upGrad, Asia’s leading integrated skilling and workforce development company, has acquired Internshala, the world’s largest early-talent marketplace, for an undisclosed amount in a 90% stock-swap transaction.
The deal strengthens upGrad’s position across the full career lifecycle by connecting education, skilling, and employment on a single platform. Founded in 2010, Internshala has built a community of more than 34 million registered users and 450,000 employers, with around 3 million active applicants annually. The platform generates most of its traffic organically and serves students across India, including more than 40% from Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.
With the integration, upGrad said it aims to reinforce its commitment to building structured ecosystems for learners and employers, enabling students to discover internships, build job-ready skills, and transition into full-time roles more efficiently. The company plans to invest additional resources to accelerate product innovation, AI-led talent matching, and enterprise hiring models. It is targeting the growth of Internshala’s ₹45 crore revenue base to ₹100 crore and beyond.
Internshala will continue to operate as an independent brand under Founder and CEO Sarvesh Agrawal, while leveraging upGrad’s scale, technology, and learning ecosystem to expand its offerings and reach. Investec acted as exclusive financial advisor to Internshala.
The acquisition marks a key milestone in upGrad’s broader mission to power India’s skilling economy by supporting millions of learners and organisations through career-aligned education and employment pathways.
Founded in 2015, upGrad offers a range of online and hybrid skilling programs and certifications as part of its B2C portfolio. It also partners with leading Indian and global universities to offer diploma, master’s, and executive doctorate programs, with degrees awarded solely by the respective institutions. In addition, the company provides enterprise-focused corporate skilling programs and recruitment and staffing services.
Internshala describes itself as the world’s largest early-career marketplace, with 35 million registered users and 70,000 companies. Founded by two IIT Madras alumni, the platform aims to democratize the start of careers for students in India without requiring prior experience.
KEY QUOTES:
“Education and employment in India have operated in silos for too long. This acquisition allows us to strengthen the earliest layer of the career journey – where intent is highest and outcomes can be meaningful. By bridging work opportunities with structured skilling, we are building a more aligned talent ecosystem for both learners and employers.”
Chirag Samdaria, Head – Corporate Strategy & Growth, upGrad
“This is a very natural partnership where learning meets opportunity. In the last 15 years, Internshala has democratized career start for students. Joining hands with upGrad will allow us to amplify our impact by skilling millions of candidates, offer pre-trained talent to companies at scale, and together become the default launchpad for every graduate’s career.”
Sarvesh Agrawal, Founder & CEO, Internshala
