Bengaluru-based upskilling platform Scaler has acquired online learning platform AppliedRoots for $50 million to strengthen its data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning offering.
Founded by Srikanth Varma Chekuri, Murali Krishna Varri, Naveen Reddy Bade, Brahma Reddy, Srinivas Reddy, and Satish Atcha in 2017, AppliedRoots offers diploma courses in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and coding. Last year, it collaborated with the University of Hyderabad to offer an online diploma course in artificial intelligence and machine learning. AppliedRoots also provides tech professionals with GATE CS preparation and applied coding tracks, among others.
The Hyderabad-based online learning platform claims to have served over 40,000 learners in the last four years.
Announcing the acquisition, Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder, Scaler & InterviewBit, said,
“We are delighted to welcome the AppliedRoots team to be part of the Scaler ecosystem. All the co-founders have extensive experience across software development, AI & ML and the EdTech industry. We feel powerful synergy with their team, their ideas and goals. Together we can accelerate the pace at which we can aid aspiring tech professionals to upskill themselves and create meaningful and rewarding careers. As we build ourselves into a world-class virtual tech varsity, their experiences will come in very handy. This acquisition will allow us to strengthen our Data Science, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence offering and help us tap into a much wider learner base.”
As part of the deal, all six co-founders of AppliedRoots will join Scaler and lead various projects. Scaler said that a vast majority of the team will work with Scaler’s data science and machine learning business verticals. Some team members will also be building on the content vertical – Scaler Topics, a curated interactive space for aspiring software professionals to learn and master the right tech skills. The AppliedRoots team will also lead some new initiatives for Scaler in the latter part of the year, the company said.
Srikanth Verma Chekuri, Co-founder, AppliedRoots, said,
“We started AppliedRoots to democratise higher education with phenomenal quality and mentorship, and our vision is in perfect alignment with that of Scaler. Like them, we also focus obsessively on learner success, which is one of the biggest reasons we are thrilled to join the mission. Our immediate goal will be to support the efforts and projects being done in the Data Science & ML team. We will also incorporate a separate data analyst subtrack within the Data Science program. Scaler has a mission-oriented high capability team, and we are looking forward to working with them. It is an exciting time in the EdTech space in the country and we are very optimistic about what we can achieve together. We aspire to build the best DS&ML programs in the world.”
Meanwhile, this is Scaler’s third acquisition in little more than half a year. The upskilling platform had acquired in-demand programming course provider Coding Elements in August, and pocket-friendly coding platform Coding Minutes in October 2021 to expand its offerings. The acquisition also comes on the heels of the company raising $55 million in its Series B round at a valuation of $710 million.
