Anant National University

What Anant National University does

Anant National University is a private, UGC-recognised Indian university founded in 2016 and headquartered on a 78-acre campus in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in design, architecture, climate technology and visual arts (BArch, BDes with seven majors, BTech in Climate Change, BVA, MDes in Integrated Product Design, PhD and two Anant Fellowship programmes), targeting students seeking an interdisciplinary design education that integrates sustainability, technology and entrepreneurship. The university also operates ten specialised centres covering incubation (Aarambh), K-12 design outreach (CODE), sustainability, indigenous knowledge systems, public policy, urbanism, visual arts, inclusive cultural leadership, crafts documentation, and creative practices, along with a Makerspace equipped for 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC routing and a Sasaki-designed Learning Commons library.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring tuition and programme fees across degree, fellowship and K-12 outreach streams, supplemented by executive-education programmes, placement-services partnerships, incubation grants (ICSSR, AICTE, National Commission of Women, Government of Gujarat SSIP), and research grants. Student acquisition is multi-channel: a website admissions portal, Open House events drawing attendees from 40+ cities, the WITH Festival and Anant Student Fest, DesignEdX outreach in cities like Kolkata, monthly newsletters, and active social-media presence across five major platforms. The university retains a Career Services Office that manages 100+ placement partners including Accenture, Piramal, Reliance and TCS.

Differentiation rests on holding the first UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums in the Asia Pacific region, recognition as a Government of Gujarat Centre of Excellence, GSIRF 5-Star Architecture and 4-Star University ratings, a 1.5 lakh square metre campus expansion underway, and tiered merit scholarships up to 100 percent for UCEED 2026 rank holders. International partnerships span IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, VCU, NTU Singapore, Habitat for Humanity/TCIS, Communeeti, and global alumni placements at Arizona State University and Nottingham Trent University.

Name

Anant National University

Legal name

Anant National University

Website

https://anu.edu.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Anant National University is a private Indian university in Ahmedabad offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in design, architecture, climate technology and visual arts, serving prospective students nationally while running an integrated Makerspace, incubation centre and ten specialised research and outreach centres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Design and Architecture

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Humanities & Creative Research Universities (EDAHABAG), STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

Keywords

• Design education
• Architecture programs
• Higher education
• Sustainability research
• Incubation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ahmedabad

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Degree Programme Tuition: Revenue from undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes including BArch, BDes, BTech Climate Change, BVA, MDes, and doctoral programmes. Students pay tuition and associated fees for enrollment.
2. Anant Fellowship Programmes: Postgraduate fellowship programmes in Sustainability and Built Environment and Climate Action generate revenue through programme fees
3. CODE School Programmes: Design education outreach programmes for schools including Summer IsCool, Winter IsCool, weekend workshops, semester-long courses, and online certificate courses
4. Executive Education: Designing Affordable Living and Entrepreneurs in Residence programmes offered through Anant Centre for Sustainability
5. Placements and Recruitment Services: Career Services Office facilitates campus recruitment connecting students with employers. Companies including Accenture, Piramal, Reliance, TCS recruit through the university
6. Incubation and Startup Support: Aarambh Incubation Centre supports student startups with grants from Government of Gujarat SSIP, TCIS, and other sources. Received Rs 35 lakh grant disbursement supporting 71 prototypes and 25 startups
7. Research Grants and Sponsored Projects: Funded research projects including ICSSR (INR 9,26,000), AICTE (INR 1,50,000), National Commission of Women (INR 11,66,000), and Centre of Excellence grant from Government of Gujarat

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Anant National University is a private higher education institution offering undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and fellowship programmes in design, architecture, visual arts, and climate technology. The university delivers academic instruction through specialised schools and centres, supported by a 78-acre campus with studios, labs, a Makerspace, a Learning Commons library, and an incubation centre for student entrepreneurs. Beyond degree programmes, it offers K-12 outreach, executive education, and research services through dedicated centres.

Product overview

Anant National University operates as India's Premier Design University offering a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate, fellowship, and doctoral programmes alongside specialized research centres and student support services. The academic offerings include Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), Bachelor of Design (BDes) with multiple design specializations, Bachelor of Technology in Climate Change (BTech), Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA), Master of Design (Integrated Product Design), PhD programmes, and two fellowship programmes (Anant Fellowship in Sustainability and Built Environment, Anant Fellowship for Climate Action). The university supports its educational mission through research centres including the Centre of Design Education (CODE), Anant Centre for Sustainability, Anant Centre for Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices, Centre for Public Policy Research and Design (CPRD), Centre for Urbanism and Cultural Economics, and Centre for Visual Arts. Student entrepreneurship is supported via the Aarambh Incubation Centre, while academic facilities include the Makerspace (with 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC routing capabilities) and Learning Commons library. Student welfare services include the Bloom Centre for Wellbeing and Career Services Office. The institution also developed COVID-19 response innovations including mobile testing auto-rickshaws and cardboard beds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Architecture (BArch)

Quantifiable outcome

• 120 IPR Filed through Aarambh Incubation Centre
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CommuneeticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelhi-based not-for-profit entrepreneurial venture on public policy. Collaborated to establish Centre for Public Policy Research and Design (CPRD) on campus. Jointly delivers courses on public policy, governance perspectives, and conducts live action projects including collaboration with MP Dr. Sasmit Patra on Private Member Bill research.
• Terwilliger Centre for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS) / Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCIS is an independent entity within Habitat for Humanity International dealing with market-based approach to create impact. Partnership for research on affordable housing, housing microfinance impact, sustainable technologies in low-income housing construction, and capacity building with students and faculty working with TCIS portfolio companies.
• Habitat for Humanity IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the largest organizations providing decent shelter to families. MOU to address 30 million incomplete homes in India with focus on self-build space (60% of home construction). Scope includes volunteering, knowledge hub, workshops, R&D, research, and publishing.
• YourDostcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline counselling platform partnership providing 24x7 mental health and emotional support services to students. Students can anonymously connect with psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, life coaches, and career guides for confidential counselling sessions.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums and Sustainable Heritage Development - first in Asia Pacific region, second worldwide after Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris. Also member of UNESCO UNITWIN Network on Tourism Culture and Development. Chair holder is Professor Amareswar Galla.
• International Institute for the Inclusive Museum (iiiM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of researchers, practitioners and institutes committed to UN Sustainable Development Goals through innovative approaches to culture in development. Fostering discursive crossings between Global South and North.
• IIT MadrasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent startup on low-cost prosthetics selected for grant from IIT Madras. Collaboration for startup support and mentorship.
• IIT BombaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration for student projects and jury sessions. Students gain exposure through institution partnerships as part of design education.
• Tourism & Leisure Studies Research NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network exploring economic, cultural and organisational aspects of tourism and leisure. Building epistemic community across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries.
• Inclusive Museum Research NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network concerned for future role of museums and how they can become more inclusive. Founded 2008.
• On Sustainability Research NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network concerned for sustainability from holistic perspective where environmental, cultural, economic, and social interests intersect. Founded 2005.
• Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations Research NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network sharing interest in human differences and diversity in organisations, communities, and nations. Founded 2000.
• India AcceleratormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Swaastha Healthcare Demo Day for startups. Accelerator partner supporting healthcare innovation ecosystem through mentorship and demo day events.
• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partnership evidenced by MoU signing event at startup conclave. Collaboration for global academic exchange and startup ecosystem development.
• Nanyang Technological University (NTU), SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInteraction with Prof Louis Phee, VP Innovation and Entrepreneurship at NTU Singapore during Singapore India Dialogue at IIT Gandhinagar. Hackathon participants connected with international innovation leaders.
• Sasaki AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston-based architecture firm designed Learning Commons spanning 4520 sq feet. Also involved in designing 1.5 lakh square metre campus expansion.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Institute of Design (NID): India's premier government-funded design institution, founded 1961. Directly comparable as the dominant player in Indian design education, competing for the same UCEED/NID aspirant pool with broader portfolio of UG/PG programmes.
• CEPT University: Ahmedabad-based private university offering architecture, planning, and design programmes. Strongest geographic peer, competing for the same Gujarat-based faculty and students with established reputation in built environment education.
• IIT Bombay Industrial Design Centre (IDC): Design school within IIT Bombay offering BDes, MDes, and PhD programmes. Competes for top design talent leveraging IIT brand, with established corporate placement and research depth.
• Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology: Bangalore-based private design school offering UG/PG programmes in art, design, and creative practice. Comparable as a private alternative to NID with interdisciplinary design philosophy and similar programme breadth.
• MIT Institute of Design, Pune: Pune-based private design school offering BDes and MDes programmes across multiple specialisations. Direct peer in private Indian design education with comparable programme structure and placement focus.
• Pearl Academy: Multi-city private fashion and design school with campuses across India. Comparable private design education competitor with broader geographic reach and established corporate placement network.
• School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi: Government-funded architecture and planning institution. Comparable as architecture-specialised higher education institution competing for similar BArch candidates and built-environment researchers.
• FLAME University: Pune-based private liberal arts and design university. Comparable as private multi-disciplinary Indian university emphasising interdisciplinary education, design thinking, and creative practice with similar tuition positioning.
• World University of Design: Sonipat-based private university exclusively focused on design education. Direct design-only competitor with comparable UG/PG portfolio across fashion, communication, product, and interior design.

Emerging players

• Arch College of Design and Business: Jaipur-based private design and business school. Emerging peer in the Indian private design education market with narrower programme scope and smaller scale than Anant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/anantuniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwOBDyyiqoBL4iaquDtjpHg
• Facebookfacebook.com/anantuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/anant-national-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/anant_national_university

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Anant National University