B2C Edtech Startups are doing pretty great as more and more students are coming online to study and be up-to-date with their courses. However, it is interesting to see how B2B startups are facing these challenges and coming up with new solutions. We have collated quotes from three industry leaders from Edtech namely – Classplus, Eupheus Learning and GETI (Global Education & Training Institute).
Classplus is a SaaS platform for coaching institutes. Eupheus Learning provides curriculum and non-curriculum solutions to schools and GETI is a training institute for teachers. Please find their comments below on how they are reacting to the pandemic:
Quote from Mr. Mukul Rustagi, Co-Founder, Classplus – ” In sync with other industries, coaching centres have also been impacted by the current pandemic. This is also the time of the start of the start of the new academic session, and a truer picture will emerge as we near the summer vacation season.
We understand that conducting offline classes as the only source of student engagement might be tough for tutors so that all communication is mapped on one platform. We have also started serving more tier 3-4 towns as the need is as acute in there.”
About Classplus: Classplus is one of the fastest growing SaaS Startups in the edutech space which is enabling tutors to take their traditionally offline, brick and mortar setups called coaching centres online using its mobile-first product. It allows tutors to run all their communication, payments, assessments and online learning programmes via the product that also doubles up as their online content repository. It also acts as a new-age content distribution platform, enabling tutors to set up ecommerce channels and make online learning programmes available to students. Within 15 months of its launch, the company has built a base with over 2000 coaching centres as its clients across 50-plus indian cities and has been backed by investors like Sequoia, Blume, Times Internet, Strive and Spiral Ventures.
Quote from Mr. Amit Kapoor, Co-Founder, Eupheus Learning – Like all industries and sectors, education business has been directly impacted by this pandemic – closure of schools means a recheck / realignment of the way students have been studying at schools.
Being a curriculum first B2B company, we have seen a drop in supply and demand from early March onwards but what is heartening is that a lot of schools have come back to us and ask for a digital intervention in these testing times.
The obvious part is to provide content for the first quarter and is being planned but its implementation at schools shall depend upon the revised academic sessions due to the shutdown – we foresee more clarity by next week depending upon the way the COVID-19 cases spike / subside in India.
As a support to the young learner’s we are providing free access free ( till 30th May ) to the following resources for students : ABC Tiger and Fiction Express ( for reading ), World Book Databases ( for reference / supplemental material ), eNounce ( for improving Spoken English ) and RoboGarden ( for Coding ).
On the team side, we have taken the advice of the WHO very strictly and entire team is working from home from last week itself. We are in constant touch with authorities and keeping the staff up to date with all the developments.
With a Black Swan event like this, companies with large cash burn may have a challenge whereas we have worked on a lean business model from our inception due to which we became profitable within 21 months of being operational.
“In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.” ― Albert Einstein
About Eupheus Learning: Unlike other Indian education startups, which either work in the in-school learning segment or provide at – home learning solutions, Eupheus Learning is bridging the gap between in-school and at-home learning by providing end-to-end education solutions to kids through their portfolio of curriculum solutions, reference books and at- home digital solutions. It offers pedagogically differentiated, technology-driven solutions in the K-12 space.
Within one year of being in business Eupheus crossed the feat of earning a revenue of $3.2 Mn (INR 22 Cr) in the first fiscal. Such numbers are unseen in the entire startup landscape in India. In the first half of FY 19-20, Eupheus recorded a 3x increase in revenues compared to the same period last year. It also increased its geographical presence to 70 cities in India from 52 earlier, expanded its team to 175 personnel, and forged new alliances with 4 international education players, taking its roster of global partnerships to 17.Eupheus Learning has managed to reach over 3.3 Mn students through 3700 schools, largely private in the last one year.
Quote from Sunita Gandhi, Director, GETI (Global Education & Training Institute) and Global Classroom Pvt.Ltd. – “Learning from the experience of other countries, we anticipated schools will need to close. We have been training teachers in the use of digital processes so they are better prepared.
The primary modes of communication to and fro from students have been Google Classroom, Google Hangout, YouTube and WhatsApp. Given that in Tier 2 cities and with the integration of students from all socio-economic backgrounds, we have been able to maximize the interactions by sending teacher made videos and assignments on WhatsApp and interacting with students on Google Hangout. Teachers have used props and hand-made mobile holders to make videos.
One of the new aspects of our outreach efforts to reach students from Pre-primary to Class XII has been asking the children to not only do the assignments posted by the teacher, but also to post videos of their own explaining what they have learned. This has proved very exciting for the children. Children as little as 3 year olds have had their videos made and posted with the help of their parents.
I also believe mobile is the way of the future and now with the crash course teachers have received, they will begin to integrate digital methods more often in their workplace. Learning can be definitely more joyful, as we have seen, both teachers and students like to express themselves through media (which is the psychology used by all social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter). One major advantage also is personalization of learning which with one teacher at the helm of a class without technology is not as feasible.”
About GETI (Global Education & Training Institute): GETI is India’s premier training institute for in-service , pre-service teachers and education leaders. GETI also provides schools opportunity to hire teachers who can lead a new and transformative agenda in their schools. The program is designed to empower teachers with teaching processes and methods to bring out the best in each child. It helps teachers recognize each child as a perennial fountain of unmatched capacities and capabilities which with the right interventions can bring out the best in each one. It enables teachers to nurture positive self concept and high self esteem of self as well as children so as to empower them to achieve the fullest of their potentials by using positive languages and building growth mind-set. It supports for development of universal values, service-learning and life-skills in all students. GETI’s aim is to help teachers develop their professional thinking and practice, and enhance the quality of their teaching and learning. Reflective practice is enriched by critical engagement with new ideas and approaches. This is also supported by collecting data on influence of such practices on academic performance of learners.
