Physics Wallah The Indian start-up scene is witnessing a proliferation of unicorns, notably in the ed-tech sector, and Physics Wallah has recently joined the elite club by securing an impressive $100 million/₹763.31 crores in its debut funding round led by WestBridge Capital and GSV Ventures. Unlike its counterparts, such as Unacademy, Vedantu, or Byju’s, Physics Wallah stands out with its distinctive journey and offerings.
Founded in 2014 by Alakh Pandey, Physics Wallah began as a YouTube channel. Originating from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Alakh’s inspiring journey evolved from a solo online venture to a unicorn with a workforce of approximately 1900 employees.
Alakh Pandey’s story is rooted in financial struggles that initially hindered his dream of pursuing IIT. Despite facing adversities, he commenced teaching in the 8th standard to support his family, eventually leading to the sale of their home to fund his engineering college education. While harboring aspirations of becoming an actor, Alakh’s commitment to teaching remained unwavering.
Recognizing the limitations of traditional teaching methods, Alakh took a bold step by dropping out of college in his 3rd year and transitioning to full-time teaching. In 2014, he ventured into YouTube, aiming to reach a broader audience. Despite initial challenges, he gained momentum by catering to students from the ICSE Board, rapidly accumulating 10k subscribers within a year.
The turning point occurred when Alakh decided to monetize his YouTube channel, receiving ₹8000 from YouTube. Buoyed by this success, he left offline coaching to pursue his vision. In 2019, Physics Wallah reached 1 million subscribers, prompting the need for expansion. Co-founder Prateek Maheshwari joined in 2020, and the launch of the PW app experienced immediate success, crashing on its first day due to overwhelming demand.
Seizing the opportunity, Physics Wallah introduced paid courses at disruptive rates, addressing students’ needs for structure, practice papers, and doubt-solving sessions. Alakh’s risk-taking approach yielded remarkable results, with revenues surging from ₹24.6 Cr and a profit of ₹7 Cr in 2020-21 to ₹350 Cr in 2021-22. Projections for FY 2022-23 anticipate crossing ₹650 Cr.
What sets Physics Wallah apart is its profitability from inception, a rarity in the ed-tech landscape. With a team of 1900, including 500 teachers, the startup remains bootstrapped, ensuring financial stability and avoiding layoffs. Alakh emphasizes product development over excessive marketing spending, aiming to revolutionize education sustainably and affordably.
Listening to student demands has been pivotal for Physics Wallah’s success. Future plans include personalized one-on-one coaching at disruptive prices, expansion into post-graduate test prep courses, integration of regional languages, and the expansion of offline coaching branches like PW Pathshala and PW Vidyapeeth in Kota.
The PW App boasts a user base exceeding 5.2 million on the app store and 7 million+ subscribers on its main YouTube channel. The 4.7 rating reflects its popularity and effectiveness.
Alakh Pandey’s journey exemplifies resilience and determination. Physics Wallah’s unique approach of keeping prices low enables it to target a vast majority, setting it apart from competitors. Word-of-mouth marketing, driven by Alakh’s personal brand, gives the startup a significant advantage.
In essence, Alakh Pandey’s story is a testament to rising from humble beginnings without privileges, navigating challenges, and steering a billion-dollar venture through bootstrapping. May Physics Wallah and Alakh Pandey’s journey inspire others to pursue their dreams against all odds.