BYJU'S founder Byju Raveendran has acknowledged the edtech giant's missteps during its aggressive global expansion. In a recent interview, he admitted that expanding to 21 countries too quickly was a business mistake, driven by investor mandates to scale rapidly during the COVID era.

Raveendran revealed that despite planning acquisitions and growth based on promised funding, a $700 million capital commitment failed to materialize due to global factors like the Russia-Ukraine war and rising interest rates. This sudden liquidity crunch hit BYJU’S hard, leading to a cascade of financial troubles.

At its peak, BYJU'S was valued at $22 billion in 2022, but investor Prosus slashed its valuation by 75% in 2024. The once high flying unicorn is now grappling with prolonged liquidity issues and a sharply reduced market position.

Raveendran's admission marks a significant turning point as BYJU'S attempts to course correct its future.