TED NewsDesk, New Delhi: Online classes giant Byju’s is in advanced talks to acquire toppr and if the talks are successful, Byju’s will get access to Toppr’s base of subscribers and related user data.
The move highlights Byju’s aggressive expansion at a time when online learning is touching new heights. “In the digital space, it is largely about economies of scale. A lot of the business model will depend on the analytics which comes from the data they have,” said Anindya Mallick, partner at Deloitte.
Byju’s can use this data to launch projects that are more relevant and tailor-made for the current market scenario. “The organization which has access to data, can predict where the market will be going in the future and have products and services around that will be the ones that will be the clear winner,” Mallick said.
Byju’s may also have a desire to leverage what Toppr is trying to do with schools, said an industry expert on condition of anonymity. The company, for instance, has developed the Toppr School OS app that aggregates all school content on one platform, equipping authorities to bring their schools online.
Consolidation in the ed-tech space is likely to continue, said Ankur Pahwa, partner at EY.
Byju’s is also in the talks to acquire brick and mortar test preparation company Aakash Educational Services in a $1-billion deal. It recently acquired WhiteHat Jr in a $300-million transaction.
“It is not about the content or curriculum. The opportunity is in terms of innovating on how we personalize this content in the way it is delivered to students. We can also innovate on the format. It has to be content first and technology as an enabler approach,” founder & CEO Byju Raveendran said.
