Unacademy Co-founders Gaurav Munjal and Roman Saini to Exit As Company Restructures

As per Economic Times reports, Gaurav Munjal and Roman Saini, co-founders of Unacademy, are reportedly stepping down from operational roles. Their exit is expected to be finalised in the next 2 to 3 months. This follows internal discussions with the board and investors, who have been informed of the proposed changes.

Unacademy Leadership Transition

Sumit Jain, co-founder of Graphy and a board member at Unacademy, will take over the offline business. Jain joined Unacademy in 2020 after his startup, Opentalk, was acquired. He became a partner after Hemesh Singh, another co-founder, stepped down from an active role last year.

Unacademy’s Shift from Online to Offline

Unacademy is shifting its focus from online test preparation to offline coaching centres and a separate language learning app, Airlearn. The core online test prep business is no longer a priority. Airlearn is in the process of being spun off into an independent entity, with Munjal expected to lead that business separately. Discussions on equity structure and investor participation are ongoing.

Unacademy’s Airlearn Growth 

Airlearn currently has 70,000 daily active users, around 3 lakh monthly users, and 17,500 paid subscribers. The app has recorded $2 million in annual recurring revenue. A majority of users are based in the United States and the United Kingdom, with Spanish and French as the top languages learned.

Read More: OYO Plans Fresh IPO Attempt, Seeks $6-7 Billion Valuation.

Unacademy’s Financial Performance 

Unacademy’s revenue declined 7.4% year-on-year to ₹839 crore in FY24. Net losses were down by 62.4% to ₹631 crore. The company’s annual cash burn has come down from ₹1,000 crore to under ₹200 crore. Cash reserves currently stand at ₹1,250 crore. Platforms like Graphy and PrepLadder are generating monthly cash flow, as per news reports.

Layoffs and Unfinished Deals

The company has laid off over 1,300 employees since 2022. Several senior executives, including the COO and CFO, have exited. Multiple acquisition-led ventures have either shut down or become inactive. Discussions with other edtech firms for potential deals have not led to any outcomes.

Conclusion

Unacademy is in the middle of an organisational reset, with new leadership, revised priorities, and reduced focus on its original business model.

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