Aakash Chaudhry’s most recent business, Sparkl Edventure, has raised $4 million in a seed fundraising round, which is a huge boost for India’s edtech industry. Zomato creator Deepinder Goyal and Nithin Kamath’s Rainmatter Foundation spearheaded the fundraising. The Economic Times broke the story first, and Chaudhry later confirmed it in an interview with YourStory.
Credits: Yourstory
Sparkl Edventure, which was founded in October 2024, specializes in providing one-on-one online tutoring for kids in grades 6 through 12, with an emphasis on the IB and Cambridge curriculum. By establishing itself as a go-to resource for parents and children navigating these internationally renowned but less widely used educational frameworks in India, the platform seeks to close a significant market vacuum.
Targeting an Underserved Market
According to Aakash Chaudhry, there is a clear demand for high-quality tutoring services in the IB and Cambridge education space. “I believe this is an education segment, which, in my personal experience as a parent and knowing so many parents struggling to find good tutors on IB, is underserved,” said Chaudhry.
The IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum, relatively new in India, presents unique challenges for both educators and students. Most Indian tutors are traditionally trained to teach CBSE, ICSE, or state board syllabi, making the specialized teaching required for IB or Cambridge frameworks a tougher problem to solve.
This gap is precisely what Sparkl Edventure seeks to address. By providing personalized tutoring programs, the company hopes to deliver tailored educational experiences that meet the high expectations of parents and students in this niche but growing segment.
Why One-on-One Tutoring?
Sparkl Edventure’s approach focuses on individualized learning experiences, a key differentiator in a crowded edtech market. One-on-one tutoring allows tutors to customize their teaching methodologies to suit each student’s unique needs and learning pace. This model is particularly well-suited to IB and Cambridge curricula, which emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving, and conceptual understanding over rote memorization.
“This market also has a higher paying capacity, and that allows us to run the one-on-one program, which requires higher economics,” Chaudhry explained. The company’s premium pricing model is designed to sustain the costs associated with delivering high-quality, personalized instruction while maintaining a scalable business structure.
Backed by Industry Titans
The $4 million equity fundraising round demonstrates how well-known investors like Deepinder Goyal and Nithin Kamath believe in Sparkl Edventure’s mission. Kamath’s Rainmatter Foundation is renowned for supporting creative, impact-driven projects, and Goyal’s participation lends legitimacy to the startup’s expansion plans.
The company’s founders are notable for their extensive educational backgrounds. To address this niche market, the founders of Meritnation, another well-known edtech platform, and Aakash Chaudhry, who is well-known for his leadership at Aakash Institute, are pooling their knowledge. Sparkl Edventure is well-positioned to handle the difficulties of the fiercely competitive edtech industry thanks to its experienced leadership.
Future Plans and Vision
With big intentions, Sparkl Edventure hopes to attract a large student body for the 2025–2026 school year. The business intends to conclude its investment round by January 2025 and is currently completing documentation with other investors.
The company’s long-term goal is to scale its operations to accommodate overseas students as well, even if its immediate focus is on increasing its presence within India. This is in line with the rising need for easily accessible, excellent online education that is adapted to different curricula worldwide.
Credits: The Global Indian
The Growing Relevance of IB and Cambridge Curricula
With more schools implementing international curricula like IB and Cambridge, India’s educational environment is changing. This change is a result of Indian parents’ growing desire for top-notch education that equips their children for possibilities around the world. However, there is a gap in these curricula due to the dearth of certified teachers, which has left many parents unsatisfied in their quest for tutors.
Sparkl Edventure is filling this void by offering a solution that fits the goals of contemporary families. In this expanding industry, the startup’s emphasis on specialized, one-on-one teaching services is a welcome move.