CENTA
CENTA (Centre for Teacher Accreditation) is a Bengaluru-based edtech platform offering teacher competency assessments, certifications, professional development, AI teaching tools, and recruitment services to 2M+ teachers, 100,000+ schools, and state governments across India and 170+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersBengaluru, India
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What CENTA does
CENTA (Centre for Teacher Accreditation) Private Limited is a Bengaluru-headquartered edtech company founded in 2014 that operates a cloud-based SaaS platform with native Android and iOS applications delivering teacher competency assessments, professional certifications (L1/L2/L3), continuous professional development, AI-assisted teaching tools, and recruitment services. The platform serves 2M+ teachers across 170+ countries, 100,000+ partner schools in India, nine Indian state government education departments, and parents; logos include Teach For India, Reliance Foundation Schools, Delhi Public School, Shiv Nadar School, and Dhirubhai Ambani International School. Its proprietary CENTA Standards Competency Framework (Technical, Professional, Core Competencies and Mindsets) has been incorporated into India's National Professional Standards for Teachers under NEP 2020, and CENTA holds the only Registered Certification Trademark in education in India.
CENTA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CENTA
- Legal name
- Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA) Private Limited
- Website
- https://centa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CENTA (Centre for Teacher Accreditation) is a Bengaluru-based edtech platform offering teacher competency assessments, certifications, professional development, AI teaching tools, and recruitment services to 2M+ teachers, 100,000+ schools, and state governments across India and 170+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CENTA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Teacher Professional Development
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Professional Development / CPD Requirement Administration for Licensure (EDADAJAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD), Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms (EDAFADAG), Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB), Test Item Banks, Question Authoring & Assessment Design Tools (EDAFADAC)
Keywords
Where CENTA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bengaluru
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
CENTA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Annual Teacher Subscriptions: Individual teachers purchase annual subscription plans (Basic ₹4,950, Standard ₹7,950, Advanced ₹14,950 per year) that bundle assessments, self-paced courses, masterclasses, and AI credits. This is the primary recurring revenue stream from individual teachers.
- School Licensing (per-teacher): Schools purchase annual per-teacher licenses across three tiers (Basic ₹4,950, Standard ₹7,950, Advanced ₹14,950 per teacher per year). Includes teacher training, certification, appraisal, reporting dashboards, and group benefits for 30+ license purchases.
- Teacher Recruitment & TaaS Placement: Schools pay a posting fee (INR 2,000 + GST) to post teacher requirements. For TaaS (Teacher as a Service) part-time roles, CENTA manages the entire deployment and payroll operations, generating service fees from schools.
- Assessment & Certification Fees: Revenue from individual assessment registrations (TQ tests), certification processes, and the Teaching Professionals' Olympiad (TPO). Schools and governments also pay for teacher competency assessments.
- Learning Resources & Masterclasses: Revenue from self-paced courses, expert masterclasses, webinars (CENTalks), micro resources, and learning bundles. Some content is free while premium offerings are paid.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Basic - ₹4,950/year - Good starting point for teacher support |
| Subscription | Annual | Standard - ₹7,950/year - Most popular package for all teachers |
| Subscription | Annual | Advanced - ₹14,950/year - For school leaders, coordinators, HODs |
| Per seat | Annual | Schools - Basic - ₹4,950/teacher/year |
| Per seat | Annual | Schools - Standard - ₹7,950/teacher/year |
| Per seat | Annual | Schools - Advanced - ₹14,950/teacher/year |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Teacher Recruitment Posting - ₹2,000 + GST per posting |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
CENTA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CENTA operates an edtech platform that assesses, certifies, trains, and places teachers through standardized competency assessments (CENTA TQ, SKT, CC) and tiered L1/L2/L3 certifications. Schools subscribe to per-teacher licenses for training, appraisal, and analytics dashboards, while individuals access self-paced courses, masterclasses, and the AI teaching assistant CENTAi. CENTA also runs a teacher recruitment marketplace and a Teaching-as-a-Service (TaaS) staffing solution that connects schools with verified educators from a 2M+ network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CENTA for Teachers: Platform for individual teachers to access certification, learning resources, community, and career opportunities
- CENTA for Schools
- International TPO
- Teaching Quotient (TQ)
- CENTA TPO
- Teaching as a Service (TaaS)
Products and services
- CENTA for Teachers (App & Web Platform)
- CENTA for Schools
- CENTA Teaching Quotient (TQ) Assessment Online competency assessment evaluating subject expertise, pedagogical content knowledge, professional competencies, and general pedagogy across 10 domains. Results valid for 2 years and serve as the prerequisite for L1/L2/L3 certifications.
- CENTA Certification Program (L1/L2/L3) Three-tier competency-based certification (New Teacher, Experienced Teacher, Senior Teacher) mapped to the proprietary CENTA Standards framework covering Technical, Professional, and Core Competencies. Certifications enable career advancement, promotions, and salary growth for educators.
- Teacher Recruitment Service AI-powered recruitment service that matches schools with verified teachers from CENTA's 2 million+ teacher network. Includes screening, verification, and onboarding support with a 3-month replacement guarantee and a per-posting fee of INR 2,000 + GST.
- Teaching as a Service (TaaS) Comprehensive teacher staffing solution connecting schools with verified, certified educators for part-time roles. CENTA manages the entire hiring, deployment, and onboarding operations, with payroll handled directly by the school.
- International Teaching Professionals' Olympiad (TPO) Annual global competition for teachers across 170+ countries, structured around competency assessments, learning engagement, and nominations from schools, parents, and governments. Offers cash prizes worth INR 30 Lakh / USD 35,000 and serves as a flagship brand-awareness and user-acquisition event.
- Teacher Training Programs Customized teacher training programs for schools combining workshops (in-person and remote), self-paced courses, masterclasses, and content aligned with the CENTA Standards competency framework. Reaches remote school locations via blended delivery.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 10 million voluntary learning engagements recorded over 12 months
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use CENTA
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CENTA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
CENTA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, supporting, minor and core.
- Reliance FoundationflagshipPartnership for the Reliance Foundation Teacher Awards, recognizing and celebrating outstanding educators across India. Also a long-term supporter of International TPO.
- Reliance FoundationflagshipPartner for International TPO prize sponsorship and teacher awards. Co-sponsored prizes worth INR 30 Lakh for the global teacher competition.
- UNESCOflagshipCENTA was one of two entities from India invited into UNESCO's International Teachers Task Force in 2019. CENTA Standards were presented to 30+ countries across Africa and Asia at this forum.
- NITI AayogflagshipServed as Knowledge Partner to NITI Aayog (2017-18), presenting CENTA Standards to all states of India. The partnership helped establish CENTA's competency framework in national education policy discussions.
- Buckinghamshire University (UK)supportingAcademic partner supporting CENTA's international expansion and credibility through knowledge collaboration on teacher standards.
- Oxford University PresssupportingEducational publishing partner contributing to CENTA's content ecosystem and teacher development resources.
- Education WorldsupportingMedia partner and supporter of International TPO, helping amplify teacher recognition efforts.
- TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences)supportingAcademic partner collaborating on teacher education and development programs through the International TPO and other initiatives.
- Central Square Foundation (CSF)supportingEducation-focused nonprofit foundation founded by Ashish Dhawan, supporting CENTA's work in teacher quality improvement. Ashish Dhawan serves on CENTA's Advisory Board.
- HCLminorCorporate partner supporting education initiatives and teacher development through the CENTA ecosystem.
- LenovominorTechnology partner supporting International TPO and teacher development initiatives.
- Dell TechnologiesminorCorporate partner supporting the International TPO and teacher recognition programs.
- Varkey FoundationsupportingGlobal education foundation focused on raising the status of teachers, aligning with CENTA's mission to make teaching aspirational.
- Government of Tamil NaducoreState government actively encourages and incentivizes teachers to participate in CENTA TPO. Has felicitated and rewarded winning teachers from the state.
- Government of Andhra PradeshcoreState government backing CENTA TPO participation and teacher quality improvement programs.
- Government of HaryanacoreState government supporting CENTA teacher accreditation and professional development initiatives.
- Government of MaharashtracoreState government encouraging teachers to participate in CENTA programs and incentivizing achievement.
- Government of RajasthancoreState government supporting and incentivizing teacher participation in CENTA TPO.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CENTA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BetterLesson: US-based professional development platform for K–12 teachers, providing coaching, workshops, and competency-based learning. Directly comparable to CENTA's teacher PD and certification offerings, though focused on US districts rather than India and emerging markets.
- Teach For India: Non-profit that recruits and develops teachers and school leaders across India; a listed CENTA partner school. Comparable in mission and target audience (Indian teachers, school leaders) and operating in adjacent teacher development and fellowship pathways.
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS): US-based organization that certifies accomplished teachers via rigorous competency-based assessments. Functionally the closest analog to CENTA — a standards-setting, certification-granting body for teachers — though operating in a mature US market rather than India.
- LEAD School: India-based integrated K–12 school system with teacher training, content, and curriculum services targeting affordable private schools. Operates in the same teacher-development + school-licensing motion that CENTA for Schools pursues, with similar pricing-tier economics for Indian schools.
Broad incumbents
- Unacademy: One of India's largest edtech platforms with a teacher/educator creator base and learning subscriptions. Comparable to CENTA's teacher subscription model and content/community dynamics, though focused on test prep and student learning rather than teacher accreditation.
- Cuemath: Indian edtech with a large teacher/educator network (tutors) operating a math learning platform. Overlaps with CENTA's teacher-as-a-service marketplace and teacher recruitment motion; both monetize a distributed teacher base in India.
- PhysicsWallah: Major Indian edtech platform employing teachers at scale and increasingly bundling professional learning and content services. Overlaps with CENTA's teacher content, AI tools, and school-facing offerings; significantly larger capital base.
- BYJU'S: Largest Indian edtech, with a broad teacher/content ecosystem and school-channel products. Although primarily student-facing, BYJU'S competes for teacher attention, school contracts, and AI-driven content — all CENTA's core markets.
- Coursera: Global online learning marketplace with teacher professional development specializations and certificates. Comparable to CENTA's subscription + certification + content model, though Coursera's PD is one vertical within a much broader higher-ed and workforce platform.
Emerging players
- Teachmint: India-focused K–12 school operating system with teacher management, content, and live-class tools. Comparable to CENTA for Schools in serving Indian schools with teacher-facing SaaS, though Teachmint leads with classroom infrastructure rather than accreditation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CENTA social profiles
Digital presenceCENTA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CENTA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CENTA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CENTA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CENTA
What does CENTA do?
CENTA operates an edtech platform that assesses, certifies, trains, and places teachers through standardized competency assessments (CENTA TQ, SKT, CC) and tiered L1/L2/L3 certifications. Schools subscribe to per-teacher licenses for training, appraisal, and analytics dashboards, while individuals access self-paced courses, masterclasses, and the AI teaching assistant CENTAi. CENTA also runs a teacher recruitment marketplace and a Teaching-as-a-Service (TaaS) staffing solution that connects schools with verified educators from a 2M+ network.
Is CENTA a public or private company?
CENTA is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was CENTA founded?
CENTA was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CENTA based?
CENTA is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, in the Asia region.
How does CENTA make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Annual Teacher Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are school Licensing (per-teacher), teacher Recruitment & TaaS Placement, assessment & Certification Fees and learning Resources & Masterclasses.
Who are CENTA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BetterLesson, Teach For India, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and LEAD School. Broad incumbents are Unacademy, Cuemath, PhysicsWallah, BYJU'S and Coursera. Teachmint is listed as an emerging player.
Does CENTA have an API?
No public API is recorded for CENTA.
What industry is CENTA in?
CENTA's product category is Teacher Professional Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADAJAL, Professional Development / CPD Requirement Administration for Licensure, with a secondary code of EDAJAFAD, Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.