STEM Edtech App Practically Raises $4 Mn In Pre-Series B Led By Siana Capital

Edtech startup 3rdFlix, which operates the online learning platform Practically, has raised $4 Mn in a Pre-Series B funding round led by Siana Capital, along with participation from existing investors YourNest Venture Capital and Exfinity Ventures.

In September 2019, the Hyderabad-based startup had raised $5 Mn in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Exfinity Ventures with participation from YourNest, IDFC Parampara and HNIs.

Founded in 2014 by Subbarao Siddabattula, Ilangovel Thulasimani and Charu Noheria, 3rdFlix is an edtech platform leverages augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality to enable immersive education. The company’s flagship product is Practically, an online learning app for students in classes 6-12 with a focus on STEM education. It offers immersive videos, interactive augmented reality courses and 3D simulations to help students grasp concepts, doubt resolution, live classes and more.

Students also get AI assistant and study buddy called Proton, along with access to a Coding++ platform for programming languages and principles. Over 3 Lakh students have gone through courses on Practically, 3rdFlix claimed in a press release.

“The recent round of funding will be utilized strategically to expand the market for Practically beyond Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Our expansion plan includes establishing a footprint pan-India in the next 12 months. We are also aiming to expand operations in the Middle East and set foot into the US market in the near future,” said cofounder and COO Charu Noheria.

In addition to the app for students, 3rdFlix also offers a B2B solution for schools and educational institutions called The Practically School Solution. This B2B2C offering, gives partner teachers access over 3K videos and over 1,000 simulations or AR clips as well as virtual classes, test-prep material, assessments, analytics, homework management and more. The startup claims that over 130 schools in India are already using the B2B solution.

In particular, the Practically learning platform gives educators unique AI-based insights and real-time analytics of student attentiveness in the virtual classroom, which enables teachers to come up with alternative teaching solutions. “Previously, schools had no insights into what the students did after the class or if they actually understood the lesson or went back and did their homework. Now, with the help of our platform, teachers will be able to validate the outcomes, thereby making teaching much more engaging, rather than teaching to a confused class,” Noheria had told Inc42 in an interaction in July last year.

Founder and CEO Siddabattula said the company is seeing “tremendous response” from schools, administration, faculty, parents and students “Our progress so far is in-line with our strategic growth plans and we are very well placed to tap the accelerated growth that the edtech industry is witnessing today,” he added.