Edtech unicorn PW (Physics Wallah) has acquired Knowledge Planet for an undisclosed amount, to expand into the MENA region. 

Knowledge Planet was founded in 2011 by Monika Oli and Sachin Bharti Gupta and has been offering JEE/NEET test prep over the past 16 years. PW plans to leverage Knowledge Planet’s established school partnership machinery to reach maximum students in the MENA region. With Knowledge Planet’s partnership model, PW will be able to expand the reach of its existing batch offerings. The company is also looking to expand beyond the UAE to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar through its seat at KP.

On the other hand, Knowledge Planet will benefit from PW’s formidable tech stack to empower its online and hybrid offerings. Knowledge Planet’s legacy of consistent and proven results and academic success in the MENA region combined with PW’s best-in-class pedagogy and popularity among the Indian diaspora will hold the company in great stead.

In the Middle East, Knowledge Planet shall become a gateway to PW for offering 1:1 STEM courses and SAT preparation for students looking towards the West for higher education. This partnership will unlock a $250 million USD+ market of offline test prep in JEE/NEET for the region’s Indian diaspora. The partnership was overseen by IndusLaw who acted as legal advisors to PW.

‘Critical milestone’

Speaking on the acquisition, Prateek Maheshwari Co-founder, PW,  said, “We are elated to announce our very first international partnership in the UAE.  With 13 centres operating across the Middle East and a well-established school partnership model, Knowledge Planet, the most trusted exam preparation network, is the perfect brand to champion our foray into this promising market. This is a critical milestone in PW’s journey. Our commitment to Bharat extends to the country’s students living abroad, as well as to providing top-notch education and opportunities. We want to bring our expertise to every Indian student, and this is a positive step in this direction.

Sachin Bharti, Founder & CEO, Knowledge Planet, said, “Knowledge Planet has been on a mission to provide excellent higher education opportunities to the Indian expats in the Middle East through in-depth training to help them succeed. We are well-aligned with Alakh Pandey’s vision to offer high quality education at scale in the Middle East. Our combined expertise will be able to add immense value to the test prep segment in UAE.”

Ajay Shah, EY (Transaction Advisory), said, “Knowledge Planet’s partnership with PhysicsWallah will help leverage their combined strengths and capabilities across online and classroom coaching to deliver quality education, at scale, across the Middle East region.”