Hardik Pandya’s Post

🚨 Unacademy sees another top-level exit as SVP of design Hardik Pandya departs Edtech unicorn Unacademy sees another top-level exit as Hardik Pandya, Senior Vice President of Design and Product, departs after a four-year tenure. Hardik, who joined in 2020, was instrumental in shaping Unacademy’s design strategy and collaborating with CEO Gaurav Munjal. Hardik, who previously worked at Google and Ola, announced he’s taking a break to spend time with family but hasn’t disclosed his next steps. His exit follows several other leadership changes, including Arooshi Singh’s promotion to Head of HR and new hires in finance and operations. Despite the management shifts, Unacademy continues its growth trajectory, reporting flat revenues of Rs 988 crore for FY24 and narrowing its losses by 62%. Read more👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/gBitD5yG By Ishan P. #Unacademy #Edtech #LeadershipChanges

After spending over 5 years at Unacademy, I quit in the second half of last year, to build and launch products of my own. As someone who enjoys building, it seemed like the natural next step for me. While I was confident about being able to build products, I had a lot of doubts about being able to sell. Nevertheless, it seemed like the right time for me to experiment, and I did. I started building a product for designers called Web to Figma and launched it towards the end of October, 2023. The product started to get traction among designers and I was able to get a few hundred paying customers since. In the last few months, a lot of ex-colleagues started reaching out, expressing their desire to build and launch products of their own as well. And inevitably everyone has the same set of questions: - Can it be done while having a day job - How did I decide on the problem statement - How was I able to acquire customers - Is it necessary to have a co-founder In all my conversations, I emphasised that I did not have answers to these questions when I started, and don’t have the answers today either. All I know is that you need to experiment and see how things go. I also feel that it is important to be ok with failure, while trying your level best to succeed. Most of the time my answers seemed simplistic, and it felt like people wanted to know if there was some secret sauce, when there is none. Hence, now that I am building my next product Shoutout, I decided to document my journey, and hopefully that answers some of the questions people have. So if you are a builder who aspires to launch your own bootstrapped product, follow along 🙂

Hemesh Singh, the co-founder of edtech giant Unacademy, has announced his decision to step down as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and transition into an advisory role. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Singh shared, "After almost a decade of building Unacademy alongside @gauravmunjal and @romansaini, I've decided to move from an Executive Role to an Advisory Role." Reflecting on his journey, Singh expressed, "It has been an incredible ride, and I'm extremely grateful to have been part of this journey. We truly transformed the Test Prep Industry. What an amazing experience it has been! 🙂 Thank you @gauravmunjal for everything." Founded in 2015 by Gaurav Munjal, Hemesh Singh, and Roman Saini, Unacademy initially started as a YouTube channel before evolving into a comprehensive edtech platform connecting educators and learners across various fields. Singh, a BTech graduate from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, previously served as the CTO of the networking app Flatchat before joining Unacademy. His contributions have been instrumental in establishing Unacademy as a leading player in the edtech sector. Unacademy co-founder and CEO, Gaurav Munjal, expressed his thoughts on Singh’s departure: "Hemesh and I began our journey together 11 years ago with Flatchat. It's been a wild ride, and I've been fortunate to have a co-founder like you. Unacademy will miss you." Despite Singh’s transition, Unacademy remains committed to its growth trajectory. The company has experienced several top-level exits recently, including Chief Operating Officer Vivek Sinha and Chief Finance Officer Subramanian Ramachandran. Nevertheless, it is actively filling these roles with new talent, such as Pratik Dalal, who was appointed CFO of the offline business last month. In 2022, Unacademy strategically granted additional voting rights to Munjal and Singh through bonus shares, strengthening their control and influence over the company's direction. According to filings with the Registrar of Companies, these rights will activate if Unacademy forms a committee by March 2025 to work on its initial public offering (IPO). Singh’s transition to an advisory role does not alter these plans, and he is expected to continue playing a vital role in the company's strategic decisions. #Unacademy #EdTech #HemeshSingh #LeadershipChange #CareerTransition #Innovation #FounderStories #CTO #TechLeadership #GrowthJourney #IndustryTransformation #IPO #StrategicPlanning #AllBoutCorps

Unacademy Set to Merge with Allen Institute in a $800 Million Deal! Today, my LinkedIn feed is buzzing with this surprising and thought-provoking deal. But here’s what’s stuck in my mind: Isn’t this the same Unacademy that once had a valuation of $3.4 billion? So, what went wrong?  Let’s break it down: → In 2024, Unacademy delivered an above-average performance, yet Gaurav Munjal, the co-founder, admitted they fell short of growth targets. → In 2023, Allen generated ₹2,277 crores in revenue, while Unacademy brought in just ₹1,044 crores—that’s less than half. The financials convey it all! The deal isn’t finalized yet. Approval from Allen’s promoters, the Maheshwari family, is the final piece of the puzzle. But this merger isn’t just about numbers. It’s happening in the middle of a massive shift in the edtech industry. With the post-Covid slowdown and Byju’s challenges shaking confidence, are we witnessing a shift back to physical classrooms? As someone deeply involved in the education sector, I can’t help but wonder: Is this the beginning of the end for purely digital education models? Or is it a wake-up call for edtech to innovate and adapt? What do you think? I’d love to hear your perspective! Let’s discuss 👇

👉 as a CEO you need to think and care of every stakeholder of your company. Market is tough is not an valid excuse.

Might be time to take a serious look at the SaaS industry for all the Unacademy folks! Or any other industry for that matter. Appraisals can and do happen more often than every 2 years 🤘🏼 Also, we have capped the t-shirt budget at INR120/- ($1.43) #vocalforlocal #unacademydoneaccademy #edtechordedtech

🔥Gaurav Munjal , CEO,🌟 Unacademy 🚀🌟Unacademy to record its best year of growth, ignore rumours: CEO Gaurav Munjal clarifies after latest layoff round🚀🌟 🌟Resilience and Strength: "Despite the challenges, Unacademy is on track to record its best year of growth. Our resilience and strength as a team have been the driving forces behind this achievement." 🌟Focused Vision: "We remain focused on our vision and mission. By staying true to our goals and ignoring unfounded rumours, we are able to maintain our momentum and continue delivering exceptional educational experiences." 🌟Team Dedication: "Our team's dedication and hard work are the cornerstones of our success. Even in the face of adversity, our commitment to empowering learners has never wavered." 🌟Innovation and Adaptability: "Innovation and adaptability have been key to our growth. By continuously evolving and improving our platform, we ensure that we meet the changing needs of our learners." 🌟Positive Impact: "Our aim is to make a positive impact on education. The recent challenges have only strengthened our resolve to provide quality education to millions of students." 🌟Leadership and Transparency: "As a leader, it's crucial to communicate transparently and reassure our community. By addressing rumours head-on, we can focus on our goals and inspire confidence in our stakeholders." 🌟Future Growth: "Looking ahead, we are more determined than ever to achieve greater milestones. This year is just the beginning of what we can accomplish as we continue to grow and innovate." 🌟Community Support: "The support from our learners, educators, and partners has been invaluable. Together, we will overcome any challenges and build a brighter future for education." ✅️Share Your Startup Story 🚀📲 https://lnkd.in/ggir3Qap ✅️visite our website🌐 https://lnkd.in/dad4nH #Unacademy #GrowthYear #EducationInnovation #EdTechSuccess #GauravMunjal #StayFocused #Resilience #EducationForAll #TeamDedication #FutureOfLearning #EdTechGrowth #UnstoppableJourney #EmpoweringLearners #scoopearth

EdTech’s honeymoon phase is officially over Well, Allen is reportedly acquiring Unacademy. Yep the same Unacademy that once seemed unstoppable. After Byju’s it’s now Unacademy’s turn now. The deal is expected to be around $800M, a huge drop from Unacademy’s peak valuation of $3.4B. That’s a 76% plunge (and a clear sign of just how much the edtech scene has changed). This isn’t a straightforward cash buyout tho. It’s mostly a share swap, with Unacademy’s $160M in cash reserves sweetening the pot. Founders and early investors might walk away with some cash, but the bulk of the deal’s value lies in stock. THIS MEANS that The market is waking up to a harsh reality. No more sky-high valuations Investors now want sustainability and profitability. In India’s $10 billion edtech market, just “innovative ideas” aren't enough. Companies need to prove they can adapt and endure. The game has changed.

🚨 Is Unacademy on the verge of a major crisis? 🚨 India’s most valued ed-tech startup has been stirring up the ecosystem with rumors of a sale or merger. Gaurav Munjal, the CEO, has denied these claims, but there’s more to the story than just headlines. 👀 Unacademy grew rapidly, especially during the pandemic, but the challenges were hiding under the surface: • Massive spending on customer acquisition but low retention rates. • Expansion into various verticals (like K-12 education) that didn’t pay off. • Layoffs of over 50% of employees and a move toward offline centers. Now, Unacademy is exploring new avenues like AI products and language learning apps to shift its focus, but the pressure is real. 🔄 ❓Do you think Unacademy should focus on offline expansion to rival giants like Allen and Aakash, or invest more in cutting-edge tech products? 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments! #EdtechCrisis #StartupStruggles #AIInnovation #OfflineEducation #BusinessStrategy

Is PW following the imprints of Byju's and Unacademy? Byju's and Unacademy were the early birds in this recently established world of ED-TECH and were somehow taking a lead for the longest of time. But as fast as they grew they started falling apart due to overexpansion, mismanagement and negative marketing. Is PW following the same path? To my observation, overexpansion and overhype is similar to the previous two but marketing as far as PW is concerned overpowered everyone. The unparalleled image of the founder and CEO of PW - MR. ALAKH PANDEY is the greatest reason the ball is still in their court. A relatable middle class story that is associated with the grand image of the founder keeps the students and consumers emotionally attached and connected to the entire firm. The greatest face value comes from within and saves the extra marketing cost and hassle. Along with the low price point, biggest game changer for PW is the personal branding and face value of the founder himself. Agree? #startup #thoughts #opinion #pov #edtech #unicorn #educator #education