Gaurav Munjal to stay at the helm of Unacademy

Munjal will continue to lead the edtech company as group chief executive, ending months of speculation over a potential leadership transition at the SoftBank-backed test preparation firm, people familiar with the matter told FE.

- ANEES HUSSAIN

The decision comes days after acquisition talks between Unacademy and Ronnie Screwvala-led up Grad collapsed over valuation differences. The two sides were unable to agree on terms for what was envisaged as an allstock transaction valuing Unacademy at about $300 million-a nearly 90% discount to its peak valuation of $3.4 billion in 2021.

The failed up Grad talks mark the second high-profile acquisition attempt involving Unacademy in the past 14 months. In late 2024, the company was reported to be in advanced discussions to be acquired by Kota-based Allen Career Institute at a valuation of around $800 million, but those negotiations also fell through amid disagreements overvaluation and share-swap ratios.

Last month, during a town hall and in a detailed post on X marking Unacademy's 10th anniversary, Munjal publicly acknowledged the sharp fall in the company's valuation, saying the group was now likely worth "less than $500 million".