Simplilearn launches first offline centre in Noida, more in the offing  

Offline Centers

Higher edtech platform Simplilearn has launched its first offline centre in Delhi's suburb of Noida, as competition intensifies with many such startups opting for physical classroom teaching to make up for the plunging demand for digital learning.

The startup said on May 4 that aims to launch similar experience centres in Gurugram, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai in the days ahead.

According to Simplilearn, the offline experience centre will help aspirants identify suitable upskilling programmes.

“At the centre, the learners will be given a 360-degree view of various programmes offered by Simplilearn, and experienced professionals will be stationed on the ground, dedicated to helping learners achieve their career aspirations,” the company said in the statement.

The move is in line with the company’s larger expansion plans, it said. The Noida centre will strengthen the company’s market presence, enabling ease of access for learners through an on-ground touchpoint, it added.

“...Programs at Simplilearn are designed keeping in mind current industry requirements and are aimed at creating a job-ready workforce,” said Kashyap Dalal, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Simplilearn.

Founded in 2010, Simplilearn offers courses across domains like data and artificial learning, programming, cloud, and digital marketing. It has tie-ups with American universities such as MIT and Caltech and businesses such as IBM, Microsoft Azure, and Facebook.

With the return to “pre-pandemic normalcy”, the company is looking forward to interacting with aspirants in-person to provide upskilling counsel, Dalal added.

“We aim to streamline and strengthen our learner experience with the Noida and other upcoming centres, helping aspirants select the most suitable learning program that merits their professional journey,” he said.

The company also said that its India Consumer business saw a 45 percent increase in FY23, with data science and coding verticals seeing maximum demand, followed by cyber security and cloud computing.

In 2021, global private equity firm Blackstone invested $250 million in Simplilearn for a controlling stake. It picked up more than a 60 percent stake in Bengaluru-headquartered Simplilearn, one of the oldest firms in the online higher education space.

In November 2022, the company raised $45 million in a new funding round led by GSV Ventures at an undisclosed valuation.