Bengaluru-based edtech startup CENTA (Centre for Teacher Accreditation) has raised Rs 20 crore (approximately $2.33 million) in a Series A1 funding round. The round was led by Colossa Ventures, with participation from Discovery Assets and several angel investors. CENTA was co-founded by Ramya Venkataraman (Founder and CEO) and Priyanka Arya, who aim to revolutionize teacher accreditation and recruitment globally.
Key Details
- CENTA provides a teacher-centric platform offering certification, upskilling, and job placement via its Teacher-as-a-Service (TaaS) model.
- It supports a global network of 1.7 million teachers, connected to over 100,000 schools across more than 100 countries.
- The funds will be used to scale operations in India and abroad, and enhance the platform’s technology.
- CENTA is gaining traction in the UAE, Nigeria, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Ghana, and expanding into the UK and US.
- Known for the International Teaching Professionals' Olympiad, CENTA has earned recognition from UNESCO, NITI Aayog, and Dun & Bradstreet.
Founder's Background
Ramya Venkataraman, Founder and CEO of CENTA, brings a robust background in education and strategy. Prior to founding CENTA, she worked at McKinsey & Company, where she led education practice initiatives. Her mission with CENTA is to build a merit-based, globally benchmarked teaching profession.
Priyanka Arya, Co-founder, brings experience in education design and operations, having contributed to strategic educational programs in India.
Funding Details
- Funding Round: Series A1
- Amount Raised: Rs 20 crore (~$2.33 million)
- Lead Investor: Colossa Ventures
- Other Investors: Discovery Assets, multiple angel investors