In a significant step in India’s edtech landscape, Aakash Chaudhry, founder of Aakash Institute, has raised $4 million in seed funding for his latest venture, Sparkl Edventure. The funding round has attracted prominent investors including Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal and Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath, indicating a strong belief in the startup’s vision.

Sparkl Edventure’s origins

Launched in October 2024, Sparkl Edventure aims to revolutionize online learning for students in grades 6-12. The platform focuses on the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge curricula, offering personalized and individualized education in core subjects such as math, science, languages, and business studies.

Unlike Aakash Educational Services Ltd (AESL), which is known for its offline exam preparation model, Sparkl operates as a fully digital platform. It allows for an international curriculum and study abroad aspirations, making it a unique addition to India’s edtech ecosystem.

Investors back Sparkl

The $4 million funding round is led by:

Deepinder Goyal, CEO of Zomato, India’s leading food delivery and aggregator platform.

Nithin Kamath, CEO of Zerodha, a pioneer in the financial technology space. Kamath’s Rainmatter fund, which focuses primarily on fintech and sustainability, is a lead participant in the funding round.

Other investors

The round is expected to attract other prominent investors, further strengthening Sparkl’s financial foundation.

Why Sparkl is Different

Sparkl stands out in the competitive tech market for several reasons:

Personalized Curriculum: Focused on IB and Cambridge curricula, it caters to the growing demand for international education.

Global Reach: Already operating in cities like Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad and Singapore, Sparkl plans to expand further.

Mental Health Support: Integrates monthly wellness sessions to address student stress and peer pressure, a first in the edtech sector.

Fast Launch: Sparkl, which was scheduled to launch in 2025, was launched ahead of schedule due to its high-tech readiness.

Aakash Chaudhry’s Vision

Aakash Chaudhry’s decision to start Sparkl comes after his pivotal role in the $950 million sale of AESL to Byju’s in 2021. Despite the sale, Chaudhry retains 11% of AESL and continues to impact the education industry. His startup, Sparkl, was founded with Meritnation.com founders Pavan Chauhan and Ritesh Hemrajani. Meritnation, which was acquired by AESL in 2020, is playing a key role in Sparkl’s growth.

Future Plans

With strong support from its investors and a clear focus on quality education, Sparkl aims to:

• Expand its reach in India and international markets.
• Leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance the learning experience.
• Address the growing demand for study abroad assistance through its unique learning solutions.

Conclusion

Investments from industry leaders like Deepinder Goyal and Nithin Kamath underscore Sparkl Edventure’s potential to transform the edtech landscape. By combining personalized learning, mental health support, and an international curriculum approach, Sparkl is poised to pioneer online learning. As the platform grows, it is expected to have a significant impact on how students learn and prepare for global opportunities.