Beyond Odds Technologies, the parent company of skill-based training platform Emversity, has raised US$5 million in a pre-series A funding round.

The funding was led by Z47 and Lightspeed, with participation from Alteria Capital and Innoven Capital.

Emversity aims to address the skill gap in industries such as healthcare and hospitality.

It operates across 36 campuses in 18 Indian states and plans to expand to over 75 campuses by the end of the current financial year.

Founded by Vivek Sinha, a former COO of Unacademy, Emversity combines work-based training with degree programs at higher education institutions.

🔗 Source: Emversity

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ India’s skill development journey: from ancient gurukuls to modern platforms

Emversity’s approach represents the latest evolution in India’s long history of skill-based education that dates back to ancient gurukuls, where students lived with gurus and learned practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge.

This educational philosophy has cycled through various iterations, from the ancient gurukul system to the modern-day Skill India initiative launched in 2015, which aims to train over 400 million people by 2022 1.

The stark reality remains that only 2.3% of India’s workforce has undergone formal skill training, compared to 68% in Germany and 75% in the UK, creating a massive opportunity for platforms like Emversity 1.

Gandhi’s educational philosophy also emphasized that skill development was crucial for economic independence and that manual skills should be integrated with education rather than viewed as inferior 2.

Emversity’s industry-aligned model addresses this historical challenge by combining vocational training with academic degrees, reflecting Gandhi’s vision of education that prepares students for self-reliance.

2️⃣ Strategic focus on high-growth sectors facing acute talent shortages

Emversity’s selection of healthcare and hospitality as initial focus areas aligns with significant projected growth in these sectors, with hospitality alone expected to see an 8.2% net employment change in the second half of FY2025 3.

The hospitality sector is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 10-12% from 2024 to 2025, reaching a market value of $55 billion, creating substantial demand for skilled professionals 4.