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Monday, July 7, 2025 4:45 AM

Byju Raveendran

Byju’s Seeks Fresh Funds, Slashes Valuation by 90% to Tackle Financial Woes

Indian education giant Byju’s is reportedly planning to raise funds through a share issuance next month, seeking over $100 million from existing investors. The catch, however, is that the valuation of the once $22 billion startup will plummet by more than 90%, now placing the company at less than $2 billion. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Byju’s founder, Byju Raveendran, will partake in the share sale to maintain his stake in the company. The move comes as Byju’s grapples with financial challenges, planning to utilize the proceeds to settle outstanding payments to vendors and stabilize its operations. Byju’s had previously attained a valuation of $22 billion during its funding round in late 2022, marking a significant decline in its perceived value. The company has been navigating a cash crunch for several months and is concurrently engaged in a legal dispute with creditors over a missed interest payment on a $1.2 billion term loan. In a bid to alleviate financial pressures, Byju’s is set to sell its US-based kids’ digital reading platform for approximately $400 million. The spokesperson for the company has declined to comment on the recent developments. Post the share sale, Byju’s aims to refocus on its core business and intensify efforts in the realm of generative artificial intelligence for hyper-personalized learning. Backed by prominent investors like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, General Atlantic, and Prosus NV, Byju’s had previously embarked on a global acquisition spree before encountering the challenges of a tech funding downturn. Noteworthy participants in the upcoming share sale include existing shareholders, such as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, General Atlantic, and Prosus NV. Byju’s endeavors to rebuild its business amid the financial restructuring, emphasizing innovation in education technology. The company’s proactive measures highlight the resilience of Byju’s leadership in adapting to market dynamics while ensuring a sustainable future for the prominent education technology firm.

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Byju’s in talks with banks for $1 billion funding

Byju’s, India’s most valuable startup, is in talks with lenders to acquire more than $1 billion in acquisition financing as the online education provider looks to aggressively grow its business, people familiar with the situation stated. The Bangalore-based market leader is in talks with banks, including Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co., for funding to takeover another edtech company, according to the sources, who asked not to be named as the information is not public.  They didn’t say anything about the acquisition target and said that the terms of the transaction and the funding are yet to be finalized. Byju’s, helmed by former teacher Byju Raveendran, has been buying up businesses offering coding lessons, professional learning courses, and test prep programmes for competitive Indian examinations in recent years in the US and overseas. Bloomberg reported earlier this year that the business was valued at $22 billion after raising funds this year and is working on plans for an initial public offering. JPMorgan and Byju’s representatives declined to comment on the financing. Morgan Stanley representative did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment right away. According to information on the platform’s website, the platform’s app has been downloaded more than 150 million times, and clients spend an average of 71 minutes each day on it. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, Naspers Ltd., Tiger Global Management, and Sequoia Capital India have all invested in the company, which is formally known as Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd. After schools and tutoring centres were forced to close their doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing parents, teachers, and students to seek alternative learning resources, the popularity of online classes soared in the country of almost 1.4 billion people with one of the world’s youngest populations. Byju’s has also expanded its product portfolio to include one-on-one coaching with teachers in India and other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, and Australia. Source: Economic Times

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