# Indian Startup News – Unacademy, Paytm, Shiprocket, Mensa Brands, Sequoia Fund
This week in Indian Startup News, the edtech sector experiences a major shift as Unacademy opens its first offline learning center in Kota, taking on established players like Allen and Aakash. This move has caused a ripple effect, with Allen’s founder, Brajesh Maheshwari, warning teachers not to leave, leading to Unacademy requesting police protection for its teachers[source](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/local/unacademy-opens-offline-centre-in-india)
In the Founder Spotlight, Subhash Choudhary and Suumit Shah of Dukaan announced plans to take the Indian small business platform global, aiming to challenge Shopify by addressing speed and performance issues brands face on the platform[source](https://thepassage.cc/2021/06/1255042432487106948)
In funding news, more than 21 Indian startups, including upGrad and WOW Skin, raised over $637.6 million, with upGrad alone raising $225 million[source](https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/upgrad-raises-225-million-in-series-g-funding-round-led-by-tensor-fund-dealingbrook-and-others/articleshow/68338628.cms)
The lending business shows strong growth for Paytm, with a 471% year-on-year increase in transactions and a jump to 74 million users compared to 50 million the previous year[source](https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/sme/paytms-lending-biz-sees-471-yoy-growth-in-2-months-till-may/2643651/)
Shiprocket makes a significant move with the acquisition of Pickrr, while Mensa Brands enters the smart wearable segment by acquiring Pebble[source](https://onwww.thenews.com.pk/print/981207-sequoia-plans-2-5bn-fund-amid-startup-boom-sequoia-india-raises-2-85-bn-fund)
Sequoia closes its largest fund of $2.85 billion, with $2 billion specifically allocated for early-stage Indian startups[source](https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/us-based-sequoia-capital-announces-its-successful-close-of-2-85-billion-fund-101656302726022.html)
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You are very impartial..
Which is good
Tbh, Allen did the same thing with Bansal classes
Great 😃🙏🙏🙏 Awesome 😊
Physics wallah is in resonance institute building
Unanacedemy is just in vibrant academy building
So Unanacedemy is officially an academy
This online giants are buying up older offline institute building's
Also who can forget byjus buying aakash
It would be an inspiration for many of us if you make a video about why you left your country and stayed in India and doing activities for Indian start-ups?
Hey Buddy, I wanted to know more about the startups that have raised money recently where can I find the list?
Keep up the good work
Unacademy is going to shut down allen and aakash 🤣🤣💯
Allen is Coaching Mafia.
i study at allen kota. and the situation here is awful. we used to have physics daily, but after almost everyone in the physics department left, we only have a few physics classes a week now. honestly, i dont get it, teachers who taught here for 17 years, became a hero from zero in this very institute, they just left in the middle of everything without any notice, just because some new company gave them a little more salary. they might be the greatest teachers, but in my eyes they're the worst human beings
👍👍
I study in allen as well as pw
Hey buddy you are not Canadian, you are Indian now…
Ab sabka baap aa chuka h pw yani ki Physicswalla , padh lo chahe jha se selection hoga yhi 🥰🥰
PW is the best ❤️
I think you guys you should make a video focused on bootstrap companies, can be explaining the strategies of tatas , manindra and reliance. These all are the great example of bootstrapping.
Make video on pw physics wallah
So unacadamy opened a coaching centre/ tution point, which are there since independence lol
Grt vid.
Hey mate where do you live btw ??
Such a bullshit made up problem by dukaan. There is no comparison between dukaan and shopify
Make a video on PW
Its nothing new…Its basically what Alllen did with Bansal Classes and other prominent institutes in the past.
I am really happy for paytm.
Now PW is also coming to Kota offline center
Where do you get all the data?
Hey Caleb… I have been watching your videos from a year now. The way you pronounce Indian name is really adorable and shows your respect towards the culture. But "Kota" is pronounced as "Kotaah* only and not "Kotta"…. same with KOTAK Mahindra bank. Just suggesting:)
Keep making these videos…. its really great to see engagement increasing on this channel…. you deserve it:)
Allen Itself Is A Brand Now a Days Producing AIR 1 since past 10 years
offline coaching space will kill unacademy, they can buy teachers and fund many more centres but the main point in offline edu is trust and reliability which allen-fiitjee-reso has earned all these years, parents can give 30-40k in a new coaching not 1.5-2 lakh rupees, they will go for legacy brands with some history and results to show.
Education is a business its not like it was before, these teachers earn like 4-5 crore rupees a year and want students to top in thier institutes so that they can advertise their coaching centers.
I strongly suggest everyone should study themselves and not take any help from these "shit centres"
They are becoming the very thing they aimed to destroy
Dukan taking on Shopify!! Very interesting!!
🙏🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Whatwhatwhat unacademy opened coaching centre in Kota
Nice every business needs a product, it's the best movie for un acadmy , swiggy Zomato should also open their offline cloud kitchen restaurant
Apart from only focusing only on startups raising money. I feel BWM should also give spotlight to bootstrap companies who actually have great teams and awesome products. Its very easy to raise million dollars, make news, disrupt local business, hire n fire thousands of people and then go bankrupt. But its very hard to create great products that grow organically and resurrect the economy. I believe startups like physics wallah, zoho, zerodha and others deserve more spotlight.
TCS has been doing what allen is threatening for since ages. From what I’ve heard tcs employees are not allowed to join back once they switch.
😊👍
❤️
Allen is offline King Offline market is not easy …you can't win it with Funding