Bluelearn, a Bengaluru-based upskilling and job-finding platform, is shutting down its operations. The company’s co-founder, Harish Uthayakumar, announced the news in a recent post, stating that Bluelearn will reimburse its investors for 70% of their invested funds.
In his post, Uthayakumar attributed the decision to shut down the platform to the difficulties of building a venture-scale business. Despite being conservative with capital, Bluelearn was unable to grow into a sizable company capable of generating substantial profits. However, Uthayakumar expressed pride in the platform’s achievements, noting that it had assisted hundreds of students in starting their own businesses, finding co-founders, and landing internships and jobs.
Established in 2021 by Uthayakumar and Shreyans Sancheti, Bluelearn aimed to connect Tier II and III college students with professionals in their field, helping them learn new skills and build their network. The platform started as a Telegram channel and grew to over 250,000 members from 20 countries, including the US, UK, and Singapore, making it India’s largest student community.
Despite its growth, Uthayakumar had previously expressed doubts about Bluelearn’s potential for profitability in a YouTube video. The platform received $4 million in funding from investors such as Tital Capital, 100x VC, Elevation Capital, and Lightspeed, as well as angel investors like Pixxel founder Awais Ahmed and Meesho’s Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal.
Uthayakumar encouraged entrepreneurs to take risks and pursue innovative ideas, stating that India needs more start-ups and innovators. Although Bluelearn’s closure marks the end of this particular venture, Uthayakumar’s words serve as an inspiration for future entrepreneurs looking to make a mark in the Indian startup ecosystem.
