Byju’s: Closer look at the EdTech major’s journey to regain its former glory

Once the crown jewel of India’s edtech sector, Byju’s now teeters on the edge of an uncertain future. The company faces pressing concerns such as mounting debts, legal struggles, and dwindling confidence among investors. But the question remains: how will it steer through this storm and reclaim its lost glory? 

The Ascension and Fall of Byju’s 

Back in June, there were whispers in Bengaluru’s real estate circles that Byju’s, India’s premier edtech company, was delaying rent payments. This cast an unsettling light over the company’s financial health. Moreover, the company had significantly downsized its staff and was falling behind on crucial payments such as employees’ provident fund. To make things chaotic, their statutory auditor and key members of the board chose to sever ties with the company, citing “differences” with the founder, Byju Raveendran. 

Consequently, the absence of an audited financial report for two years has raised serious concerns over the company’s corporate governance and investor faith. Even with the recent appointment of its first Chief Financial Officer, Ajay Goel, in 2023, skepticism lingers. 

“No one knows what the real numbers are, and that is not a comfortable situation for a potential investor,” remarks Satish Meena, Principal Analyst at Datum Intel.

Overreach and Underperformance? 

Byju’s ambitious global expansion and its series of acquisitions have been widely criticized as overly aggressive with poor return on investments. They have taken on immense debt to fund these acquisitions, a strategy that has not gone down well with investors. This, combined with opaque financial numbers and diminishing investor confidence, casts genuine doubts on Byju’s herculean task of raising a new funding round at its previously inflated valuation. 

Adding to the Heap of Woes 

Byju’s questionable corporate practices, aggressive marketing, and reckless spending have added to its laundry list of problems. The company not only picked up a handful of companies around the world, which some critics believe was a bid to ‘buy revenue through acquisitions’, but also went on a marketing overdrive, further straining its finances. 

“Most acquisitions don’t work because they are not done for pure business reasons… You may use debt to buy assets or inventory, but don’t use it for purposes that need you to raise venture capital to pay off the debt.” advises Anirudh A. Damani, Managing Partner, Artha Venture Fund.

The company’s optimistic strategy backfired when its revenues plunged with the easing of lockdowns leading to a significant cash burn. This led to a frustrating cycle of taking on debt to fund mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and subsequently trying to raise equity to pay off the debt. 

What Lies Ahead for Byju’s? 

Despite all the setbacks, there’s a glimmer of hope as industry experts believe the company still holds value. K. Ganesh, a serial entrepreneur, and investor, says that the priority should be to get money back into the company, correct all mistakes, and rebuild the business. He further emphasizes that operations should be managed profitably rather than focusing on inflating valuations. 

“Byju’s needs a fundamental reset… Have a full understanding of where the cash is coming from and where it is bleeding. Be brutal. You may not get back to a $22-billion valuation, but there is a chance of getting out of this mess and maybe return everyone’s capital,” suggests an investor.

Byju’s is indeed undergoing changes in its managerial structure with a focus on profitability and clarity in operations. Bringing in established industry veterans into a newly created board advisory council shows a promising step in the right direction. Overcoming its issues related to TLB repayment and filing of financial statements would be the much-needed course correction. However, it remains to be seen if Byju’s can manage to face these turbulent times and reestablish its place at the forefront of the education technology sector.

Please, also have a look into : Government orders inspection of Byju’s account books: Report