upsurge, a Delhi-based EdTech platform which teaches life skills and financial literacy to Gen Z through games, has recently raised INR 3 crore (USD $370,000) in its pre-seed round led by JCBL India, the family office of Rishi Aggarwal. With the funds, the company plans for further development of games and courses, hiring senior leaders, growth, and international expansion.
Founded by serial entrepreneur Karan Baweja in 2021, upsurge aims to help children learn about money management, entrepreneurship, and other important life skills through its proprietary games, interactive game-based courses and rewards. The programs and courses are reportedly designed to cultivate skills such as problem-solving, leadership, communication, critical analysis, and creativity in children through the use of gamified learning and positive reinforcement.
Commenting on the funding, Founder & CEO of upsurge, Karan Baweja, said:
Financial literacy and life skills is an increasingly important competency in today’s world, and we believe that our interactive and engaging approach is an effective way to teach these valuable skills to young people. At upsurge, the mission is to inspire and empower the next generation with the holistic knowledge and skills they need to succeed in an evolving economy. We are thrilled to have the support of our investors as we work to empower the next generation with the skills they need to succeed in the modern world.
The startup’s goal is to motivate and equip students with contemporary skills and information in a fun and interactive manner. The platform, which has 2,500 organic users, is working with educational institutions to integrate its games into their curricula besides launching some mobile apps next month.
Rishi Aggarwal from JCBL India, added:
Investing in the financial literacy and life skills of children in their early years is not only good for their future, but it is also an investment in the future of our society. We believe that upsurge has a potential to make a significant impact on youth globally and we are excited about their future.