ThinkStartup

What ThinkStartup does

ThinkStartup Learning Pvt. Ltd. (Gurugram, India; founded 2020; ~34 employees) is a K-12 entrepreneurship education provider operating a hybrid D2C and B2B2C model across India. For individual students in Classes 4–12, it sells a tiered program portfolio — 1-day bootcamps in Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, AI, Financial Literacy, and Leadership; a 5-week Young Mind Entrepreneurship Program (YMEP, ~Rs 20,000); a 4-day Young CEO Bootcamp; a 16-week Profile Pro online program; and a 2-week U18 Launchpad delivered at IIT and IIM campuses. For schools, it offers eHub, a 6-month graded curriculum (Class 4–12) aligned with NEP 2020, deployed through 30+ partner schools under the Centre for Youth Entrepreneurship (CfYE) brand. The company also operates three annual competitions — Youth Ideathon, Global Entrepreneurship Olympiad, and Young Money Masters — as top-of-funnel acquisition channels, claiming 1 lac+ students touched annually.

The underlying technology stack is a lightweight learning management platform with a student dashboard for enrolled learners, payment processing via Razorpay (PCI-DSS compliant), and WhatsApp support through Wati.io. The core intellectual property sits in the curriculum rather than software: a 20-module proto-pitch framework, the proprietary DFV (Desirability, Feasibility, Viability) teaching methodology, Design Thinking and SCAMPER frameworks, and graded learning outcomes from Class 4 through 12. No public API, SDK, or developer-facing integrations exist; the platform is closed and student-facing. Distribution leverages institutional credibility through partnerships with TIDES Business Incubator at IIT Roorkee (co-delivery and certificate for Young CEO Program), Economic Times (co-branding of YMEP and ET Soonicorn Summit exposure), MEPSC under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Atal Innovation Mission (Niti Aayog), and OECD's Global Money Week.

Revenue mechanics combine one-time program enrollment fees (D2C), recurring subscription-style school partnership fees (eHub), and competition entry fees. Public pricing is disclosed only for YMEP; bootcamp and Young CEO pricing is inquiry-based. The company is privately held by co-founders Sanjeeva Shivesh (ex-Civil Service, ex-Booz & Co London, serial entrepreneur and angel investor) and Shivani Kapoor, with no disclosed external venture funding. Geographic operations are India-only, with physical bootcamp delivery across Gurugram, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru.

Name

ThinkStartup

Legal name

ThinkStartup Learning Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://thinkstartup.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ThinkStartup Learning Pvt. Ltd. is an India-based K-12 entrepreneurship education provider offering bootcamps, multi-week programs, and annual competitions for Class 4-12 students, delivered directly and through 30+ partner schools under its eHub (Centre for Youth Entrepreneurship) model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL), Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE), Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Youth programs
• K-12 education
• Student bootcamps
• School partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Gurugram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Enrollment Fees: Fee-based enrollment in structured programs including Young CEO Program (4-day intensive), Young Mind Entrepreneurship Program (5-week online), Profile Pro (16-week), and various bootcamps (1-day programs). Pricing varies by program duration and format.
2. School Partnership Fees: eHub program fees charged to schools for implementing entrepreneurship curriculum, teacher training, and graded program delivery across Class 4-12
3. Competition Entry Fees: Youth Ideathon, Global Entrepreneurship Olympiad, and Young Money Masters competition participation fees
4. Scholarship Pool Access: Up to Rs 5 lakh national scholarship pool for Young Mind Entrepreneurship Program participants based on merit and final evaluation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ThinkStartup delivers entrepreneurship education programs for Indian school students (Class 4-12), offering a tiered portfolio that includes 1-day themed bootcamps (Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, AI, Financial Literacy, Leadership), 4-day immersive experiences like the Young CEO Program delivered with IIT Roorkee's TIDES Business Incubator, multi-week online courses such as Profile Pro (16 weeks) and the Young Mind Entrepreneurship Program (5 weeks), and a 6-month in-school eHub program with NEP 2020-aligned graded curriculum. The company also runs annual national and international competitions (Youth Ideathon, Global Entrepreneurship Olympiad, Young Money Masters) and reaches students via 30+ partner schools and direct online enrollment.

Product overview

ThinkStartup offers a comprehensive portfolio of entrepreneurship education programs for school and college students across India. The core offerings include structured multi-day programs (Young CEO Program, U18 Launchpad), semester-long courses (Profile Pro, YMEP, eHub), and single-day bootcamps (Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, AI, Financial Literacy, Leadership). Additionally, the company organizes national competitions including Youth Ideathon, Global Entrepreneurship Olympiad, and Young Money Masters. Programs range from 1-day immersive experiences to 16-week online courses, serving students from Class 4 to 12, with certificates issued in association with prestigious institutions like IIT Roorkee and Economic Times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Young CEO Program A 4-day immersive bootcamp for school students (Grades 8-12) that takes participants from ideation to business launch and culminates in a Shark Tank-style pitch event; delivered in association with TIDES Business Incubator, IIT Roorkee.
• Profile Pro A 16-week online program for high school students (Grades 8-12 across IB, IGCSE, CBSE, ICSE and other boards) to create unique, standout projects that showcase entrepreneurialism, leadership, creativity, and problem-solving skills for college applications.
• Young Mind Entrepreneurship Program (YMEP) A 5-week structured proto-pitch program (35 hours) for Class 8-12 students covering business fundamentals, validation of business models using the DFV framework, and a final pitch to active founders; includes Economic Times certificate and access to up to Rs 5 lakh scholarship pool.
• eHub (Entrepreneurship Hub) A 6-month in-school program for students from Class 4 to 12 that nurtures entrepreneurial thinking and 21st-century skills through a graded curriculum aligned with NEP 2020, using inquiry-based and project-based learning methodologies; delivered in partnership with schools under the CfYE model.
• Entrepreneurship Bootcamp A 1-day intensive program for school students (Class 6-12) introducing concepts of Design, Innovation and Entrepreneurship through team-based activities and a Shark Tank-style pitch.
• Design Thinking Bootcamp A 1-day program for students (Grades 6-12) teaching design thinking principles and innovation methods through user-centric creative problem solving.
• AI Bootcamp A 1-day program for students (Class 6-12) exploring fundamentals of AI, machine learning, neural networks, and natural language processing through hands-on activities and basic coding.
• Financial Literacy Bootcamp A 1-day program for students (Class 6-12) covering budgeting, saving, investing, responsible spending, and financial planning through fun activities and workshops.
• Leadership Bootcamp A 1-day program for students (Grades 7-12) covering Leadership, Decision Making, Negotiation and Communication through simulations, case studies and self-reflection exercises; delivered across major Indian cities.
• Youth Ideathon India's largest annual festival of entrepreneurship for school students (Class 4-12), conducted in collaboration with MEPSC, CBSE, Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission, and top incubation centers.
• Global Entrepreneurship Olympiad (GEO) An international competition organized in association with Global Knowledge Foundation to test entrepreneurial acumen and recognize meritorious students (Classes 6-12) through multi-round assessment.
• Young Money Masters A nationwide financial literacy competition for school students (Class 4-12) organized in collaboration with Global Money Week (OECD), featuring online quizzes, campaigns, and investment simulations.
• U18 Launchpad An intensive 2-week immersive program held at India's premier institutions such as IITs and IIMs for students under 18 to develop entrepreneurial ventures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dakshayani Pandey - Youth Ideathon 2021 winner - received 100% scholarship admission to Stanford University
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TIDES Business Incubator, IIT RoorkeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung CEO Program delivered in association with TIDES Business Incubator, IIT Roorkee. Participants receive official certificate recognizing entrepreneurial learning, startup thinking, and practical innovation exposure.
• MyGateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWg Cdr Anthony Anish, Founding Team Member at MyGate, serves as guest speaker at Young CEO Program sharing startup experience and mentorship insights.
• nStore RetechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr. Sud Srinivasan, Co-founder at nStore Retech, serves as guest speaker at Young CEO Program providing entrepreneurship mentorship.
• Management Entrepreneurship Professional Skills Council (MEPSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinkStartup programs are accredited by MEPSC under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• Atal Innovation Mission, Niti AayogcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinkStartup is an accredited partnership of Atal Innovation Mission under Niti Aayog for rolling out innovation and entrepreneurship programs in schools.
• Global Money Week (OECD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinkStartup is a partner of Global Money Week organized under Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to make young people financially aware.
• MapmygenomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnu Acharya, CEO at Mapmygenome, serves as guest speaker at Young CEO Program sharing genomics innovation and entrepreneurship journey.
• Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBSE is a strategic collaborator for Youth Ideathon bringing entrepreneurship education to CBSE schools across India.
• Niti Aayog - Atal Innovation MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNiti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission collaborates on Youth Ideathon and supports startup ecosystem development through student programs.
• Global Knowledge FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Entrepreneurship Olympiad conducted in association with Global Knowledge Foundation to encourage young learners to test entrepreneurial acumen.
• The Economic TimescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerYoung Mind Entrepreneurship Program branded as Economic Times' initiative. Certificate recognized by Economic Times. Student projects and pitches showcased on Economic Times platform. Top students pitch at ET Soonicorn Summit.
• Student TribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr. Sri Charan Lakkaraju, Founder at Student Tribe, serves as guest speaker at Young CEO Program providing entrepreneurship mentorship.
• Recykal.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr. Abhishek Deshpande, Co-Founder at Recykal.com, serves as guest speaker at Young CEO Program sharing sustainability and circular economy entrepreneurship.
• Buddy4StudyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshutosh Burnwal, Founder & CEO at Buddy4Study (India's largest scholarship network), serves as visiting entrepreneur sharing scholarship and education access mission.
• The Kid CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Kid Company, India's largest student-led marketplace, mentioned as opportunity for ThinkStartup students to join and gain marketplace entrepreneurship experience.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DECA: DECA is a US-based organization offering business and entrepreneurship curricula, competitions and credentials to high school students, structurally similar to ThinkStartup's Young CEO / YMEP competition-driven model and student entrepreneurship focus.
• Junior Achievement India: JA India delivers K-12 entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy programs through schools, directly overlapping ThinkStartup's curriculum focus, school-partnership GTM and target audience (Class 4-12 students in India).
• Enactus: Enactus runs student-led entrepreneurship and social-venture programs with competitions and mentor networks, comparable in pitch-event format, venture-building pedagogy and youth entrepreneurship mandate to ThinkStartup.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): NFTE is a global nonprofit teaching entrepreneurship to young people from under-resourced communities through in-school and out-of-school programs, comparable in mission, pedagogy (idea-to-business pipelines) and youth audience to ThinkStartup.

Emerging players

• Leverage Edu: Leverage Edu is an India-based college admissions and career guidance platform that increasingly bundles profile-building programs for high schoolers, competing with ThinkStartup's Profile Pro for college-aspirant students and their parents.
• UnSchool: UnSchool is an India-based alternative learning community offering skill-based and entrepreneurship-oriented courses for young learners, overlapping with ThinkStartup's audience and design-thinking/innovation pedagogy but with a more decentralized community model.

Broad incumbents

• Byju's: Byju's is India's largest K-12 EdTech incumbent with deep school relationships, parent brand recognition and capital base; its portfolio breadth and willingness to bundle entrepreneurship/AI offerings makes it a broad incumbent threat to ThinkStartup's school partnership channel.
• Cuemath: Cuemath is a large India-based K-12 supplemental learning platform with broad math and STEM offerings; as it expands beyond core subjects, its school and parent reach makes it a likely broader incumbent that could move into entrepreneurship adjacent offerings.
• Whitehat Jr: Whitehat Jr (Byju's group) is an established India-based coding and AI education platform for school students, overlapping with ThinkStartup's AI Bootcamp and design-thinking audience from a much larger commercial base.

Regional players

• Schoolnet India: Schoolnet India is a domestic K-12 educational services and content provider working with Indian state governments and schools, comparable in school-channel GTM and supplemental curriculum positioning to ThinkStartup's eHub, but focused on academic/government contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thinkstartup1

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 ThinkStartup