Byju Raveendran

Byju Raveendran is the founder of edutech start-up Byju's. Son of physics and mathematics teachers from Azhikode village in Kannur district of Kerala, Raveendran is a former teacher who turned an entrepreneur. An engineering graduate, he started teaching maths to friends (and whoever else wanted to learn) after spending a couple of years at a shipping company. He would help students prepare for entrance exams like the common entrance exam (CAT). In 2003, he appeared for CAT himself and scored 100%, despite not studying enough for the exam. Two years later, he helped some others crack CAT and then decided to take up teaching as a full-time job. Raveendran went from teaching a few friends, to teaching hundreds of students in large auditoriums, and taking classes through satellite communication. He set up Think & Learn in 2011, to offer online lessons, before launching his main app in 2015. In 2018, Byju Raveendran won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Startup category).