Imarticus Learning, a rapidly growing professional education platform gearing up for its IPO, has acquired the edtech startup MyCaptain for ₹50 crores. This acquisition marks a strategic move to penetrate deeper into India’s college skilling ecosystem, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities, where a vast portion of India’s youth remains underserved.
Founded with a mission to empower youth through skill-based learning and mentorship, MyCaptain has built a learner base of over 5 lakh students. Its platform specializes in cohort-based live programs, focused on creative and entrepreneurial careers. The company has reached EBITDA breakeven and generated ₹27 crore in revenue in the last financial year. With a strong Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 70, MyCaptain has demonstrated product-market fit and efficient operational scaling.
Strengthening the College Skilling Segment
By acquiring MyCaptain, Imarticus Learning steps firmly into the college skilling and pre-professional training space. MyCaptain’s reach in over 1,500 college campuses offers Imarticus a valuable grassroots network. This integration allows the company to cater to students in smaller towns and non-metro areas, where nearly 60% of MyCaptain’s users come from.
This demographic represents an untapped market with rising aspirations and growing internet penetration. Imarticus now positions itself to become a transformative force in these communities by offering career-aligned education that connects learning with real-world outcomes.
Scaling Impact by 5X in Three Years
Imarticus has committed to scaling MyCaptain’s offerings fivefold over the next three years. The company will do this by leveraging its operational expertise, content frameworks, and mentorship models. It will integrate MyCaptain’s programs into its own platform while also expanding offline offerings across its 20+ centers in 16+ cities.
Currently, Imarticus provides certification and executive programs in finance, data science, marketing, and technology. With MyCaptain’s integration, it will now cover creative fields like design, content writing, filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and more, enabling learners to access a wider range of professions. This end-to-end offering—from campus skilling to C-suite preparation—makes Imarticus one of the most comprehensive lifelong learning platforms in the country.
MyCaptain’s Operational Strengths
MyCaptain has crafted a high-retention and high-engagement model through cohort-based learning, live classes, and mentor-led experiences. Their platform focuses on student interaction and personalized feedback, fostering deeper learning outcomes. By deploying trained mentors and leveraging a robust peer-learning ecosystem, MyCaptain ensures a guided and immersive educational experience.
Their ability to maintain positive unit economics while growing revenue and breaking even on EBITDA sets them apart in a volatile edtech market. Unlike many edtech startups that rely heavily on discounts or fundraising to sustain operations, MyCaptain has proven the viability of its model through careful financial planning and strong demand generation.
Offline Expansion and Urban Penetration
Imarticus plans to bring MyCaptain’s top-performing programs offline. Its existing classroom infrastructure in metro and non-metro cities provides a ready-made channel for these rollouts. This move responds to the growing student demand for blended learning experiences, combining online flexibility with offline engagement.
The hybrid model will help increase access to personalized guidance, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities—especially for students in smaller cities who may not have easy access to internships or mentorship.
This model also enables Imarticus to increase Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and offer tiered pricing models for greater inclusivity and market penetration.
A Strategic Bet on Emerging Careers
MyCaptain’s programs reflect the evolving career interests of Gen Z, who increasingly prioritize creative freedom, flexible work, and entrepreneurial pursuits. Traditional higher education still struggles to prepare students for such careers. Imarticus now fills this gap by supporting students from an early stage, right from identifying passions to monetizing skills.
Imarticus will expand programs like Start-up Incubation Bootcamps, Design Sprints, Content Monetization Strategies, and Personal Branding—all popular modules under MyCaptain. This expansion will allow Imarticus to shape a pipeline of next-generation creators and founders from the grassroots level.
Industry Positioning and Future Growth
With this acquisition, Imarticus strengthens its competitive positioning against edtech giants and traditional offline players. It now covers a broader learner journey—from high school and college learners to mid-level professionals and senior leaders. This versatility allows it to maintain high customer lifetime value (CLV) and develop a recurring revenue base through alumni subscriptions, masterclasses, and upskilling renewals.
Imarticus also increases its market defensibility by owning a unique combination of distribution, content, and outcomes. The college skilling market, estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 15%, offers significant headroom for expansion. Given that most engineering and arts colleges in India lack industry-aligned skilling programs, this acquisition positions Imarticus as the go-to platform for employability training.
A Timely Move Ahead of IPO
As Imarticus prepares for its IPO, this acquisition sends a strong signal to investors about the company’s growth intent, diversified revenue strategy, and ability to execute at scale. By acquiring a financially sound, mission-aligned startup with strong brand equity among young learners, Imarticus reduces its customer acquisition costs and increases market reach instantly.
The addition of MyCaptain enhances the value proposition for IPO investors, showcasing strategic expansion, synergy-driven growth, and profitable scalability—all attractive metrics in the public markets.
Conclusion
Imarticus Learning’s acquisition of MyCaptain for ₹50 crores underscores a critical shift in India’s edtech evolution—from generalized content delivery to deeply contextual, outcome-driven learning journeys. This acquisition allows Imarticus to scale new peaks by entering tier 2 and 3 cities, building career pathways for underserved youth, and shaping the future of work from the classroom itself.
The synergy between Imarticus’ operational strength and MyCaptain’s youth-centric approach promises to create a powerful force in the edtech landscape—one that not only delivers learning but also nurtures dreams, careers, and futures across India.