Who Owns Unacademy?
Unacademy is owned by upGrad, the Mumbai-based higher education company that completed an all-stock acquisition of the Unacademy Group on September 1, 2026, at a valuation of roughly $206 million. Unacademy was founded in 2015 in Bengaluru by Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini, and Hemesh Singh, and its operating entity is Sorting Hat Technologies Private Limited.
Parent Company
Acquired
2026
Status
Private
Headquarters
Unacademy Timeline
Who Owns Unacademy?
- Parent Company: upGrad Education Private Limited
- Ownership Type: Subsidiary
- Acquisition Year: 2026
- Company Type: Privately Held
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Unacademy | upGrad Education Private Limited | Subsidiary |
History of Unacademy
- Founded: 2015
- Founders: Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini, Hemesh Singh
- Acquired by upGrad Education Private Limited: 2026
Unacademy began in 2010 as a YouTube channel run by Gaurav Munjal, then a computer science student, who uploaded tutorial videos while also founding a real estate startup called Flatchat. In 2015, Munjal formally founded Unacademy with Roman Saini, a doctor and former IAS officer who had cleared India's civil services exam at 22, and Hemesh Singh, building a platform for free educational content aimed at India's massive competitive exam market.
The company pivoted to paid subscriptions in 2019 with Unacademy Plus, monetizing preparation courses for the UPSC civil services, IIT JEE, NEET medical entrance, CAT, and government job exams. Timing coincided with a pandemic-driven boom in online education: India had hundreds of millions of students and Unacademy raised aggressively to capture them, accumulating approximately $860 million in funding from investors including SoftBank, Tiger Global, General Atlantic, and Peak XV. A 2021 round valued the company at $3.44 billion, making it one of India's most valuable edtech startups.
The company expanded through acquisition, buying test-prep and platform businesses including PrepLadder for medical exams, CodeChef, WiFiStudy, Kreatryx, Graphy, Mastree, and TapChief, plus offline coaching centers opened in Kota, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru from 2022.
The reversal came hard. The post-pandemic edtech correction, combined with the collapse of rival Byju's, collapsed Indian edtech valuations. Unacademy's standalone revenue fell 51.5 percent in FY2025 to 347 crore rupees, while consolidated revenue declined 16 percent to roughly 702 crore rupees. Losses compressed sharply as the company cut advertising and headcount, but growth was gone.
After months of negotiation, upGrad completed the all-stock acquisition on September 1, 2026, at roughly $206 million, about 94 percent below the 2021 peak valuation. Munjal announced the closing publicly and continues to lead the Unacademy business under upGrad ownership.
About upGrad Education Private Limited
What does upGrad own?
upGrad owns its flagship education platform plus the businesses acquired through Unacademy: the Unacademy test-prep brand, PrepLadder, Graphy, and Airlearn, plus the Atlas University operation.
Is upGrad publicly traded?
No. upGrad is privately held, though the company has stated an ambition to list on public markets within roughly 18 months of 2026.
Who founded upGrad?
Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Phalgun Kompalli, and Ravijot Chugh founded upGrad in Mumbai in 2015. Screwvala, who previously built and sold UTV to Disney, serves as chairperson and holds approximately 45 percent with his family.
Where is upGrad headquartered?
upGrad Education Private Limited is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
How many brands does upGrad own?
Approximately six, including the flagship upGrad brand plus Unacademy, PrepLadder, Graphy, and Airlearn from the September 2026 acquisition, and Atlas University.
Who owns upGrad?
Ronnie Screwvala and family hold approximately 45 percent. Temasek is the largest external investor at roughly 20.5 percent. Unacademy's former investors, including SoftBank and Tiger Global, became shareholders through the September 2026 all-stock deal.
What is upGrad's revenue?
FY2025 operating revenue was approximately 1,569 crore rupees with gross revenue of 1,943 crore. The company estimated FY2026 revenue near 1,972 crore with positive profit after tax.
- Founded: 2015
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Company Type: Privately Held
- Revenue: Approximately INR 1,569 crore operating revenue (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 3,000
Where Is Unacademy Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Unacademy Categories & Tags
Unacademy Recalls & Controversies
Unacademy's principal controversies are commercial and reputational rather than legal. The company's collapse from a $3.44 billion valuation to a $206 million sale price, a roughly 94 percent decline, became a widely discussed case study in Indian startup overvaluation, with co-founder Munjal himself noting publicly that the company "raised at a peak but sold at a fraction."
The company drew periodic criticism over layoffs across 2022 and 2023, refund disputes on subscriptions reported by consumer complaints forums, and the broader edtech sector's aggressive sales practices that prompted industry self-regulation through the IAMAI India EdTech Consortium, of which Unacademy was a founding member. No regulatory enforcement actions against the company are on record.
Unacademy Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +upGrad's larger balance sheet ends Unacademy's standalone funding constraints
- +Munjal continuity preserves product and brand leadership
- +Combined entity gains complementary test-prep and degree segments
- +CCI clearance removed the regulatory overhang
- +upGrad's IPO path could eventually deliver public-market value to brand equity
Considerations
- -Sale price of roughly $206 million crystallizes a 94 percent valuation write-down
- -Integration risk in merging two different edtech cultures and business models
- -Unacademy's shrinking revenue base continues declining even under new ownership
- -Retained-brand strategy depends on upGrad resourcing the turnaround
- -All-stock deal means former investors hold illiquid upGrad equity, not cash
Frequently Asked Questions About Unacademy
Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to Unacademy
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boot Dev | USA | 2019 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Brilliant | United States | 2012 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Genius Group | Singapore | 2015 | Niche | Indonesia | All-ages | |
| Genius Group | Singapore | 2015 | Mass market | Global | All-ages | |
| Tal Education Group | China | 2023 | Premium | Asia pacific | All-ages |
Learn More About Competitors
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Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Unacademy competes with 5 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Independent Alternatives to Unacademy
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EducationMathGPT
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