Byju's is an Indian multinational educational technology (edtech) company headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Operated by its parent entity Think & Learn Private Limited, the company is best known for its flagship learning application, Byju's – The Learning App, which provides academic content for school students and competitive examination aspirants. Founded by Byju Raveendran, the company became one of the most prominent edtech ventures to emerge from India and was, for a period, among the most highly valued private technology companies in the country.
| Name | Byju's |
|---|---|
| Legal entity | Think & Learn Private Limited |
| Industry | Educational technology |
| Founder | Byju Raveendran |
| Co-founder | Divya Gokulnath |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Country of origin | India |
| Type | Private company |
The company traces its origins to the teaching career of Byju Raveendran, an engineer from Kerala who began coaching students for competitive examinations such as the Common Admission Test (CAT). His classroom-based coaching gradually expanded into large-format sessions across multiple Indian cities, before transitioning to a technology-led model. Think & Learn Private Limited, the parent company, was incorporated to formalise this venture and develop digital learning products.
The Byju's learning application was launched as a mobile-first product offering video lessons, interactive content, and adaptive assessments, initially targeting students in middle school and senior secondary classes in the Indian school curriculum, and later expanding to early learners and aspirants of examinations such as the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), and various civil services and management entrance tests.
Byju's grew rapidly through a combination of original content development, marketing, and acquisitions. The company expanded internationally and broadened its portfolio to cover offerings for different age groups and learning needs. Notable acquisitions associated with the group include:
The company also undertook high-profile sponsorships, including association with the Indian national cricket team's jersey and a sponsorship arrangement linked to the FIFA World Cup, which significantly raised its public profile.
After a phase of rapid expansion, Byju's faced significant operational, financial, and governance challenges. Reported difficulties included delays in the filing of financial statements, disputes with lenders over a large overseas term loan raised by its US subsidiary, departures of senior executives and auditors, regulatory scrutiny in India, layoffs, and disagreements with several investors. These developments led to a sharp downward revision in the company's reported valuation by some of its shareholders and triggered insolvency-related proceedings against group entities. The company has also been the subject of legal proceedings in multiple jurisdictions concerning its lending and corporate arrangements.
Byju's is regarded as a defining example of the rise of large-scale edtech in India during the 2010s and early 2020s, particularly during the period when school closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital learning. Its growth highlighted both the commercial potential of online education in India and the regulatory and consumer-protection questions associated with aggressive sales practices, long-term subscription contracts, and venture-backed scaling in the education sector. The company's later difficulties have also been widely cited in discussions about corporate governance and risk management in Indian start-ups.