Growing Stars
Growing Stars is a privately held, US-based online tutoring company founded in 2004 that delivers live, one-on-one instruction to K-12, test-prep, college, and IT/coding students via a proprietary digital whiteboard, using a managed-tutoring model with dedicated Education Managers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSanta Clara, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Growing Stars does
Growing Stars, Inc. is a privately held online tutoring company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Pleasanton, California, with a wholly-owned operations and recruitment office in Cochin (Kochi), India. The company delivers live, one-on-one tutoring sessions to K-12, test-prep, college, and IT/coding students using a proprietary digital whiteboard platform with real-time voice communication. Its product portfolio spans core K-12 academic subjects (math, sciences, English, languages including Hindi, Malayalam, and Spanish), standardized test preparation (SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP, IB, IGCSE, GCSE, and other assessments), college-level coursework, and programming courses in HTML, Java, C++, C#, and Python. A differentiated managed-tutoring model assigns each student a dedicated Education Manager and a consistent tutor, with curriculum aligned to the student's school textbook; the company also offers Summer Programs, on-demand Homework Help, and a risk-free 4-session trial with a 100% money-back guarantee.
Growing Stars operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market with self-serve website inquiry forms and phone-based inside sales (800-499-4769), supported by an extensive SEO content library of over 330 blog articles, video testimonials, a referral program, and mobile applications on iOS and Android. Revenue is generated primarily through package-based and recurring tutoring subscriptions, with a 10% discount on package billing; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company has a small disclosed external capital base (a $51,020 funding round in August 2013), no institutional investors, no parent company, no M&A history, and headcount in the 51-100 range, indicating a bootstrapped, founder-led small business. Founder and CEO Mathew Biju remains at the helm; the company claims 20+ years of continuous operation and earned media coverage in outlets including NBC, CNN, ABC, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times.
Growing Stars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Growing Stars
- Legal name
- Growing Stars, Inc.
- Website
- https://growingstars.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Growing Stars is a privately held, US-based online tutoring company founded in 2004 that delivers live, one-on-one instruction to K-12, test-prep, college, and IT/coding students via a proprietary digital whiteboard, using a managed-tutoring model with dedicated Education Managers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Growing Stars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Tutoring Services
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI), Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms (EDAJAMAD)
Keywords
Where Growing Stars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Clara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Growing Stars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Online Tutoring Sessions: One-on-one online tutoring sessions sold as packages or ongoing subscriptions. Customers pay for tutoring hours across various subjects including K-12 academics, test preparation, college courses, and IT/coding. Pricing appears to be package-based with discounted rates for larger packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Package billing with volume discount |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Growing Stars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Growing Stars delivers live, one-on-one online tutoring sessions to K-12, college, and adult learners across academic subjects, standardized test preparation (SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP, IB, IGCSE/GCSE), and IT/coding courses. Each student is matched with a consistent tutor who follows the student's exact school textbook, and is supported by a dedicated Education Manager who oversees the personalized learning plan. Sessions are delivered through a proprietary interactive digital whiteboard integrated with live voice communication.
Product overview
Growing Stars operates a unified online tutoring platform delivering live, 1-on-1 instruction across a broad academic portfolio. The core offering centers on personalized tutoring matched to each student's school curriculum, supported by managed services including dedicated Education Managers and consistent tutors. The product portfolio spans K-12 academic subjects (mathematics, sciences, languages, English, writing), standardized test preparation (SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP), international curricula (IB, IGCSE/GCSE), college-level subjects, and IT/coding courses. Delivery is via a proprietary digital whiteboard with real-time voice interaction. The company augments core tutoring with seasonal Summer Programs, a free Homework Help service, a Risk-Free Trial with money-back guarantee, and native mobile applications for iOS and Android.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online 1-on-1 Tutoring Live, instructor-led one-on-one online tutoring sessions delivered via proprietary digital whiteboard with real-time voice communication. Students receive personalized learning plans matched to their academic needs and school curriculum. Intended for parents enrolling K-12, college, and adult learners.
- K-12 Academic Tutoring Tutoring across elementary, middle, and high school subjects including mathematics, sciences, languages, English, writing, and reading comprehension, following the student's exact school textbook.
- AP Test Prep Tutoring Advanced Placement exam preparation covering AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP English, AP History, AP Economics, AP Psychology, AP Computer Science, AP Spanish, AP Environmental Science, and AP Precalculus.
- IB & IGCSE/GCSE Tutoring International Baccalaureate and Cambridge IGCSE/GCSE exam preparation tutoring including IB Math HL/SL (AI and AA), IB Sciences, IBMYP, and IGCSE/GCSE Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and English.
- SAT & ACT Test Prep Standardized test preparation for SAT (complete, math, reading/writing) and ACT (complete, math, English, science), including PSAT/NMSQT and other national exam prep such as SSAT, HSPT, TOEFL, MCAT, AMC, MATHCOUNTS, Regents, STAAR, CAASPP, and TERRANOVA.
- College Tutoring University-level subject tutoring including College Math, Differential Equations, Discrete Math, Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, College Statistics, College Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Anatomy and Physiology, College Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, College Physics, and College English.
- IT Courses / Coding Technology and programming courses covering HTML and Web Development, Java, C++ Programming, C# Programming, and Python, including AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A prep.
- Managed Tutoring Managed tutoring model where every student is assigned a dedicated Education Manager who coordinates personalized tutoring plans, matches students with consistent tutors, and manages progress tracking throughout the engagement.
- Summer Programs Seasonal intensive tutoring program designed to help students strengthen academic skills, prevent summer learning loss, and gain confidence before the upcoming school year.
- Growing Stars Mobile App Native mobile applications available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) platforms for parents and students to manage tutoring sessions, communications, and progress tracking.
Quantifiable outcome
- Grade improvement documented through testimonials showing 97-100% scores, A grades, AP scores of 5, IB scores of 43/45
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Growing Stars
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Growing Stars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Growing Stars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Growing Stars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Preply: Global online tutoring marketplace with strong language and academic offerings. Comparable in direct-to-consumer 1-on-1 online tutoring model and broad subject coverage.
- Outschool: Online learning marketplace offering live small-group and 1-on-1 classes for K-12 students. Comparable in target demographic (K-12 parents/students), live online format, and breadth of academic/enrichment offerings.
- Brainfuse: Live online tutoring and homework help platform serving K-12 and college students, frequently sold into schools and libraries. Comparable in live 1-on-1 online tutoring model and K-12 focus.
- Skooli: Online tutoring platform providing on-demand 1-on-1 tutoring for K-12 and college subjects. Directly comparable in delivery model and target market.
- Varsity Tutors (Nerdy Inc.): Large-scale online 1-on-1 tutoring and test prep platform covering K-12, AP, SAT/ACT, and college subjects. Directly comparable in target customer (parents/students) and subject breadth.
- Wyzant: Online tutoring marketplace connecting students to private tutors across academic subjects and test prep. Comparable in 1-on-1 online tutoring delivery and K-12/test prep focus.
- Tutor.com (formerly The Princeton Review): On-demand 1-on-1 online tutoring service covering K-12, college, and test prep. Directly comparable in delivery model (live online tutoring), customer base, and subject breadth.
Broad incumbents
- Khan Academy: Free, large-scale online learning platform covering K-12, test prep (SAT, AP), and college subjects. Comparable in subject breadth and K-12/test prep focus, but free and self-serve rather than 1-on-1 paid tutoring.
- Chegg Tutors (Chegg Inc.): Tutoring offering embedded in Chegg's broader student services platform (textbooks, study help, writing). Comparable in 1-on-1 online tutoring for college and K-12 students, with wider product portfolio.
Emerging players
- TutorOcean: Online tutoring marketplace offering 1-on-1 sessions across academic subjects. Comparable in delivery model and K-12/college focus, but smaller scale than Growing Stars.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Growing Stars social profiles
Digital presenceGrowing Stars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Growing Stars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Growing Stars subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Growing Stars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Growing Stars 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 Growing Stars
What does Growing Stars do?
Growing Stars delivers live, one-on-one online tutoring sessions to K-12, college, and adult learners across academic subjects, standardized test preparation (SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP, IB, IGCSE/GCSE), and IT/coding courses. Each student is matched with a consistent tutor who follows the student's exact school textbook, and is supported by a dedicated Education Manager who oversees the personalized learning plan. Sessions are delivered through a proprietary interactive digital whiteboard integrated with live voice communication.
Is Growing Stars a public or private company?
Growing Stars is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Growing Stars founded?
Growing Stars was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Growing Stars based?
Growing Stars is headquartered in Santa Clara, United States, in the North America region.
How does Growing Stars make money?
One revenue line is on record: online Tutoring Sessions.
Who are Growing Stars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Preply, Outschool, Brainfuse, Skooli, Varsity Tutors (Nerdy Inc.), Wyzant and Tutor.com (formerly The Princeton Review). Broad incumbents are Khan Academy and Chegg Tutors (Chegg Inc.). TutorOcean is listed as an emerging player.
Does Growing Stars have an API?
No public API is recorded for Growing Stars.
What industry is Growing Stars in?
Growing Stars's product category is Online Tutoring Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAGAL, Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors), with a secondary code of EDAJADAI, Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12). Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.