Physics Wallah
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | EdTech |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Alakh Pandey, Prateek Maheshwari |
| Headquarters | Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India |
Area served | India |
Key people | Alakh Pandey (CEO), Prateek Maheshwari (COO) |
| Products | Online courses, offline coaching, study materials, mobile app |
| Revenue | ₹ 2015 crore (FY24) |
Number of employees | 14,000 (2025) |
| Website | www |
Physics Wallah is an Indian educational technology company headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Initially launched in 2016 as a YouTube channel by Alakh Pandey to provide free physics lessons for JEE and NEET, it evolved into a comprehensive edtech platform in 2020 with the introduction of the Physics Wallah app. Co-founded by Prateek Maheshwari, the company offers affordable online and offline courses for students from grades 6 to 12, focusing on competitive exam preparation. Valued at $3.7 billion as of February 2025, Physics Wallah serves over 46 million students across India, leveraging a freemium model and hybrid learning approach. The company is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) in 2025.[1]
Founders & Leadership
- Alakh Pandey (CEO): Born in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, Pandey started teaching physics at age 14 to support his family. A physics enthusiast and storyteller, he launched the Physics Wallah YouTube channel in 2016, gaining a cult following with 13.3 million subscribers by 2025. Pandey, who did not pursue higher education due to financial constraints, focuses on affordable education for tier-2 and tier-3 city students. His teaching style and vision drive the company’s mission.[2]
- Prateek Maheshwari (COO): A serial entrepreneur with a background in computer science, Maheshwari previously founded edtech ventures like NightPanda and PenPencil. He joined Physics Wallah in 2020 to scale operations and develop the PW app. Maheshwari oversees operational and financial strategies, preparing the company for its IPO.[3]
Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Alakh Pandey starts Physics Wallah as a YouTube channel for physics lessons.[4] |
| 2017 | YouTube channel grows to 4,000 subscribers.[3] |
| 2019 | Channel reaches 2 million subscribers.[3] |
| 2020 | Physics Wallah app launched with Prateek Maheshwari as co-founder.[4] |
| 2022 | Becomes India’s 101st unicorn with $100 million Series A funding at $1.1 billion valuation.[5] |
| 2023 | Acquires 50% stake in Xylem Learning and other startups.[4] |
| 2024 | Raises $210 million in Series B funding, valuing the company at $2.8 billion.[6] |
| 2025 | Valued at $3.7 billion after $25 million secondary funding; prepares for IPO.[1] |
Funding
| Date | Round | Amount | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2022 | Series A | $100 million | WestBridge Capital, GSV Ventures, Konark Trust, MMPL Trust[5] |
| September 2024 | Series B | $210 million | Hornbill Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, WestBridge Capital, GSV Ventures, Setu Aif Trust[6] |
| February 2025 | Secondary | $25 million | WestBridge Capital, HNIs[1] |
Business Model
Physics Wallah operates on a freemium model, offering free educational content on YouTube while monetizing through premium subscriptions for personalized learning, live classes, and test series. Additional revenue comes from YouTube advertisements, branded merchandise, and affiliate partnerships. The company also earns through franchise fees from its offline Pathshala centers. Its primary customer segments include students in grades 6–12, particularly from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, preparing for JEE, NEET, and other competitive exams. The platform emphasizes affordability, with courses averaging under $50, targeting underprivileged students.[7]
Products / Services
- Physics Wallah App: Offers live and recorded classes, test series, doubt-solving, and study materials for JEE, NEET, and foundation courses.[7]
- YouTube Channels: Includes Competition Wallah, JEE Wallah, and others, providing free lessons in multiple subjects.[8]
- Vidyapeeth Offline Centers: Hybrid coaching centers for JEE, NEET, and foundation exams, with 77 centers by 2024.[9]
- PW Skills: Courses for upskilling in technology and other fields.[9]
- PW Drona, Olympiad, LearnOS: Tools for course management, gamified learning, and productivity tracking.[9]
Growth & Metrics
Physics Wallah serves 46 million students across 18,808 pin codes in India, covering 98% of the country’s postal codes. Its operating revenue grew to ₹ 1,940.4 crore in FY24 from ₹ 744.3 crore in FY23, with total revenue reaching ₹ 2,015 crore. The company reported 27 lakh paid app users in 2024 and expects to double revenue in FY25. It employs 14,000 staff, including 500 teachers. The YouTube channel has 13.3 million subscribers and 5.3 billion views as of 2025.[7][1][10]
Legal Entity Information
- Legal Name: Physicswallah Private Limited
- Foundation Date: 2020
- Registrar of Companies: ROC Delhi
- Corporate Identification Number (CIN): U80904UP2020PTC135861
- Registered Address: A-13/5, Sector-62, Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Company Status: Active[11]
Media & Public Recognition
- Named India’s 101st unicorn in 2022.[5]
- Featured in Forbes India for its profitability model.[2]
- A 2022 Amazon Mini TV web series, Physics Wallah, depicted Alakh Pandey’s journey.[4]
- Recognized for affordability in edtech by TechCrunch and Reuters.[12][13]
FAQs
- What is Physics Wallah?
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech company offering affordable online and offline education for JEE, NEET, and school students.[11]
- Who founded Physics Wallah?
It was founded by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari in 2016 as a YouTube channel, formalized as a company in 2020.[4]
- How does Physics Wallah make money?
It operates a freemium model with revenue from premium subscriptions, YouTube ads, merchandise, and franchise fees.[7]
- What is the valuation of Physics Wallah?
As of February 2025, Physics Wallah is valued at $3.7 billion.[1]
External Links
Related Startups
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Gupta, Aryaman (11 February 2025). "PhysicsWallah set to be India's most valuable edtech with $3.7B valuation". YourStory. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Das, Chandrani (24 July 2023). "How PhysicsWallah Solved The Profitability Equation". Forbes India. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Physics Wallah: Story of YouTube Teacher to India's 101st Unicorn". Finowings. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Physics Wallah". Wikipedia. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Singh, Manish (7 June 2022). "India's PhysicsWallah becomes unicorn with $100 million funding". TechCrunch. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Indian ed-tech startup Physics Wallah raises $210 million at a $2.8 billion valuation". Tech Startups. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Physics Wallah Business Model". StartupTalky. 21 April 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
{{cite web}}: Text "How Physics Wallah Makes Money" ignored (help) - ↑ "How this bootstrapped edtech startup went from being a YouTube channel to a soonicorn". YourStory. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "PhysicsWallah's Product Gamble & Shrinking Profits". Inc42. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ Das, Sohini (19 March 2024). "Physics Wallah's online business sees 100% growth, aims to double its revenue in 2024-25". The Hindu BusinessLine. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Physics Wallah - 2025 Company Profile, Funding, Competitors & Financials". Tracxn. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ Singh, Manish (20 September 2024). "India's Physics Wallah raises $210M at $2.8B valuation". TechCrunch. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ↑ "India's Physics Wallah raises $210 mln, more than doubling valuation to $2.8 bln". Reuters. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2025.