Unacademy founders Gaurav Munjal and Roman Saini are set to step down from their operational roles in the next two to three months. This major move comes as they plan to spin off Airlearn, Unacademy’s language learning app, into a separate company.
This change was quietly building up since last year. Munjal formally told the board about his plans in March. He stayed on until now after the board asked him to reduce the company’s cash burn.
The goal was to make Unacademy financially healthier before stepping away.
For the average user or investor, this signals a new phase for Unacademy. The founders moving away might feel like the end of an era. But their focus on Airlearn shows they are doubling down on what’s working — a growing language app competing with the likes of Duolingo.
Airlearn is growing fast. It has 70,000 daily active users and nearly 3 lakh monthly users. It also boasts 17,500 paid subscribers and $2 million in annual recurring revenue. Most users come from the U.S. and the U.K., and Spanish and French are the most popular languages. This makes Airlearn Munjal’s next big bet.
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On the Unacademy front, leadership changes are already underway. Sumit Jain, founder of Graphy and a partner at Unacademy, will take charge of the offline business.
Meanwhile, a new team is being put in place for Unacademy’s core online operations.
Financially, Unacademy has been on a tough ride. Its revenue dropped 7.4% in FY24 to Rs 839 crore. But the good news is its net losses shrank by 62.4% to Rs 631 crore. The company has also slashed its cash burn from over Rs 1,000 crore three years ago to under Rs 200 crore in the current fiscal year.
Unacademy currently holds Rs 1,250 crore in cash, putting it in what Munjal calls a “default alive” state. Some parts of its business, including Graphy and PrepLadder, are now making money monthly.
This shift shows a startup maturing, cutting costs, and focusing on core strengths while spinning off promising ventures. It’s like a band changing lead singers but still playing the hits — just with a new twist.
The founders’ exit and Airlearn spin-off is a big deal for India’s edtech scene. It highlights how startups evolve quickly, and founders need to pivot to keep growing.
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