SUMMARY
Manipal MedAce claims to be a cloud-first super app catering to both current MBBS students and medical postgraduate aspirants
This pits Manipal MedAce directly in competition with edtech giant Unacademy-owned PrepLadder which also offers content for NEET PG students
The Manipal Group is likely banking on its experience in the medical field to mount an effective competition against incumbents
Manipal Global Education Services on Thursday announced the launch of its medical stream-focussed app ‘Manipal MedAce’.
Manipal MedAce claims to be a cloud-first super app catering to both MBBS students and medical postgraduate aspirants. It has two products – Learn and Prep. While ‘Learn’ offers a curated learning platform to supplement campus learning for MBBS students, ‘Prep’ offers personalised test preparation courses for aspiring medical PG students.
It is pertinent to note that MedAce was launched by the Group in December 2021 for MBBS students. The app has now been revamped to include the new offerings.
The app is available on both Android and iOS operating systems.
“… With Manipal MedAce, we are combining our passion for innovation with a desire to positively impact medical education, by helping learners be even better doctors. I have a first-hand understanding of the challenges an MBBS student is faced with and Manipal MedAce is our effort to create a learning catalyst for students,” said Manipal Education and Medical Group chairman Ranjan Pai.
In a statement, the Manipal Group said ‘Learn’ will offer micro-learning modules, live tutoring sessions, online dissection lab and gamified assessments to current MBBS students. On the other hand, PG aspirants will be able to avail study plans, question banks and curated content under the ‘Prep’ offering.
This pits Manipal MedAce directly in competition with edtech giant Unacademy-owned PrepLadder and Daily Rounds-owned Marrow which also offers content for NEET PG students.
The Manipal Group’s new offering comes at a time when the edtech space is reeling under the effects of the ongoing funding winter. While troubles for the biggest edtech player in the country, BYJU’S, seem to have no end, other startups in the space have cut corners and shelved expansion plans. Many have even resorted to shutting shops or firing employees in droves.
A case in point is MedAce’s competitor PrepLadder, which has so far seen the exit of multiple educators and layoffs due to pay cuts.
As edtech firms grapple with these issues, the deep-pocketed Manipal Group would look to grab a large share in the niche medical PG test prep and MBBS education segment. It would likely leverage its decades of experience in the medical field to mount an effective competition against incumbents and tap into students who have a greater purchasing power.
While the edtech sector is currently in the middle of an unprecedented downturn, it is estimated that the Indian edtech market would grow to a market size of $29 Bn by 2030. With seven unicorns in its kitty, the space has raised funds north of $11 Bn since 2014.
