NumberOne Academy raises pre-seed funding round

NumberOne Academy, an enablement platform focused on empowering SME entrepreneurs, has raised an investment of Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by T.I.G.E.R Santosh Nair.

The company had previously raised Rs 1 crore in the same round back in Dec. 2023.

The proceeds will be used to expand its suite of business courses in Hindi and other regional languages and further enhance NOA into a Virtual Business Coach, NumberOne Academy said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2022 by Lajesh Kolath and Madhu Bhaskaran, NumberOne Academy is a platform for empowering Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with technology and business skills. The company offers a comprehensive learning platform featuring over 60 curated courses from more than 25 business coaches, covering growth strategies, sales, marketing, branding, finance, HR, operations, and technology. This AI-driven platform is complemented by in-person workshops and community events, creating a hybrid learning model that caters to diverse learning preferences.

According to the Kochi-based startup, it integrates a multi-lingual AI layer over upskilling courses, digital tools, and community engagement, aiming to empower the SME ecosystem. The platform offers upskilling courses tailored to help business owners achieve sustainable growth and scale operations.

NumberOne Academy has launched NOA, an AI-powered chatbot designed to assist SMEs in tackling GST-related challenges. It plans to enhance NOA into a Virtual Business Coach capable of conversing in over 10 regional languages and addressing diverse business challenges for entrepreneurs.