Unacademy founders Munjal, Saini to exit operational roles; Airlearn spin-off in works

Gaurav Munjal, co-founder of Unacademy
| Photo Credit:
cueapi

Unacademy is preparing for a significant leadership transition, with co-founders Gaurav Munjal and Roman Saini expected to exit day-to-day operations over the next few months, people familiar with the matter said.

The move comes as both founders look to carve out a separate path for Airlearn, the company’s language learning app, which is now set to be spun off into an independent entity.

Sources said Munjal formally informed the board of his decision to step away in March 2025. While he had been considering the move since last year, the board had urged him to remain until the company’s cash burn was brought under control.

“The board asked him to first reduce the company’s burn, so he stayed on till now,” said sources.

With the core business now operating at a significantly lower burn rate—reduced from over ₹1,000 crore annually to under ₹200 crore—Munjal is expected to proceed with his exit once the Airlearn demerger is finalised.

In the proposed structure, Munjal is likely to head Airlearn as a separate company. Discussions with investors and the board regarding the transition are currently in advanced stages.

As part of the succession plan, Sumit Jain, founder of Graphy and a key executive at Unacademy, will take charge of the company’s offline operations. Jain joined Unacademy in 2020 and rose to prominence after the departure of co-founder and former CTO Hemesh Singh, who moved into an advisory role. He was subsequently appointed to the board and named partner at Unacademy.

Meanwhile, a new leadership team is being assembled to oversee Unacademy’s core online business.

On the financial front, Unacademy’s revenue declined by 7.4 per cent in FY24 to ₹839 crore. However, the company made notable progress on the profitability front, with net losses narrowing by over 62 per cent to ₹631 crore.

The edtech firm claims it is now in a “default alive” state, with cash reserves of ₹1,250 crore. It also reported that business units such as Graphy and PrepLadder are generating positive monthly cash flows.

Munjal’s planned departure, coupled with the Airlearn spin-off, marks a strategic reset as Unacademy adapts to a more sustainable and focused growth trajectory.

Published on May 28, 2025