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Ecosystem Roundup: Experts blame bad leadership for Byju’s troubles | Xurya raises US$55M | Jirnexu acquires CompareHero

Byju Raveendran

Dear reader,

The Indian edutech sector has seen significant upheaval, with Unacademy co-founder and CEO Gaurav Munjal attributing Byju’s woes to its founder and CEO Byju Raveendran’s alleged refusal to heed the advice.

Munjal emphasised the importance of listening to feedback, even if it’s unpleasant, to avoid similar pitfalls. This commentary aligns with industry sentiments, as upGrad’s Ronnie Screwvala previously highlighted the reputational damage caused by Byju’s struggles.

Once a funding darling during the pandemic, Byju’s now grapples with sustainability and profitability issues, exacerbated by a funding winter. The company’s massive layoffs, delayed financial reports, and a sharp valuation drop have further tarnished its image. Legal troubles and shareholder discontent, including attempts to oust Raveendran, compound the crisis.

The sector’s broader challenges are underscored by potential consolidations, like the rumored acquisition of Unacademy by K-12 Techno Services. Munjal’s reflections on X offer a cautionary tale for all edtech founders: prioritize actionable feedback to navigate turbulent times and sustain growth.

Sainul,
Editor.

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NEWS

Byju Raveendran failed as he didn’t listen to anyone: Unacademy CEO
With this, Gaurav Munjal has become the latest Indian edutech co-founder to join the debate around troubles at Byju’s; In Feb, upGrad’s Ronnie Screwvala said that due to ‘one rotten apple’ the industry was witnessing reputational damage.

Indonesian rooftop solar company Xurya lands US$55M funding
The investors are Norfund, Swedfund, Clime Capital, BII, and AC Ventures; Xurya has installed and operated rooftop solar at over 100 companies, including hotels, shopping centres, hospitals, and cold storage.

Jirnexu acquires CompareHero from Nasdaq-listed MoneyHero Group
Jirnexu will acquire CompareHero’s website and domain names, as well as select user data and IP rights; When the transaction is completed, the CompareHero brand will operate under Jirnexu and MoneyHero will retain an equity position in Jirnexu.

Japan’s SmartHR raises US$140M Series E
The investors include KKR and Teachers’ Ventures Growth; SmartHR is a cloud-based human resources and labor management startup, which helps enterprises manage and streamline human resources and operations.

Personal finance and shopping platform Heymax.ai scores US$2.6M funding
The investors include January Capital, Tenity, Ascend Angels, and XA Network; Heymax.ai has also appointed former Shopback and Fave MD Aik-Phong Ng as its new chief commercial officer.

Meta’s ‘pay or consent’ model fails EU competition rules, Commission finds
The European Commission wrote in a press release that the binary choice Meta offers “forces users to consent to the combination of their personal data and fails to provide them a less personalised but equivalent version of Meta’s social networks.”

Matrix Partners rebrands its India and China affiliates
The US-headquartered VC firm will retain its name, while Matrix Partners India will rebrand to Z47 and Matrix Partners China will rename itself MPC; The move follows Sequoia’s splitting of its India and Southeast Asia and China units last year.

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Southeast Asian climate tech startups raised millions in H1 2024, focusing on electric vehicles, carbon offsetting, and nature-based solutions.

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Amazon to train 15K individuals in AI skills; to invest US$9B into cloud infra in Singapore
Amazon plans to develop innovative AI solutions and support Singapore’s Smart Nation and National AI Strategy 2.0 goals.

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Exploring the tech industry’s commitment to inclusivity, the strides made in workplace accessibility, and the transformative power of diverse perspectives.

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