Group A attains EBITDA equilibrium; confidently projected ARR of INR 415 crore for fiscal years 2025-2026
In the dynamic world of education technology, LEAD Group, an Indian Learning Systems company founded in 2012 by Sumeet Mehta and Smita Deorah, continues to make strides. The company's mission is to transform school education in India, and it does so by providing research-backed curriculum, pedagogy, and technology to enhance student outcomes and teacher effectiveness.
This year, LEAD Group has experienced a significant boost in its performance, primarily due to the benefits derived from scale efficiencies and AI-driven productivity enhancements. The company closed the financial year FY' 25 with a revenue of Rs. 367 Cr. and achieved operating EBITDA breakeven, marking a significant milestone in its journey.
One of the key factors contributing to LEAD Group's success is its Learning System, which integrates curriculum, pedagogy, and AI-enabled resources and technology. This system helps partner schools provide holistic education, equipping students with the skills and confidence to succeed in 21st-century careers and in life.
The Learning System is now the preferred choice for schools across India, with nearly 4 million students using it across 8,500+ schools. Sumeet Mehta, CEO and Co-founder of LEAD Group, attributed the growth to deepening partnerships with existing schools and rising adoption of the Learning System by new schools.
Another significant development is the launch of TECHBOOK, India’s first AI-powered, augmented reality-integrated (AR-integrated) textbook. TECHBOOK represents a major innovation aimed at personalized and experiential learning aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reforms. This product supports future-ready education by covering subjects from Coding and AI to IIT-JEE/NEET foundation programs for schools across India.
LEAD Group's growth was driven by rising demand for its proprietary Learning System. The company has raised approximately $165 million to date, including a $100 million funding round in January 2022 that gave it unicorn status. The growth strategy includes expanding to 10,000 schools and improving net revenue retention beyond 100%, aiming for parity with top global SaaS businesses operating at around 110%.
In addition to this, LEAD Group has made strategic acquisitions such as the student assessment platform QuizNext and the K-12 Indian business of Pearson, aiming to synergize these assets within their integrated school edtech system.
In summary, LEAD Group has a decade-long history of educational innovation and expansion, culminating in recent milestones of financial sustainability, large-scale adoption, and pioneering AI- and AR-driven learning solutions like TECHBOOK, which position the company as a leader in India's evolving education technology landscape.
- LEAD Group's accomplishment of operating EBITDA breakeven in FY' 25, following a significant boost in performance attributable to scale efficiencies and AI-driven productivity enhancements, signifies a notable milestone in their journey towards financial sustainability.
- The launch of TECHBOOK, India’s first AI-powered, augmented reality-integrated textbook, represents a significant innovation in the educational sector, aligning with the NEP 2020 reforms and supporting future-ready education by covering subjects from Coding and AI to IIT-JEE/NEET foundation programs.
- To further drive its growth, LEAD Group aims to expand its presence to 10,000 schools, improve net revenue retention beyond 100%, and parity with top global SaaS businesses operating at around 110%, while synergizing strategic acquisitions like QuizNext and the K-12 Indian business of Pearson within their integrated school edtech system.
