After Byju’s, OYO is now a Harvard Business School case study

The Harvard Business School has built a case study on Gurugram-based Oyo. Now a part of the Harvard Business School curriculum, the case study, titled OYO: Creating Effective Spaces, talks about the company’s journey, challenges, and growth.

Abhinav Sinha, Global Chief Operating Officer, OYO Hotels & Homes and Partner, OYO USA, said: “At OYO, every OYOpreneur has worked passionately and with utmost dedication towards the company’s mission. It makes us immensely happy and proud that OYO’s journey and mission-driven approach to business has led to it being included as a case study at the prestigious Harvard Business School.”

He added: “We have had the opportunity to exchange thoughts with several bright minds at Harvard Business School, and their questions, observations, and suggestions have been extremely thought-provoking and, at the same time, a humbling experience. We hope Ritesh’s remarkable journey encourages budding entrepreneurs at HBS to follow their dreams and work hard towards achieving them.”

In April, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO, OYO, had addressed students of Harvard Business School.

The case study has been prepared by Professors Das Narayandas and Sunil Gupta, Associate Director Rachna Tahilyani (India Research Centre) and Research Associate Mahima Rao-Kachroo (India Research Centre).

A disclaimer states: “It was reviewed and approved before publication by a company designate. Funding for the development of this case was provided by Harvard Business School and not by the company. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management.”

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Inspiring entrepreneurial journeys

Oyo has expanded to over 800 cities in over 80 countries since it moved to a lease-and-brand model. The company claims to have hosted over 50 million guests.

A company statement said: “With this case study that encapsulates real-life scenarios, including business challenges and innovative solutions, OYO aims to inspire several business students at Harvard Business School to create their own entrepreneurial journey.”

The case study quotes Oyo’s largest investor, Softbank, which stated: “They have managed to grow aggressively while being disciplined about their unit economics.”

OYO Hotels’ investors include Airbnb, SoftBank Vision Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia India, and Hero Enterprise.

The statement added that OYO Hotels continues to bring its successful proposition of combining design, hospitality, and technological expertise, financial acumen and operational capabilities to real estate owners around the world, giving them the ability to get a higher return on investments, access easy financing opportunities, transform their hotels, and offer good quality customer service, thereby significantly increasing occupancy and profitability.

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)

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