New Delhi, March 22th, 2025: Kraftshala, the edtech with one of the best placement rates in India, has raised an undisclosed amount in a Pre-Series A funding round. The round saw participation from a mix of existing and new investors, including Phanindra Sama (Founder and ex-CEO, redBus), Sujayath Ali (co-founder and COO, ShopUp), Pallav Jain (co-founder and ex-CEO, Performics India), and Tie Nizamabad, amongst others.
Kraftshala runs job-linked programs in marketing and sales, with an industry-best rate of 94% across 25 batches of the Marketing Launchpad Program and 2 batches of PGP in Sales and Business Leadership. The fresh capital will be deployed to launch new offerings, with Kraftshala’s core business being profitable.
The latest funding comes at a time when Kraftshala is witnessing a surge of growth, highlighted by admissions revenue growth of more than 100% in the current Jan-Mar quarter, even as cost of acquisition has dipped by 30% y-o-y. The company reported an internship-to-full time job conversion rate of 94% in Feb, far surpassing the 10-50% conversion rates typically seen in other institutions, underscoring the real-world impact of its programs.
Speaking about this, Varun Satia, Founder and CEO of Kraftshala, said, “Our focus has always been on creating measurable career impact, and this funding allows us to scale that mission even further. Delivering success for 90%+ of your students and recruiting partners across so many batches requires being great at admissions, training, placements, operations and everything in between- day after day, month after month and I am very proud of the team which has achieved this. We are now well poised to expand into new markets and domains and continue building high-quality, job-oriented learning experiences.”
Adding further, Phanindra Sama, Founder and ex-CEO, redBus and an investor in Kraftshala, said “Kraftshala’s growth is proof that a skills-first approach is what the industry truly values. Their graduates are securing outstanding placements, earning fast-tracked career growth, and proving that the right skills can open doors for you, despite your backgrounds. In fact, we are seeing similarly strong results in the Kakatiya Sandbox, a non-profit where we skill 1000s of rural youth and secure 95% placements. This funding will help accelerate Kraftshala’s reach and impact.”
Kraftshala’s PGP in Sales and Business Leadership program, launched in 2023 has also made significant strides, with students securing roles that were traditionally accessible only through top-tier MBA colleges. Recruiters such as Nestle, Piramal, Browserstack, and IPV Ventures have hired Kraftshala graduates for roles like Area Sales Executive, Business Development Executive, and Sales Development Representative. The average CTC stands at 10.3L, with the highest CTC at 17.2L, delivering a 4X ROI, significantly outperforming the 0.5-1X ROI seen in most MBA colleges.
With this funding in place, Kraftshala is poised to further its expansion efforts while reinforcing its position as a leading provider of outcome driven education.
About Kraftshala
Kraftshala, the edtech company with one of the best placement rates in India, is dedicated to transforming the educational landscape for Indian students at scale. Established in 2016 by FMS- Delhi alumni Varun Satia and Eshu Sharma, it has become one of India’s largest marketing and sales-focused higher-ed institutions. Backed by investors like Doreswamy Nandkishore (Ex-Head of Asia, Oceania, Africa for Nestlé SA & Global CEO for Nestlé Nutrition), Phanindra Sama (Founder / Ex- CEO at Redbus. Advisor at WestBridge Capital. Former Chief Innovation Officer, Govt of Telangana), Amit Kumar Agarwal (Co-founder and CEO at Nobroker.com), Kraftshala has trained thousands of students and facilitated over 2,000 direct placements in marketing and sales. By addressing the gap between education and employment, Kraftshala’s intensive online programs equip students with job-ready skills, supported by industry experts. Kraftshala ensures accountability in education by offering fee refunds if placement criteria aren’t met, setting a standard for the industry. Through flagship programs like Marketing Launchpad, Content & Social Media Launchpad, and PGP in Sales and Business Leadership, Kraftshala empowers individuals to excel in their careers and meet the demands of the dynamic marketing landscape.
