Skillshare onboards Aayur Kaul as the India Market Head

Skillshare has planned to venture into India’s booming EdTech market. India is the second largest market for online learning and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 44%. This growth is backed by the phenomenal rise in the paid user base for online learning, making it the preferred choice for companies seeking to delve into the Indian market. Skillshare aims to tap into the demand for creative courses in India, especially at a time when half a billion new internet users are expected to come online by the end of 2022.

As part of this plan, Aayur Kaul has been onboarded as the Market Head for India. Aayur Kaul is the co-founder of India’s first digital creative learning ecosystem, Chase, which was acquired by Bitclass in 2021.

Matt Cooper, CEO, Skillshare, said, “India has a flourishing edtech sector valued at over $15 billion. Combined with a growing population of millennials looking to pursue and monetize their creative passions, and the rising demand for creative classes, the Indian market presents huge opportunities for Skillshare to widen our online learning community. We’re excited to launch our operations in India and we see this as a crucial part of our global growth strategy.”

According to Aayur Kaul, Market Head, India, Skillshare, “India is a unique market for Skillshare. The sheer number of new internet users coupled with the demand for microlearning, promises more growth opportunities. Our focus in India is to bring our platform to the growing number of creators looking to level up in their careers or deepen their creative interests - as a hobby or as a step to monetize their passions. We also plan to invest in initiatives to recruit local talent to get started as teachers — creatively inclined people, who are experts in their areas of interest.”

Skillshare has already tapped into the market of creators and influencers in India in the Illustration, Film & Video, Fine Art and Lifestyle spaces. The platform has several creators, who are also social media influencers, teaching specialized segments related to their area of expertise.

Skillshare has Alicia Souza, artist, illustrator and co-creator of Chumbak, teaching an Illustration class for merchandising. Ankit Bhatia and Lilly Singh teach classes under the film & video category; Chaytania Limaye and Khadija Karachiwala bring us into their imagination through their compelling drawing and fine art classes; and Ekta Chaudhary imparts her expertise on gardening as a lifestyle. Regardless of the topic, Skillshare classes are personable and approachable and they seek to let people explore their creativity at different stages and different capacities. “On Skillshare, I get to share what I learned over the last decade in the illustration sphere, interact with new students and also see their wonderful work. [Going from student to teacher has] been a great experience so far,” Alicia Souza said.