Startup
Pitch Deck
page 1
About Our
Company
"Founded in 2015 by Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar,
Phalgun Kompalli, & Ravijot Chugh."
"South Asia's premier online higher education platform,
headquartered in Mumbai."
"Addresses the upskilling needs of professionals in a rapidly
changing job market."
"Mission: Make quality education accessible, outcome-
oriented, and redefine professional growth globally."
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UpGrad's Solution
Outcome-Driven Learning
Diverse Program Offerings : Key Features :
"Degree Programs (UG/PG with top Bullet points summarizing core features
universities)" mentioned early in your report (Page 3-4).
"Certification Courses (Specific skills "Industry-aligned curriculum (Real-world
focus)" projects, case studies)"
"Bootcamps (Rapid skill acquisition)"
"Robust Mentorship Model (Guidance from
"Study Abroad Services"
professionals)"
"Comprehensive Career Support (Resume,
interviews, placement)"
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Timeline
2015: 2017-2018: 2020: 2022: Ongoing:
Strategic Global Innovation
Founding Program
Partner and
Expansion Acquisition
Vision ships Expansion
2015-2016: 2019: Free 2021: 2023:
Early Courses Funding Revenue
Programs Initiative Milestone Surge
page 4
Home About Us Contact
Solution
Overview
INNOVATIVE UNIQUE
PRODUCT APPROACH
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Business
Model
Hybrid B2C and B2B Model:
B2C → Offers online degrees, certifications, and
executive education for individuals. Top Universities
B2B → Offers customized learning solutions for
corporate upskilling (upGrad for Business).
Outcome-Driven Approach:
Focuses not just on course completion but on
career outcomes like promotions, transitions, and UpGrad
placements.
University Partnerships:
Collaborates with top institutions like Duke CE, IIT
Madras, Deakin Business School, and Michigan
State University.
Learning Ecosystem:
Includes mentorship, doubt-clearing sessions, Students Corporates
resume building, mock interviews, and job
page 6
placements.
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STUDENT COURSE FEES:
Revenue
Main revenue driver. Students pay for online
degrees, diplomas, and certifications. Course
pricing ranges from ₹50,000 to ₹5,00,000.
Streams
ENTERPRISE TRAINING CONTRACTS: "Multiple high-growth revenue channels
built around education and career
Corporates pay for employee reskilling through
customized programs under "upGrad for success."
Business."
PLACEMENT SERVICES:
Monetization through recruitment services (via
upGrad Rekrut) by placing learners in
companies.
BOOTCAMPS AND SHORT-
TERM COURSES:
New revenue from skill-boosting bootcamps
(e.g., Data Science, Web Development, Digital
Marketing).
FUTURE SUBSCRIPTIONS:
page 7
upGrad is testing mini-courses and learning
subscriptions for a recurring revenue model.
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Target Audience:
Empowering Global Learners
upGrad targets ambitious learners and global
professionals across multiple education
segments.
Working Professionals: Individuals seeking to advance their
careers.
Graduates: Students looking for specialized skills to enter
the job market.
Career Changers: People aiming to switch to a new
industry or role.
Lifelong Learners: Anyone with a desire for continuous
learning and upskilling.
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Market
Segments
Higher Education
Degrees (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Data
Science)
Master's Programs (e.g., MBA, Master of
Science in Software Engineering)
Executive and Professional Education
Upskilling Courses (e.g., Digital Marketing,
Product Management)
Certification Programs (e.g., Project
Management Professional.
Corporate Workforce Training
Leadership Development
Technical Skills Training
Soft Skills Training
page 3
Test Preparation
Competitive Exams (e.g., UPSC, CAT)
International Certifications (e.g., GRE, GMAT)
Home About Us Contact
Global Expansion:
Future
Expanding aggressively into Southeast Asia, Middle
East, and North America.
Growth New Domains Launch:
Adding Healthcare, Law, Artificial Intelligence, and
Data Science specializations.
Flexible Learning Models:
Introducing affordable subscription-based micro-
learning courses.
AI and Personalization:
Using Artificial Intelligence to offer customized
learning experiences and smarter mentorship.
Corporate Upskilling:
Deepening enterprise solutions to become the go-
to platform for workforce development.
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GROWTH FUNCTION
Founded in 2015, UpGrad rapidly became a leader in online
higher education and professional upskilling.
Built on innovation, strong university partnerships, and a
learner-first strategy, UpGrad addresses the evolving needs of
the modern workforce.
With a focus on outcome-driven education, it has transformed
how working professionals upgrade their skills and careers.
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Go-To-
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Market
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scelerisque; at quam. Faucibus amet enim lectus
sodales, venenatis cursus nisi! Tempus tortor potenti
erat porttitor nisl placerat.
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suspendisse neque varius facilisis. Dignissim commodo
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lobortis facilisi justo elementum aptent elementum.
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Traction &
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Milestones
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facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam ut
imperdiet mauris.
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elit. Curae aliquam mi ultrices duis tristique
dictum laoreet aliquet quisque. Nisi fames nec
blandit blandit facilisi volutpat aliquam. Litora ut
proin sapien nisl suspendisse neque varius
facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam ut
imperdiet mauris.
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dictum laoreet aliquet quisque. Nisi fames nec
blandit blandit facilisi volutpat aliquam. Litora ut
proin sapien nisl suspendisse neque varius
facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam ut
imperdiet mauris.
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Market Differentiations
1. Higher Education Focus
UpGrad uniquely focuses on working professionals rather than school students
(K-12) or casual learners (MOOC model).
It offers specialized programs that fit into busy work schedules, supporting
serious career advancement.
2. Full-Service Journey
UpGrad supports learners throughout their entire journey — from initial
enrollment to final job placement.
This end-to-end model ensures students receive academic learning, career
guidance, and employment support at every step.
3. Localized Content
Understanding India's diversity, UpGrad offers localized course content, including
regional languages and contextual examples.
This makes online education accessible and relatable for learners from different
cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
4. Corporate Solutions
UpGrad provides customized B2B upskilling programs that help enterprises
digitally transform their workforce.
These programs are tailored to align with each company's specific skill
requirements and business goals.
Forward Strategy
1. Global Expansion
UpGrad is aggressively expanding into international
markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East,
and North America.
2. Investment in AR/VR Technologies
UpGrad is investing in Augmented Reality (AR) and
Virtual Reality (VR) technologies to create immersive
and interactive learning experiences.
3. B2B Expansion with Corporate Partnerships
UpGrad is strengthening its B2B (business-to-
business) offerings by building deeper partnerships
with corporations.
4. Focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities
UpGrad is expanding its reach into India’s Tier 2 and
Tier 3 cities by offering employment-linked
education programs.
Challenges Faced
by UpGrad
High Competition
The EdTech market is highly saturated, with major
competitors like Coursera, Byju’s, and Unacademy.
Differentiating UpGrad’s offerings in a crowded
landscape while maintaining visibility poses a
continuous challenge for brand recognition and
market share.
Maintaining Course Quality at Scale
As UpGrad scales its operations, ensuring
personalized mentorship and high academic
standards becomes increasingly complex.
Balancing growing enrollment numbers with
consistent quality in learning outcomes is critical to
student satisfaction and success.
User Retention and Engagement
Long programs often report low completion rates,
making user retention a major concern.
Innovative strategies in content delivery and
learner support are necessary to keep students
motivated throughout their learning journey.
High Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
With significant advertising investments across
digital platforms, UpGrad faces a high CAC.
Balancing effective marketing strategies while
pursuing sustainable growth becomes a pivotal
challenge for financial health and expansion.
Solutions & Strategies
Focus on Industry-Relevant Courses
UpGrad continuously updates its course offerings to align with industry
demands in fields such as AI, Data Science, and Digital Marketing. By
doing so, it ensures that students acquire skills that are directly
applicable in the job market, thereby enhancing employability.
Student Support Systems
UpGrad established personalized mentorship and dedicated support
teams to enhance the learning experience. Through one-on-one
counseling and continuous engagement, students receive tailored
support that promotes higher course completion rates and deeper
understanding of materials.
Strategic Collaborations
Partnerships with globally recognized institutions, such as Michigan
State University and IIT Madras, have bolstered UpGrad's credibility.
These collaborations enhance course validity and attract a diverse
learner base seeking reputable certifications.
Personalized Learning Journeys
UpGrad designs adaptive assessments and individualized learning
paths, catering to diverse learner needs. This personalization
increases student engagement and completion rates, aligning
educational experiences with specific career goals and industry
demands.
Aggressive Branding and Marketing
To enhance brand visibility, UpGrad leveraged celebrity
endorsements and targeted digital marketing campaigns.
Collaborations with public figures have reinforced brand recall,
making UpGrad a recognizable name in EdTech, facilitating its
expansion and customer reach.
Focus on Working Professionals
UpGrad's specialized programs targeting career transitions and skill
enhancement cater to working professionals, enhancing learner
engagement and improving retention rates as they pursue ongoing
education.
Home About Us Contact
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Projections
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page 11
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INVESTMENT NEEDED
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Funding
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Request RETURN ON INVESTMENT
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Team
Overview
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aliquet quisque. Nisi fames nec blandit blandit facilisi
volutpat aliquam. Litora ut proin sapien nisl suspendisse
neque varius facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam
ut imperdiet mauris.
Lorem ipsum odor amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Curae aliquam mi ultrices duis tristique dictum laoreet
aliquet quisque. Nisi fames nec blandit blandit facilisi
volutpat aliquam. Litora ut proin sapien nisl suspendisse
neque varius facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam
ut imperdiet mauris.
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Exit
Strategy
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quisque. Nisi fames nec blandit blandit facilisi volutpat
aliquam. Litora ut proin sapien nisl suspendisse neque varius
facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam ut imperdiet
mauris.
Lorem ipsum odor amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Curae
aliquam mi ultrices duis tristique dictum laoreet aliquet
quisque. Nisi fames nec blandit blandit facilisi volutpat
aliquam. Litora ut proin sapien nisl suspendisse neque varius
facilisis. Dignissim commodo quam nullam ut imperdiet
mauris.
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Thank
You!
www.upgrad.com
