Bengaluru-based Mesa School of Business has raised ₹110 crore ($11.4 million) in a Series A funding round, valuing the company at ₹385 crore ($40 million), cofounder Ankit Agarwal told inc42.com. The round included ₹85 crore in equity co-led by Dharana Capital and Elevation Capital, and ₹25 crore in venture debt from InnoVen Capital and Alteria Capital. Mesa plans to use the funds to expand its leadership team, integrate AI into its programs, deepen startup partnerships, and launch new courses.
Founded in 2023 by Agarwal and Varun Limaye, Mesa offers on-campus educational programs targeting early-career professionals, fresh graduates, and undergraduate students. The school currently provides three full-time programs, with tuition fees ranging from ₹15.4 lakh for the one-year Forge program to ₹25.4 lakh for the one-year postgraduate program, and ₹48 lakh for the four-year undergraduate course. The fresh capital aims to strengthen Mesa’s offerings and leadership to address talent gaps in the startup ecosystem.
India’s startup sector faces a significant talent shortage, especially in non-technical roles that make up nearly 80% of jobs in the ecosystem, Agarwal said. Mesa’s focus on training talent for startups addresses this gap by offering specialized programs. The school’s valuation and funding round reflect growing investor interest in education startups that prepare professionals for the evolving demands of India’s fast-growing startup market.
Mesa’s Series A funding round closed recently, with ₹85 crore equity and ₹25 crore debt secured from established investors. The company’s next steps include launching new courses and integrating AI into its curriculum to better equip students for the startup sector’s needs, according to inc42.com.