iWorld
Edtech newbie Practically sets 1 million users as next milestone
KOLKATA: 2020 has broken all the barriers for edtech players in India, especially the start-ups. With educational institutes being shut for most of the year, a number of new players have gained momentum in their growth journey. Investment by venture capital (VC) in e-learning firms has quadrupled between January and November reaching $1.8 billion.
Practically is one such edtech platform that has come up by leaps and bounds in the last one year to tap into the growing segment. The learning app, which has crossed 330,000 users, raised $4 million in a pre-Series B round this January. With a pan India expansion plan in the works, it aims to surpass one million users within the next year, revealed Practically marketing & brand strategy vice president Mahadev Srivatsa. After reaching this goal, it might take a shot at five million users in the next financial year.
The platform started operations during the pandemic with its b2b solution in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market. Under this initial line of business, the product was sampled to schools and institutions across the two southern states. However, the brand later realised the need for a b2c model given the geographical limitations of b2b expansion.
“We are a unique solution. We are working under the b2b2c model,” quipped Srivatsa.
Both the formats are important from a business point of view, added he, but the b2c push will drive Practically going forward. Under the blended model, b2b solution can be accessed by students without any cost as it will be directly provided by their schools. If users want to access content beyond what has been offered by schools, then they will have to pay, he detailed.
For the direct-to-consumer segment, the app works under a subscription model. The app consists of a universal curriculum targeting grades six through 12. Users also get access to free 30 minutes of content every month – a freebie that helps drive engagement, said Srivatsa, terming the app as a one-stop shop as it has live classes, doubt resolution and even assigns mentors to students.
One of the growth accelerators for the brand has been the marketing campaign it did in December last year. It had a two-pronged strategy: ATL was focused on the home market while the digital campaign drove pan-India expansion. The former was targeted to generate more awareness and more conversion. Through the digital campaign, it wanted to test responses from 40 cities identified as potential regions for the future.
ATL activations included a two-week associate sponsorship on Big Boss Telugu alongside a couple of rounds of print ads. Social media messaging had company, features and campaign-led communication amplified throughout the campaign period of December 2020 to February 2021.
The campaign has set a lot of milestones for the app like sparking 3X growth, and improvement in social media metrics. As Practically plans to make inroads into more markets, Srivatsa added that they want to make the platform a household name; the latest advertising blitz gave confidence in that direction.
“At this juncture, considering the learning from the digital campaign and looking at the way business is expanding, the south and western region of India would be our initial foray. You will find us immediately entering this market. We have an eventual entire year plan for further expansion,” he commented. The app may even get into vernacular content and K-5 curriculum in the future.
With so many players eyeing the booming market, experts have already predicted a spurt in mergers and acquisitions, and consolidation in the sector in the next three to four years. Srivatsa said the similarities between telecom at its early growth phase and ed-tech is significant. It is evident that 3,000-4,000 players will not be able to survive, with media spend being the biggest differentiator. There are certain players who are dominating media spend, brands that have been here for close to a decade and aggressively expanded in the last few years. In this space of cut-throat competition, investment in branding is critical for ed-tech players. It's necessary to communicate the USP of the platform and what it is as a brand, he explained.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
