher education firm, upGrad has already expanded its worldwide network of top universities by partnering with the University of Essex (Online), Duke Corporate Education, and Michigan State University. This move will help Indian students to pursue higher education from top-rated foreign universities, the company had said.

    "2020 has been the year when we grew over 100 per cent in terms of both, national and international university partnerships. We introduced global MBAs and made them one of the highest revenue-making verticals. Now with the recent tie-ups, we have grown three times our program portfolio to cross 100+ programs. The figures are set to double in 2021," said upGrad co-founder Phalgun Kompalli told Bloomberg Quint. 

    Last year, upGrad inked a deal with Star India to run its latest ad campaign during IPL matches. On the back of its association with the league, the e-learning platform aims to expand its global reach with an advertising blitz this year as well. 

    Mindler aiming sky high

    Mindler cannot be considered purely as an online teaching company; rather, it’s a career counselling firm that provides career development guidance services for students. Three years into the business, Mindler has succeeded in establishing operations in five foreign countries. 

    "It’s no more about saturating in India before going global…if your product is good then why not," said Minder founder Prateek Bhargava, as quoted by Mint. 

    Aspiring Minds' successful overseas run

    Another ed-tech company that has planted its flag in the overseas market is Aspiring Minds, headquartered in Bengaluru. The start-up has already ventured into countries like the United States and China. 

    Aspiring Minds co-founder Varun Aggarwal shared that they are planning to foray into other countries because they have a quality product that can be showcased globally. 

    "If you have a globally competitive product and a company with ambition, then it is wiser to go overseas. We believe what we were doing in India can be replicated anywhere in the world. We are now in China, the US, The Philippines and parts of Africa. When you talk about global – for an Indian company like us it means two key markets, China and the US. Other markets are small in comparison," he added. 

    Interestingly, Aspiring Minds' international operations account for 25-30 per cent of its overall revenue. 

  • Byju’s acquires Aakash Educational Services for nearly $1 billion

    Byju’s acquires Aakash Educational Services for nearly $1 billion

    NEW DELHI: Aiming to bolster its presence in the offline test preparation segment, Indian ed-tech leader Byju's has acquired Aakash Educational Services (AESL). The deal is apparently worth $1 billion, making it the biggest acquisition by Byju's to date. 

    Aakash Educational Services is a 33-year-old chain of physical coaching centers, and with this acquisition, Byju's hopes to accelerate its offline growth. Backed by Blackstone, Aakash has more than 200 operational physical tutoring centers in India. 

    "This will be the largest integration in the education space in India, especially in the startup space. Covid has really opened the gates to online education significantly and going forward, we believe that all kinds of models in education will exist in K-12, test prep, and even higher education," AESL managing director Aakash Chaudhry told PTI. 

    Chaudhry added that the merger could help to deliver education through multiple channels, both offline and online. He asserted that Byju's will make further investments to accelerate the growth of Aakash after the integration. AESL will continue operating as a separate entity and will expand its operations in the country, he clarified.

    "Our complementary strengths will enable us to build capabilities, create engaging and personalised learning programs. The future of learning is hybrid and this union will bring together the best of offline and online learning, as we combine our expertise to create impactful experiences for students," said Byju's CEO Byju Raveendran, as quoted by The Times of India. 

    Already touted as the biggest player in India’s booming ed-tech space, Byju's had acquired TutorVista and Edurite from Pearson in 2017, and Osmo in 2019. Last year, the company bought up coding training platform Whitehat Jr for $300 million. 

  • Aakash Education pushes ANTHE with a new spot

    Aakash Education pushes ANTHE with a new spot

    MUMBAI: Aakash Educational Services has launched a new TV commercial on its flagship national scholarship exam, Aakash National Talent Hunt Exam (ANTHE 2020), on all major channels across languages in the country.

    With the launch of this campaign, Aakash aims at inviting students to enroll themselves in ANTHE, which gives deserving students an opportunity to earn up to 100 per cent scholarship and helps them take the first step in their endeavour to become doctors and engineers. Students studying in class 7 to 12 can enroll for the exam.

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    The objective of the TVC is to build brand awareness, besides supporting retail marketing to drive consumer traffic. The TVC will be supported with a pan-India print campaign as well.

    Made in 40 and 20 second edits, the ad highlights that ANTHE this year will be conducted online as well, addressing the challenges and issues posed due to the ongoing pandemic. By taking the examination online, it will help stellar students from smaller towns and cities be a part of it.

    The TVC shows a young boy encouraging others to understand the significance of appearing for the nationwide scholarship exam. The campaign focuses on how, despite the ongoing uncertainties, one should not deter from striving for success and Aakash is taking every possible step to make the examination smooth and hassle-free for the aspirants.

    AESL MD Aakash Chaudhry said, “The campaign will be aired on TV as well on digital m channels, which will not only give it a mass outreach but will also help in engaging with students on the online platform.”

    The brand has been regularly advertising with its call to action ads as well as brand campaigns across the mediums. It has also worked with celebrities such as Yuvraj Singh to cut across the audiences and send the message. The brand operates in a very competitive market which has several players like it who are offering similar services.

  • Aakash Educational Services appoints Yuvraj Singh as brand ambassador

    Aakash Educational Services appoints Yuvraj Singh as brand ambassador

    MUMBAI: Aakash Educational Services (AESL), has appointed ace cricketer Yuvraj Singh as its brand ambassador. The cricketer will promote the company and its various brands including Aakash Institute, Aakash IIT-JEE, Aakash Digital and Meritnation. As the face of Aakash, Yuvraj Singh will lead the brand's latest omni-channel 'Success is Waiting' campaign for Aakash Digital. 

    The ‘Success is Waiting’ campaign, conceptualised in partnership with Cheil India, the creative agency of AESL, will be for students re-appearing for medical and engineering entrance examinations. It intends to inspire such students to give it another shot and will be visible through the digital medium.  

    Yuvraj was the ideal fit to drive home the message effectively as the company needed an inspiring comeback story of a sportsperson, with the core messaging of ‘come back stronger’. With Cricket being the most widely followed sports in the country, the communication has been designed around the comeback story of Yuvraj Singh. He has been an inspirational figure for many Indians, first through his successful cricketing career, then his battle with cancer and his inspirational comeback and now with his humanitarian initiatives.  

    Read more news on Aakash Educational Services

    Commenting on the collaboration with Yuvraj Singh, Aakash Educational Services director and CEO Aakash Chaudhry said, “We are pleased to make Yuvraj Singh a part of the Aakash Family. We believe that every student gives their best shot during these critical examinations but we also acknowledge the fact that one does not taste success every time. We want to make the students understand that we not only stand with them in their struggle but also understand their weaknesses and are ready to work on them with the support of the aspirants. Striding on Yuvraj’s popularity amongst the youngsters and his path breaking success story and inspiring comeback, we are sure that he will inculcate the route to celebrate failure while bouncing back with all the more determination, strength and focus.” 

    The film unfolds as a long walk with Yuvraj Singh capturing the protagonist’s highs and lows in lives. At relevant moments, he walks past a set of cricket stumps uprooted, past trophies and medals, past pictures of his fans screaming for his autograph, newspaper headlines that speak of his not being part of the team, etc. Interspersed with the shots, we see school kids studying, looking into a mirror with determination or at times looking unsure. The film motivates the students to resume their journey on the path of success with renewed vigour. 

    Yuvraj Singh said, “I connect with Aakash as they train students to never give up and offer a helping hand to them in cracking such tough entrance exams. The theme of the film too in a way mirrors the journey of my life. I have faced many ups and downs. Through the film I want to tell the students that when the world calls you a failure, you call yourself a success. Find a coach who will have more faith in you than he would have in himself. And I assure you that once that happens, there is no looking back.”  

    Owing to the current scenario and shorter preparation cycle available to the repeaters, digital format is the most preferred medium amongst students. With the strong pedagogy of Aakash Institute in test preparation coupled with the superior digital capabilities, Aakash Digital stands out amongst the masses.  

    Aakash Institute aims to help students in their quest to achieve academic success. It has a centralized in-house process for curriculum and content development and faculty training and monitoring, led by its National Academic Team. Over the years, students from AESL have shown proven selection track record in various Medical & Engineering entrance exams and competitive exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads.