Physics Wallah began with a simple dream—the dream of a 22-year-old teacher, Alakh Pandey from Prayagraj, who wanted to make education cheaper and available to everyone. He recorded video lessons for JEE and NEET students in a small room without AC or fans to avoid noise. He has faced many challenges, and now he helps other students avoid similar difficulties. He works hard every day to make education better for all.
Alakh Pandey’s Big Start
Alakh Pandey, from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, began teaching physics in local coaching centers after dropping out of HBTU Kanpur. His way of explaining tricky topics clearly made him popular. In 2016, he started the Physics Wallah YouTube channel as he wanted more students to benefit from his well-delivered lectures and fully examined content. His aim was to make studying for tough exams like JEE and NEET easier. The channel quickly became a favorite among students across India.
Turning a YouTube Hit into a Business
Seeing his YouTube success, Alakh wanted to expand. In 2020, he teamed up with Prateek Maheshwari, an IIT Varanasi graduate, to turn Physics Wallah into a business. They used the money from YouTube to create the Physics Wallah (PW) app. This app offered well-organized courses and extra study materials. For the first six years, Physics Wallah was funded by its own earnings, making quality education affordable for students.
Major Investment Breakthrough
In June 2022, Physics Wallah secured a $100 million investment from Westbridge Capital and GSV Ventures. This big boost increased the company’s value to $1.1 billion, officially making it a “unicorn.” In business, a unicorn is a rare company worth over $1 billion. Making its net worth to Rs 8000 crore as of 2023. This marked a huge step forward for Physics Wallah, showing how it had grown from a simple YouTube channel into a major player in India’s education technology industry.
Fast Growth and Success
Physics Wallah has rapidly expanded its reach. Today, it supports over 12.7 million students and offers more than 1,600 video lessons on its YouTube channel. This massive amount of content has made it a go-to resource for students preparing for important exams. In 2023, the company’s revenue reached INR 798 crore, highlighting its growing success and strong influence in the education sector.
Facing Challenges and Looking Ahead
Despite its success, Physics Wallah has faced challenges as well. In November 2023, the company had to lay off around 150 employees. This was a very tough yet necessary decision to manage its rapid growth effectively.
Looking to the future, Physics Wallah aims to raise an additional $150 million, which could increase its value to $2.8 billion. In August 2024, the company launched the School of Startups with INR 100 crore (about $11.9 million) to support new businesses. This move shows Physics Wallah’s dedication not only to education but also to fostering innovation and new ideas.
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