byteXL raises $9 million for tech and AI skilling in colleges
Hyderabad-based B2B edtech startup byteXL has raised $9 Mn (about ₹86.7 Cr) in a funding round led by Elevar Equity, with participation from existing investors Kalaari Capital and The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
Founded in 2019 by brothers Karun and Sricharan Tadepalli, byteXL works with engineering colleges, particularly in Tier II and III cities, to integrate industry-relevant technology and AI training into students’ regular coursework. Its B2B model combines curriculum, hands-on learning, technology platforms, and trained educators within the college system.
Over the next two years, byteXL plans to grow its network from 40 institutions to 120 and expand its reach from 2 Lakh students to 5 Lakh across 15 states. It also plans to strengthen its technology and AI learning platform, build its academic and delivery teams, introduce industry-aligned skilling programmes, and strengthen its institutional partnership teams. The startup said 7,600 of its graduates secured IT and engineering jobs last year.
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The funding follows byteXL’s $5.9 Mn Series A round in July 2024, led by Kalaari Capital, with participation from the Dell Foundation.
The fundraise comes amid a prolonged funding slowdown and consolidation in India’s edtech sector. According to Inc42’s ‘Indian Tech Startup Funding Report, Q3 2026’, the sector recorded three acquisitions during the quarter, including upGrad’s $200–210 Mn acquisition of Unacademy and Imarticus Learning’s $84 Mn acquisition of BELLS.
byteXL operates in the broader skilling and employability segment alongside players such as Emversity, Seekho.ai, SmartBridge, iNurture, Board Infinity, and Imarticus Learning. Meanwhile, IMARC estimates India’s edtech market to grow from $4.60 Bn in 2026 to $33.31 Bn by 2034, at a CAGR of 27.94% during 2026-2034.
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