Byju Raveendran, born on January 5, 1980, in Kerala, India, is an entrepreneur and investor who co-founded Byju’s, an educational technology multinational that became the world’s most valuable edtech startup in 2022. Following a fraud scandal, the Indian businessman stepped away from the spotlight and, now based in Dubai, remains confident that his company will recover—or that he will simply create another one to “fill stadiums again.”
“The reason I believe in my comeback is because the most valuable thing I had is still with me,” Raveendran declared, referring to himself. What happened with Byju’s was not just another case. It was an educational technology platform that grew exponentially in India, driven by a societal demand to improve learning. The company was launched in 2011 and, almost a decade later, was valued at more than 20 billion dollars, employing thousands of people.
Byju is certain that if he cannot regain control of his company, he will start again from scratch. Raised in a family of teachers—his mother taught physics and his father mathematics—he studied mechanical engineering and took on a teaching role “for fun.” Born in Kerala, he became a respected educator, helping hundreds of students simplify and solve problems more efficiently.
The most sought-after teacher: auditoriums and stages
Byju Raveendran first gained recognition for his extraordinary skill with mathematical problems. As his reputation grew, thousands of students attended his live classes and lectures in auditoriums and large venues. Initially, he taught purely for enjoyment but later began charging admission to cover venue costs.
He rose to prominence online by posting videos that demonstrated his simple and effective problem-solving methods. In an interview, the entrepreneur revealed that by 2006 he was flying to more than nine cities across India to teach and prepare students in person. Years later, the concept of “math shows” emerged—massive sessions held in sports arenas, featuring Raveendran on stage with giant screens and live audiences.
By the early 2010s, as the internet and online video expanded, Raveendran began recording his lessons to distribute digitally. During this time, he founded Think and Learn, a company dedicated to improving education through video-based teaching by outstanding educators, many of whom had been his own students.
Within just one year, the platform gathered more than 300,000 subscriptions. Much of this success was attributed to Byju’s growing reputation as a dynamic and innovative teacher. In 2015, the company launched a new platform under the same name—Byju’s—offering pre-recorded lessons enriched with additional tools and resources.
Byju’s: investment, collapse, and the present
Between 2017 and 2018, a series of major investments fueled the company’s expansion, and Raveendran became a sought-after speaker for corporations across India. However, the COVID-19 pandemic marked the beginning of serious trouble. Initially, the platform offered free access to its educational content, but financial records soon revealed declining profitability.
Despite multiple rounds of funding that raised enormous sums, the company’s rapid expansion led to financial mismanagement, loan conflicts, and fund diversions. The result: insolvency proceedings and mass layoffs.
From his mansion in Dubai, Raveendran insists the company “was never about money” and remains calm while awaiting Byju’s resolution. He attributes its downfall to “growing too fast, too soon.”
The entrepreneur is certain that “as soon as I start teaching again, I’ll fill stadiums once more.” It’s a return to his origins—when Byju once taught mathematics in packed sports arenas before audiences of over 25,000 people.
The Indian educator’s early passion for mathematics and problem-solving, initially pursued for fun, eventually led him to found one of the most valuable startups in India. Having taught thousands of students across cities and campuses, Raveendran now faces the next chapter of his career.
Uncertain about his company’s future but confident in his resilience, the Kerala-born entrepreneur—now based in the Middle East—knows he will return stronger than ever, whether through Byju’s or a brand-new venture built from the ground up.