Emversity, a Bengaluru-based skill-based training and higher education platform founded by former Unacademy COO Vivek Sinha, has raised INR 43 crore (USD 5 million) in a pre-Series A funding round. The round was co-led by Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India) and Lightspeed Venture Partners, with additional participation from Alteria Capital and Innoven Capital. The funding included a mix of equity and debt.
The latest round brings Emversity’s total funding to over USD 21 million (~INR 180 crore), following earlier investments that included a USD 11 million (~INR 94 crore) seed round in April 2024, also backed by Matrix Partners India and Lightspeed.
A Mission to Bridge India’s Skilling Gap
Founded in 2023, Emversity operates under its parent company Beyond Odds Technologies. It is focused on closing the education-to-employment gap by embedding work-integrated, tech-enabled training into degree programs at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The company addresses what Sinha terms a “three-pronged problem” in India’s higher education pipeline — capacity shortages, financial inaccessibility, and curriculum irrelevance.
“Millions of roles in healthcare, hospitality, and construction lie vacant, while one-third of graduates remain unemployed,” said Vivek Sinha, Founder & CEO of Emversity. “Our employer-sponsored stipend model solves accessibility; industry co-designed curriculum ensures relevance; and our Centres of Excellence expand capacity.”
Rapid Expansion Across Campuses
In its first year, Emversity has scaled rapidly, expanding to 36 campuses across 18 Indian states, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu. With the newly secured funds, the company aims to more than double its presence, targeting over 75 campuses by the end of the current financial year (FY 2025-26).
Schools of Allied Health Sciences and Hospitality
Under the Emversity School of Allied Health Sciences, the platform offers training for grey-collar roles such as nurses, lab technicians, therapists, OT technicians, caregivers, and paramedics. Its newly launched School of Hospitality has already partnered with two of the world’s largest hotel chains to deliver skill-based training in food & beverage services, room operations, and culinary arts. These programs are launching across nine campuses in 2025.
The platform offers both vocational and honours degree programs through its flagship SMART and EDGE programs, delivered in collaboration with leading higher education institutions. The curriculum combines classroom instruction with hands-on internships and direct job placement support.
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Strategic Focus on High-Demand Sectors
Emversity’s sectoral focus is aligned with areas facing acute talent shortages. According to Sinha, the healthcare industry alone needs 6.5 million skilled professionals, while the current workforce stands at just 3.5 million, creating a shortfall of three million healthcare workers. Similarly, India’s hospitality industry is poised for strong growth, expected to see 8.2% net employment growth in H2 FY2025 and reach a market value of USD 55 billion (~INR 4.70 lakh crore).
With national-level initiatives like the Skill India Programme and PMKVY 4.0, Emversity’s approach complements government ambitions to train millions of youth. Union Budget 2025-26 has also allocated INR 2,541 crore to boost tourism-linked skilling, amplifying the demand for trained hospitality professionals.
Backed by Industry Leaders
Commenting on the investment, Harsha Kumar, Partner at Lightspeed, noted:
“Vivek and his team are bridging a systemic gap by aligning training infrastructure with real industry demand, creating a more job-ready workforce for critical sectors. The non-linear impact Emversity can unlock by connecting global demand with India’s talent pipeline is what excites us most.”
Chandrasekhar Venugopal, Principal at Z47, echoed the sentiment:
“From the first conversation, Vivek’s insight on fixing the education-employment gap through a job-relevant pedagogy stood out. In under a year, he’s taken Emversity from idea to national scale with real outcomes and smart unit economics.”
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, Emversity plans to introduce additional verticals beyond healthcare and hospitality, including banking, education, and construction, focusing exclusively on sectors where long-term, intensive skilling programs are necessary and industry demand is strong.
By combining industry-funded training, curriculum co-designed with employers, and a scalable delivery model, Emversity aims to become a national leader in building India’s skilled workforce across nation-critical sectors.