What Simple Education Foundation does

Simple Education Foundation (SEF) is a Delhi-headquartered non-profit organization founded in 2013 that works to improve foundational learning outcomes in Indian government schools by strengthening teacher capacity. The organization partners with state governments — specifically SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training) departments in Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Punjab — to design and deliver teacher training programs, one-on-one academic coaching, and capacity-building initiatives for both in-service and pre-service teachers. SEF also operates specialized programs including the Pathshala Learning Centre (rural Uttarakhand), Project Taleem (a completed Jammu & Kashmir pilot), Prayogshala (a Delhi-based learning lab), and the Origami Collaborative (a multi-stakeholder educator convening).

SEF's product surface centers on two proprietary assets developed in partnership with SCERT Delhi: India's first Teacher Competency Framework (2022), which defines and measures teacher proficiencies, and SEF COMPASS MIS (2022), an app-based Management Information System used across all partner states to design, monitor, and evaluate teacher trainings. The organization also uses ChatGPT for AI-assisted lesson planning by teacher coaches and publishes contextualized Garhwali storybooks on Pratham's Storyweaver platform. Reach metrics include 1.5 Lakh+ teachers impacted, 40 Lakh+ students reached in 2024-25, 1500+ academic coaches, 7 Centres of Excellence, and partnerships with 30+ DIET institutions.

Revenue is generated through a mix of corporate grants and donations (Wipro, BCG, Acumen, Forest Essentials, Max India Foundation, Sar-La Education Trust), individual donations via the website and Every.org (for non-Indian donors), employee matching programs through Benevity, and likely government co-funding for state partnership programs. The organization holds 12A, 80G, CSR-1, and FCRA registrations, enabling tax-advantaged domestic donations and foreign contribution receipt. As a registered trust with no equity funding rounds disclosed, SEF operates as a multi-stakeholder non-profit governed by co-founders Chandni Chopra and Mainak Roy and an advisory board of senior industry professionals.

Name

Simple Education Foundation

Legal name

Simple Education Foundation

Website

https://simpleeducationfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Simple Education Foundation is a Delhi-based non-profit (founded 2013) that partners with state SCERTs in Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Punjab to deliver teacher training, academic coaching, and capacity-building programs for government school teachers, reaching 1.5 Lakh+ teachers and 40 Lakh+ students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI), International & Comparative Education Policy Organizations (EDADADAL)

Keywords

• Teacher training programs
• Education nonprofit
• Government school support
• Teacher capacity building
• Education philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors can make payments through the website. Donation tiers are structured around impact (INR 2,500 for ~10 educators, INR 7,500 for ~30 educators, INR 12,500 for ~50 educators). Also accepts donations through Every.org for non-Indian citizens.
2. Corporate Funding and Grants: Funding from corporate partners including Wipro, BCG, Forest Essentials, and others for program implementation and capacity building initiatives.
3. Employee Matching Programs: Donations through Benevity platform allowing employees to match contributions through their company's employee matching fund programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Simple Education Foundation partners with state governments to design, deliver, and scale teacher training, academic coaching, and capacity-building programs for government school systems across Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Punjab. Its offerings include state-wide training modules, one-on-one coaching, the SEF COMPASS MIS mobile application, the Teacher Competency Framework, and partner school (Centre of Excellence) programs, all aimed at strengthening foundational learning outcomes.

Product overview

Simple Education Foundation is a nonprofit education organization that operates as a platform of interconnected programs and tools rather than a single commercial product. The core offerings include the SEF COMPASS MIS (a mobile app for tracking teacher training effectiveness), the Teacher Competency Framework (India's first teacher competency framework developed with SCERT Delhi), and comprehensive teacher training programs delivered through academic coaching. Additional offerings include specialized programs like the Pathshala Learning Centre, Project Taleem, Prayogshala, and the Origami Collaborative. The organization also develops digital tools like ChatGPT-based lesson planning frameworks and publishes contextualized educational content. These programs work together to strengthen teacher capacity across government schools in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and previously Jammu and Kashmir.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teacher Training Programs State-wide teacher training and capacity-building programs co-designed with state and local governments, including workshops, one-on-one coaching, and ongoing support for teachers in Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Punjab.
• Academic Coaching Support Personalized coaching support provided through trained coaches who offer observation and feedback to teachers on instructional practices learned in training sessions.
• SEF COMPASS MIS A mobile app-based Management Information System that helps government training and coaching teams streamline processes for program design, impact measurement, and operations analysis of teacher trainings across partner states.
• Teacher Competency Framework India's first Teacher Competency Framework developed in partnership with SCERT Delhi, defining and measuring three key areas: child-centric teaching methods, spaces for teachers to build excellence in practice, and collective leadership through partnerships.
• Pathshala Learning Centre A community-led learning centre in Uttarakhand offering rural transformation programs including Rural Opportunities and Pathways to Excellence (R.O.P.E.) for holistic English learning and Rural Youth Tribe for student internship and skill development.
• Project Taleem A pilot project for the Directorate of Education Kashmir to coach and empower government school teachers to become instructional leaders, impacting approximately 80,000 teachers across Jammu and Kashmir.
• Prayogshala A learning lab and after-school center focused on design-thinking projects to develop problem-solving skills in children, operated in Tughlakabad Extension, South Delhi.
• Origami Collaborative A collaborative initiative bringing together educators, philanthropists, government officials, teachers, and students to share insights, innovative strategies, and evidence-based practices for teacher development.
• School Experience Program (SEP) A program for future teachers in D.El.Ed diploma programs where they lead real government classrooms for 40 days to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life teaching scenarios.
• Contextualized Garhwali Storybooks A series of English language learning storybooks featuring Garhwali culture, characters, and settings published on Pratham's Storyweaver Platform, designed to improve English proficiency while celebrating local culture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75%+ of Grade 5 children at partner schools can read fluently
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, past, research and program.

• Delhi SCERTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SCERT Delhi's In-Service Training Cell to develop India's first Teacher Competency Framework. SEF served as knowledge partners facilitating the creation of a gold standard for teacher professional development.
• Punjab SCERTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-wide teacher training and coaching programs in partnership with Punjab state government. Running Coach Capacity Building programs to equip coaches with skills to support teachers.
• Uttarakhand SCERTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for teacher development programs in Uttarakhand, including Coach Capacity Building programs and multi-grade classroom research.
• Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Delhi government schools under MCD for teacher training and classroom observation programs.
• Directorate of Education KashmirpastStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot project (2016-18) to coach and empower government school teachers and Head Masters in Srinagar and Bandipore districts.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)researchStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for evidence-based teacher development approaches.
• Madhi FoundationresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner; SEF presented multi-grade classroom research at Kalvi Kural National Conference organized by Madhi Foundation.
• Brookings InstitutionresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored research publication on contextualized pedagogy in Indian education reform.
• UKFIETresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch publications on teacher professional development and research partnerships between state and non-state actors.
• TFI (Teach For India)programImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProgram partner collaborating on teacher development initiatives.
• Pratham's StoryweaverprogramTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partner for publishing SEF's contextualized storybooks in local languages. Stories available on Storyweaver platform and YouTube read-aloud versions.
• Firki-Teach for IndiaprogramStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on whitepaper for advancing teaching through practice-oriented degrees.
• KizaziprogramStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork partner connecting SEF with innovative models and programs across the world.
• GINTL (Global Innovation Network for Teaching and Learning)programStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtended network partner introducing SEF to innovative international models.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest education NGOs, working on foundational literacy and numeracy with government schools. Highly comparable to SEF as both target the same foundational learning crisis via teacher and system-level interventions.
• Quest Alliance: Indian non-profit working on 21st-century skills and teacher capacity building in government schools. Comparable in working with state education systems to improve instructional quality.
• Central Square Foundation: Philanthropic foundation focused on improving learning outcomes for public school children in India through teacher quality and ed-tech. Directly comparable to SEF on focus area, government partnership model, and use of evidence-based approaches.
• STIR Education: Organisation working with governments to improve teaching practices at scale across India and East Africa. Comparable in evidence-based teacher development methodology and embedded partnership model with public systems.
• Teach For India: Places fellows in low-income government schools and runs teacher development programs. Already a listed SEF program partner; comparable in teacher development mission and student impact focus.
• Peepul: Indian non-profit partnering with state governments to improve school quality through teacher coaching and leadership development. Comparable in teacher-led school improvement model and government partnership GTM.
• Kaivalya Education Foundation: Works with state governments to improve school leadership and teacher effectiveness in India. Closely comparable in operating model (embedded work with state education systems) and target outcomes.
• Language and Learning Foundation: Indian non-profit focused on foundational literacy through teacher capacity building in government schools. Directly comparable in target population, intervention design, and government partnership approach.
• Madhi Foundation: India-based education research and policy non-profit focused on foundational learning. Already a research partner of SEF (Kalvi Kural conference); highly comparable in mission and evidence-based orientation.

Emerging players

• Dream a Dream: Indian non-profit focused on life skills and teacher training for under-served youth. Comparable in teacher development focus though more oriented toward life skills than foundational literacy specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sefconnect
• Facebookfacebook.com/simpleeducationfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sefconnect
• Instagraminstagram.com/sefconnect/?hl=en

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Simple Education Foundation