Interview: Deepak Subbarao, Co-founder of Avidii, an EdTech company

Interview with Deepak Subbarao, Co-founder of Avidii, an EdTech company

Deepak Subbarao is the Co-Founder of Avidii, an EdTech company that offers expert teachers 24×7 on-demand to provide customized learning experiences to students.

At Avidii, he leads the India market, product development, services, and technology division, with a focus on tailoring offerings to the new markets. 

Prior to developing Avidii, Deepak served in several leadership and business roles for more than two decades in various Fortune 100 companies.

He began his career with GE Healthcare as a Design Engineer and progressed through various leadership and technical positions.

Having professionally worked in three continents, Deepak took the leap to start Avidii after personally experiencing the challenges of homeschooling his children during the pandemic.

Can you share with us the inspiration behind Aviidi? What motivated you to create an EdTech platform?

Deepak Subbarao: Avidii was conceptualised in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, when schools and colleges were closed, and there was a distinct barrier to accessing quality education.

Avidii is an innovative and dynamic EdTech company revolutionising the way students—primarily aged between 11 and 18—get help with their studies.

The company was formally launched in 2021 and is operational in four countries today. We are driven by the simple belief that every student has the ability to succeed, and we are thus committed to providing access to all the appropriate tools and resources that students require to reach their goals.

There are numerous EdTech platforms available in the market. What sets Aviidi apart from other platforms? What unique features or approaches does Aviidi offer to its users?

Deepak Subbarao: Avidii is unique from other EdTech platforms because of its range of instantaneous, on-demand and personalised services.

By providing real-time, one-on-one connection between students and tutors, Avidii is making it easier for young learners to get personalised help with their studies anytime, anywhere.

The platform’s ‘on-demand’ and ‘no minimum-period commitment’ features make it unique in comparison with other EdTech players in the country.

Furthermore, Avidii continuously upgrades its services and products, aspiring to become a comprehensive platform that offers personalised learning experiences and high-quality content, while also catering to schools and educational institutions through its B2B model.

How does Aviidi support students in their studies? Could you provide an overview of the key tools and resources available on the platform?

Deepak Subbarao: Avidii offers expert teachers 24×7 for immediate, on-demand and customised learning of such subjects as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, along with Commerce and Arts subjects.

The learning app, designed for instant connection, caters to various educational boards, including the Central Board of Secondary Education, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Examination, and State Boards, empowering students to achieve high scores in their examinations.

In addition to providing a range of tutors with expertise in a diverse range of subjects, we also offer tutoring in a variety of languages—besides English and Hindi, Avidii gives students access to tutoring sessions in a vast selection of Indian regional languages.

The age group between 11 to 18 years is a crucial period for students’ academic and personal development. How does Aviidi cater to the specific needs and challenges faced by students in this age range?

Deepak Subbarao: The growing or the adolescent years—between 11 and 18—are crucial for children.  Avidii’s platform customises the learning experience to suit individual students in this highly formative age range, taking into account their specific needs and preferences.

Factors such as hobbies, interests and a host of other parameters, are taken into consideration when matching students with their tutors.

From here, the content and teaching pattern are also customised to meet the specific requirements and challenges of each student, so that all their questions and doubts are cleared in a way that suits their unique learning style.

How does Aviidi ensure an engaging and interactive learning experience for students? Are there any collaborative elements or interactive features within the platform?

Deepak Subbarao: At Avidii, we prioritise creating an engaging and interactive learning experience for students. We believe that active participation and collaboration are essential for effective learning.

To achieve this, our platform incorporates various collaborative elements and interactive features. These include live tutoring with a virtual whiteboard, where students can connect with expert tutors in real-time for personalised and interactive one-on-one sessions, enabling them to ask questions, receive immediate feedback, and engage in dynamic discussions.

Additionally, our Chat and Messaging features allow students to communicate with their tutors over chat, allowing for quick doubt-clarification, the sharing of additional resources, and ongoing support outside the tutoring sessions.

Personalised learning is gaining traction in the education sector. How does Aviidi adapt to the individual learning needs of students? Are there any features or algorithms in place that tailor the content and resources based on a student’s strengths and weaknesses?

Deepak Subbarao: Avidii believes that every pupil has the ability to succeed, and is thus committed to making personalised, instant and on-demand learning accessible to every one of them.

To fulfil everyone’s dreams and ambitions, Avidii aspires to change the way education is delivered by providing a personalised and human-based experience accessible and affordable to all students.

Avidii aims to inspire and motivate learners, ensuring they comprehend every question, concept, or doubt they encounter throughout their educational journey, regardless of their stage in life.

What are your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs?

Deepak Subbarao: To college graduates aspiring to become entrepreneurs in the EdTech industry, my advice would be to start by identifying a genuine problem or gap in the education sector that needs to be addressed.

Look for innovative ways to make learning more accessible, engaging, or personalised, using technology.

Once you’ve pinned down an idea, conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience, competition and the potential demand for your solution.

Make sure to network with professionals already established in the field to gain valuable insights and guidance.

Seek out mentorship, join incubators or accelerators specialising in EdTech startups, to nurture your entrepreneurial skills and receive expert support.

Embrace failures as learning opportunities and be persistent in refining and iterating your product or service.

Lastly, always prioritise the impact your business can have on education and the lives of learners, as this will not only drive your passion, but also attract customers and investors who believe in your mission.

Where do you see Avidii in the next 3 years? What are the plans?

Deepak Subbarao: Our organisational goal is to make a mark in the four markets that we are currently operating in (India, Germany, Switzerland and Austria), by ensuring that we provide high quality tutoring services that will change the way students learn.

In the next 2-3 years, we look forward to continuously expanding in these markets, simultaneously refining our products and services in terms of the quality of user experience. We are also looking towards the betterment of our services in schools and our other partner networks.

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