byteXL Founders (L-R): Karun Tadepalli, Sricharan Tadepalli
THE OPPORTUNITY
Revolutionizing Engineering Education: Preparing Students for 149 Million New Global Jobs
The global technology landscape is advancing at a breakneck pace, with cutting-edge innovations in AI, Cybersecurity, AR/VR, Cloud computing, and Robotics. Yet, the IT curriculum in Indian colleges seems locked in a time warp, trailing almost a decade behind. This outdated curriculum, combined with a shortage of qualified faculty, leads to sub-standard education.
Top regional private engineering colleges have witnessed a notable 3x surge in admissions for Computer Science Engineering (CSE) programs. The Digital India revolution is driving demand for software talent proficient not only in traditional coding but also in cutting-edge technologies.
However, the lag in IT curriculum directly impacts the employability prospects of engineering graduates. According to the India Skills Report 2023, 57% of our engineering graduates are job-ready or could be employable with some training but the other 43% face major hurdles in reaching employability standards, requiring substantial interventions.
Key skill gaps for engineering graduates include:
– 91% lack programming & algorithm skills
– 71% lack soft skills & English communication
– 60% lack domain skills
– 8% have poor analytical and quantitative skills
“There are over 4.3K engineering colleges and 1.2K Universities in India that enroll close to 1.1 million CSE students each year. The total bachelor’s education expenditure amounts to $3.4 billion, while colleges incur a delivery cost of $2.5 billion.”
Innovative EdTech models such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and cohort-based learning platforms are swiftly rising to bridge the gap. But, despite their potential to revolutionize learning, direct-to-consumer (B2C) higher EdTech models have struggled to scale, largely due to high customer acquisition costs that account for 20-40% of overall revenue.
The overall educational landscape in India is still dominated by traditional academic institutions, with an enrollment of 11 million students in higher education. 96% of white-collar skilled jobs still require a traditional degree, reinforcing the enduring significance of formal education credentials.
There is a significant opportunity to revolutionize the engineering education market in India by preparing graduates to be industry-ready from day one. We are thrilled to announce our investment in byteXL as it embarks on its journey to transform engineering education in India.
THE UNIQUE APPROACH
byteXL offers engineering colleges a proprietary learning platform, in-house teacher network and deep operational support
As a strategic partner to engineering colleges, byteXL ups the game with its innovative ‘4-year service’ model, that meshes curriculum design, content curation, practical learning experiences and a network of trained teachers.
Far surpassing the conventional Learning Management System (LMS), byteXL’s platform is a powerhouse of student analytics and adaptable teaching methodologies that not only enhance coding proficiencies but also empower students to create enterprise-grade applications. This cohesive model, anchored by a centralized technological platform and an extensive academic content repository, was meticulously crafted following an in-depth exploration of the essential requirements of educational institutions.
Setting a new standard in personalized and data-centric learning, byteXL’s platform fosters collaboration and engagement. These immersive courses, conducted in person on college campuses, feature dynamic elements such as real-time coding challenges, quizzes, annotated video lessons, projects, and interactive practice modules. Through these features, students engage in hands-on coding practice and receive immediate feedback, ensuring a comprehensive and impactful learning journey.
THE FOUNDING TEAM
byteXL founders want to make engineering students industry-ready
“We want to ensure that students not only learn but really understand and apply the skills they acquire. This naturally leads to successful placements in top tech companies.”
The founders of byteXL understand the challenges engineering students face – particularly those in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The dearth of market-ready skills, limited opportunities, and constrained access to the broader ecosystem significantly limits the career trajectories of these aspiring professionals.
As Founder & CEO, Karun Tadepalli, spearheads byteXL’s strategic initiatives and growth. He has over two decades of experience in software development. A seasoned professional, Karun was previously Head of Engineering at Accenture in the US, leading a vertical focused on DevOps and cloud computing.
Leading sales, Sricharan Tadepalli, the Co-Founder & CSO of byteXL, has over 15 years of experience as Director of Engineering at companies like Oracle and Kloud9. With a Masters in Computer Applications (MCA), he adds significant depth to byteXL’s leadership team.
THE WAY AHEAD
byteXL: Preferred partner brand for universities to deliver High-quality education
With the latest funding round byteXL is gearing up to expand its reach by 7 times over the next three years while strengthening relationships with current clients. The company is channelling significant resources into enlarging its team and enhancing its tech platform to offer more interactive and personalized experiences.
Since its inception, byteXL has partnered with over 26 colleges and universities across India, training more than a lakh students in various software technologies. After establishing a solid foundation in course curriculum, content, and delivery methods over the past three years, byteXL is now venturing into direct placement assistance. By fostering connections between campus communities and companies to provide extensive placement opportunities, byteXL aims to bridge the gap and facilitate smoother transitions for students into the workforce.
We are excited to partner with Karun, Sricharan and the entire team as they pursue their mission to evolve byteXL into an integrated platform that empowers engineering colleges to provide enhanced learning experiences for students, ultimately enhancing their employability prospects.
Partner, Kalaari Capital, Sampath P says: “Most engineering schools in India have struggled to maintain high standards of curriculum, teaching pedagogy and industry readiness. For a long time, this has affected young students from realising their true potential. byteXL is committed to being the true partner for universities with operational expertise, high-quality educators and an interactive digital learning platform. Karun and Charan have spent a long-time understanding the core needs of each stakeholder in this process. They are deeply committed to improving learning outcomes and the quality of tech talent in India. We are excited to partner with them on this mission”.
Karun, Co-Founder, byteXL says, “At byteXL, we’re not just teaching coding; we’re shaping futures and driving innovation in tech education across India. This funding will boost our confidence in empowering engineers of tomorrow with cutting-edge skills and technologies and help us bridge the gap between academia and industry at a faster pace.”
Kalaari Capital is an early-stage, technology-focused venture capital firm based out of Bengaluru, India. Since 2006, Kalaari has empowered visionary entrepreneurs building unique solutions that reshape the way Indians live, work, consume and transact. The firm’s ethos is to partner early with founders and work with them to navigate the inevitable challenges of fostering ideas into successful businesses. At its core, Kalaari believes in building long-term relationships based on trust, transparency, authenticity, and respect.
If you are a founder building an early-stage company, write to us at pitch@kalaari.com