Startup sees opportunity in career mapping

For a student, choosing the right career from a galaxy of options can be tough. There are many players in the education-technology and digital content segment, but hardly any in the career mapping space. This is where Vidyartha.com, a startup, is seeing huge opportunity by helping students identify their calling.

"Making a career decision from an early age is very important. Today, even working professionals in their 30s and 40s find their job preferences changing due to various factors. It is very tough for a 15-year old to make a career choice based on his interest and ability," says Priya Mohan, co-founder of the startup Vidyartha.com.

The venture, started in August 2012, offers career assessment programmes for 9th-12th standard students through online applications.

India has more than 250 million students in the K-12 segment. There are over 1,200 CBSE schools. "Given the vast career opportunities, scientific evaluation for each career from an early stage is very important," she said.

Vidyartha is targeting to reach one million students in the next two years. Currently, it caters to 500 students and has tied up with 10 schools. The venture provides class-wise counselling for each programme, and charges Rs 1,500 per student annually. It focuses more on the retail format than the business-to-business category.

Mohan, a student of Indian School of Business (PGP Class 2007), has worked for 12 years in corporate finance and investment banking firms before starting the venture. The venture has raised an undisclosed amount of Series A funding last year from an India-based MNC.