Jio Platforms Limited (JPL), the telecom and digital business arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), is set to absorb the edtech firm Embibe. Around 300 employees have been laid off over the past few months as Embibe prepares to merge into Jio Platforms, marking the end of its journey as an independent edtech firm. The move is part of Reliance's broader push to consolidate its digital education offerings under one umbrella, Mint reported, citing sources familiar with the development.
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Embibe to Become Part of Jio
"Embibe will become a part of Jio and will continue as an edtech firm. Jio is currently amid a due diligence exercise relating to the merger," the report quoted an unnamed senior industry executive as saying.
Aditi Avasthi, Founder and CEO of Embibe, shared the news via LinkedIn, describing the transition. "After 13 years since founding Embibe—and six years of building the right foundation to execute a bold, Jio-scale vision—I'm proud to share that we've officially graduated."
"Embibe is merging into its parent - India's largest distribution platform, with a phenomenal team from Embibe transitioning into this next chapter. Jio Embibe's mission—delivering deeply personalized, outcome-driven learning at national scale—now has the firepower to reach every corner of the country," Avasthi added, sharing that "Today, Embibe holds dozens of patents and has won global recognition with the trust of students, educators and governments."
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Embibe's Journey
In April 2018, Reliance Industries made a commitment to invest close to USD 180 million into the Bengaluru-based AI education platform over the following three years for a stake of 72.69 percent from Embibe's existing investors.
Akash Ambani, Director, Reliance Jio, at the time of the announcement of the Embibe deal, said, "The investment in Embibe underlines Reliance's commitment to growing the education sector in India and the world and making education accessible to the widest possible group of students by deploying technology. Reliance aims to connect over 1.9 million schools and 58,000 universities across India with technology."
"With robust AI stacks focused on content intelligence and automation, behavioral recommendations and student intelligence, our products have redefined the way edtech can impact the lives of students and teachers. We are supercharging our platform with the ability to deliver both content and outcomes for every learning goal in every student's journey, to be the leader in personalizing education for India and the world. We are excited to partner with Jio – bringing unrivalled acceleration to our growth story through data and device access," added Aditi Avasthi, at the time of investment announcement.
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Embibe Platform
Embibe, founded in 2012 and based in Bengaluru, is known for using data analytics to tailor learning experiences for K–12 students. It has reportedly raised funding from investors, including Lightbox, Kalaari Capital, and East River Partners.
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Operational Restructuring
According to the report, Embibe will become part of Jio and continue as an edtech firm. However, the integration will also involve operational restructuring, with some of Embibe's 380 employees transitioning to Jio, while others may face layoffs.
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