Saarthi Pedagogy, an edtech firm founded in 2018, focuses on mid-sized schools and provides SaaS-based tools for students and teachers.It now works with 1,100 schools in India.
Sushil Agrawal, an educationist, recognized a gap in India’s education system between the marks earned and the information gained. According to Sushil, “A score of 80% does not always imply a score of 80% education.
There is a significant disparity between grades and knowledge, particularly at schools in Tier II and Tier III cities where resources are few.”
This prompted him to establish Saarthi Pedagogy in 2018. The B2B edtech firm provides tools that integrate school curriculum, technology, teacher training, and pedagogy into a single platform.
The Ahmedabad-based firm began by collaborating with five schools in Gujarat and has now expanded to 1,100 schools throughout India for its SaaS (software-as-a-service) solution.
“Technology enables the detection of the smallest data points, which helps to address gaps in teaching and learning,” explains Saarthi Pedagogy’s Founder and CEO.
Sushil chose to become an entrepreneur after graduating in 2009. He intended to establish a name for himself in education after growing up as a “scholar student.”
In 2009, he established an English-medium pre-school, Maharaja Agrasen Public School, in Ahmedabad, and later created another school in the same city.
While working in operations, he realized that in order to grow to new schools, he needed to establish processes. However, the only data gathered at schools was grades and attendance, which gave him no insight into the school’s success or how to plan forward.
He adds, “This gave rise to the concept of techniques that aid in measuring academic excellence. I spent the following four years developing pedagogy to improve learning outcomes and to assist management in measuring the effectiveness of instructors and students. We want to concentrate on schools at the bottom of the pyramid since they are dealing with serious issues. Schools charging more than Rs 40,000 per month may recruit better instructors and provide better facilities.”
How does it work?
Saarthi offers both online and offline goods for instructors and students in schools. It offers schools with a dashboard that provides an overview of the overall performance of the school, including pupils and staff.
Aside from tracking attendance, the software also records each student’s exam performance. Based on student performance, the firm identifies prevalent difficulties and provides teachers with visibility into learning gaps.
Through its platform, the firm provides 19 goods and services. Saarthi’s primary product is an AI-powered auto homework generator that generates assignments for kids depending on their exam scores. The software, for which the business is seeking patents and private licenses, analyzes test results to identify areas of weakness and generates assignments for students based on the findings.
The app-based tool, which is compatible with iOS and Android, also helps teachers create class plans, find supporting videos, manage attendance, and create periodic plans. Offline items include textbooks, masks, stickers, and games, as well as an academic package and a STEM kit.
The entire outfit costs between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per year each pupil. The school is not charged by the startup. Saarthi’s technology team now consists of 45 people.
Business and long-term goals
Sushil began the company with only three staff, investing the income from his schools. In June 2021, the edtech business received $1 million in investment from JITO Angel Network, LetsVenture, and Ecosystem Ventures.
It secured $2.1 million in March 2022 as part of its Pre-Series A round of fundraising sponsored by Pinnacle Investment, promoter Irfan Razack’s family office, and Venkat K Narayana, CEO of real estate business Prestige.
“Because we offer a hybrid product that combines real and virtual items, the pandemic had no effect on our operations,” Sushil explains.
The startup claims to have made more than $1.5 million in sales in FY22. Saarthi intends to reach 4,000 schools and six lakh kids with its technology-enabled platforms in the coming fiscal year.
Saarthi, which competes with Mintbook, My Class Campus, Uolo, LMS of India, and Blackboard, is also searching for more capital and is in discussions with investors.
In 2021, the worldwide learning management system market was worth $14.43 billion. The market is predicted to increase at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 14.2 percent during the forecast period, from $16.19 billion in 2022 to $40.95 billion in 2029.
According to a Fortune Business Insights survey, the increased need for smart and interactive learning platforms, as well as the expanding trend of multichannel learning, will drive market growth.
