e-Learning Startup Classle Raises $500,000 Funding from Chennai Angels

Chennai based social learning startup, Classle raised Angel funding of $500,000 from Chennai Angels. The funds will be used to increase the scale and scope of their business. “We have proved the success of social learning as a concept. Now we will use the Angel funding to increase our customer base,” says Vaidyanathan, Founder, Classle.From their current customer base of 100 college and 2lakh users, Classle plans to increase the base of their social learning network to 30 lakh users and 2000 colleges over the next 12 months apart from the 1000 small and medium businesses they intend get on board as recruitment customers. With close to 60% of the funds directed towards the above mentioned activities, the other 40% shall be split between expansion from engineering and management to students in science, commerce and humanities colleges as well as schools and vocational institutions and technological developments.

Apart from the above mentioned goals, Classle is also planning the launch of its android app for Akash type tablet specification in the next few weeks. “The android app will ensure that our services are available on affordable tablets providing a new kind of access into the social learning network. This app will have and be followed by innovations targeting our demographics – 85% of the students from rural and vernacular background and those on the wrong side of the digital divide,” says Vaidyanathan, Founder, Classle.This startup also has big plans in the mobile space with the extension of the android app for smart phones. But their current SMS system has come to a halt because of the current government policies with respect to SMS communication. Nevertheless Classle as a company is bullish with respect in exploiting the mobile phone as a medium. In the last 30 days, with 7 new recruits already added to their team of 18, Classle is now looking to reach a capacity of 35 employees and strong in the next 45 days.

Though there is much welcome and reception for Classle’s work, the challenge at hand is to stay focused on the roadmap and execute without any distractions. Education is a space with constant challenges and opportunities. The challenge is to stay focused. While Classle is entirely an online service, their competitions are the brick and wall small and medium organizations that have invested in offering training services and placement services etc.

“e-Learning is the way of the future. This is the only one that will deliver. e-Learning earned itself a bad reputation because there was a time when there was a hype around it but the world was not ready to take it. But that has changed with technology and devices coming into the market. e-Learning is the way of the future but it needs re-imagining for looking at problems and solutions. It shouldn’t be approached in tried and tested ways but in newer ways and that is Classle’s approach to e-Learning,” concludes Vaidyanathan.

For more information, take a look at Classle.