In a strategic move to broaden its footprint in India’s growing professional education sector, Imarticus Learning has acquired the edtech startup MyCaptain for Rs 50 crore (around $6 million). This acquisition marks the company’s fourth in four years and signals its commitment to expanding access to passion-driven career education, especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

About MyCaptain: Bridging Passion with Career Mentorship

Founded in 2016 by Mohammed Zeeshan, Sameer Ramesh, and Ruhan Naqash, MyCaptain is an innovative mentorship platform that connects students with young achievers across creative, entrepreneurial, and emerging professional fields. The startup empowers learners to pursue careers aligned with their passions-be it digital marketing, content creation, design, or startup ventures-through hands-on bootcamps, personalized guidance, and real-world projects.

With an engaged user base on 1,500 college campuses in the US, MyCaptain’s user base reflects the demographics of India: nearly sixty percent are from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, demonstrating success in reaching underrepresented geo demographics in markets outside metro cities. About eighty percent of its learners are involved in creative and entrepreneurial fields, reflecting a new generational preference away from traditional careers.

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Financial Performance and Funding Milestones

MyCaptain has raised $4.7 million from prominent investors including Ankur Capital, Firstport Ventures, Inflection Point Ventures, and the Singapore Angel Network. The startup achieved Rs 27 crore in revenue last year and reached EBITDA breakeven-a rare feat among early-stage edtech firms-demonstrating a sustainable business model focused on mentorship-driven learning.

This strong financial footing has enabled MyCaptain to innovate continually, expanding its curriculum and scaling its reach while maintaining quality mentorship experiences.

What the Acquisition Means for Imarticus Learning

By acquiring MyCaptain, Imarticus Learning gains access to a well-established mentorship ecosystem and a growing user base passionate about creative and entrepreneurial careers. This will enable Imarticus to integrate MyCaptain’s employability bootcamps in emerging fields such as Digital Marketing, Content Strategy, and Design Thinking into its offerings.

These programs will be available across Imarticus’ 20+ classroom centres in over 16 cities, allowing the company to significantly enhance its presence in smaller cities a critical focus area given the increasing demand for skill-based education outside metropolitan hubs.

Imarticus aims to empower 5 million learners over the next three years, and this acquisition aligns perfectly with its vision to democratize access to industry-relevant skills and mentorship for India’s youth.

Imarticus Learning’s Acquisition Journey: Diversification and Growth

The MyCaptain acquisition builds on Imarticus Learning’s previous strategic moves to diversify its offerings and deepen learner engagement:

• In 2022, Imarticus acquired StratOnBoard, a game-based learning platform designed to boost learner engagement through interactive, gamified content.
• In 2021, it took over Eckovation, a social learning platform that fosters peer-to-peer collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Earlier this year, in April 2023, Imarticus acquired Hero Mindmine, the skill development and training arm of Hero Group, significantly expanding its footprint in vocational training.

Following these acquisitions Imarticus Learning employee count has now gone up to more than 850 employees, in addition, its leadership is further enhanced by experienced entrepreneurs and domain experts, all of which has strengthened its role as a full stack career education provider.

Industry Context: Growing Demand for Non-Technical Career Education

India’s edtech sector is witnessing unprecedented growth, driven by rising internet penetration, affordable smartphones, and a youth population hungry for job-ready skills. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the Indian online education market is expected to reach $10.4 billion by 2025, with vocational and professional training segments growing rapidly.

The demand for growth is changing to creative, entrepreneurial, digital skill sets. There is a gap in traditional education systems in terms of creativity, entrepreneurship, and digital skill sets. It is organizations like MyCaptain that can fill that gap, with mentorship that is real-world, personal, and not just textbook information to learn.

There are tier 2 and tier 3 cities that contain millions of aspiring learners that are the wet canvas for such career centered learning options. Imarticus Learning’s focus on these regions will allow it to capture this maturing demand.

Leadership Insights: Vision for Inclusive Career Education

Commenting on the acquisition, Nikhil Barshikar, Founder and CEO of Imarticus Learning, stated:

“Our previous acquisitions allowed us to diversify and adapt to the evolving needs of learners. With MyCaptain, we are strengthening our presence in non-technical career domains and expanding our reach deep into tier 2 and beyond cities. This partnership embodies our mission to empower millions of learners to pursue careers that align with their passions and the changing job market.”

The Road Ahead: Transforming Skill Development in India

Leveraging MyCaptain’s mentorship-oriented vision and Imarticus Learning’s rich infrastructure, we will create a league of platform that can disrupt India’s professional education space. Through this partnership we will be able to deliver a credible, employability-focused education to millions of individuals, specifically from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, thereby creating jobs and innovation.

As India moves toward a digital and creative economy, skill development initiatives like this will be pivotal in preparing the workforce for new-age career opportunities. The combined strengths of Imarticus Learning and MyCaptain promise a future where passion-driven education is accessible to all, irrespective of geography.

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