Tiger Global-backed Scaler buys e-learning startup for $50m

Scaler, an India-based edtech startup, has acquired online learning platform AppliedRoots for US$50 million in a bid to strengthen the former’s data science, AI, and machine learning offerings.

Team Scaler / Photo credit: Scaler

Backed by Sequoia Capital India and Tiger Global, Scaler focuses on upskilling college students and tech professionals. Users on the platform are taught by over 1,000 tech leaders and subject matter experts who work with organizations such as Google, Facebook, Intuit, Microsoft, and Amazon.

Founded by Srikanth Varma Chekuri, Murali Krishna Varri, Naveen Krishnakanth Bade, Brahma Reddy, Srinivas Reddy, and Satish Atcha, AppliedRoots has served over 40,000 learners in the past four years. It provides diploma courses in areas like AI, machine learning, and coding.

As part of the deal, all six of AppliedRoots’ co-founders will join Scaler and lead various projects. Most of the team at AppliedRoots will work with Scaler’s data science and machine learning business verticals. Some team members will also be building on the content vertical, Scaler Topics, which is a curated interactive space for aspiring software professionals to learn tech skills.

The AppliedRoots team will also lead some new initiatives for Scaler in the latter part of the year.

This is Scaler’s third acquisition, having bought Coding Minutes and Coding Elements in 2021. Scaler is currently valued at US$710 million.

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