Bengaluru-based startup UpKraft has raised ₹1.6 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by PedalStart, an operator-led startup accelerator. The funding round also included participation from several angel investors, startup ecosystem operators, and entrepreneurs.
The fresh investment will help the company improve its business model, expand its operations, and strengthen its AI-powered learning platform. UpKraft also plans to use the funds to prepare for larger funding rounds as it looks to expand across India and later into international markets.
UpKraft was founded in July 2025 by Tejasvi Singh Kushwah, Varun Mangal, and Kritika Varandani. The founders have studied at IIT Kharagpur, ISB Hyderabad, and leading IIMs, and also have experience working in leadership roles at fast-growing companies.
The startup is currently operating in Bengaluru and Gurugram. It says it has a customer satisfaction rating of more than 4.7, although it has not shared details about how many customers were included in this rating.
UpKraft Brings Learning to Students Through AI and Community Classes
UpKraft offers extracurricular classes by sending trained teachers directly to students’ homes, gated communities, and partner schools. Instead of asking teachers to travel across different parts of a city, the company works with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to teach several students in the same apartment complex or community.
This model helps teachers spend less time travelling and more time teaching. It also helps UpKraft reduce its costs because families living in the same community often recommend the platform to others.
The company mainly offers music classes, including Guitar, Piano, Drums, Violin, and Vocals. It also provides Dance and Fitness programs. Its courses follow a structured learning system and include a library of more than 2,000 songs. The curriculum is also aligned with Trinity certification.
Technology is an important part of the platform. UpKraft has developed an AI Practice Companion that gives students instant feedback while they practise. It also suggests personalised learning plans and tracks practice sessions. According to the company, this helps students practise more regularly and spend more time learning.
Parents can check their child’s attendance, learning progress, and achievements through a real-time dashboard. Teachers also get useful tools to manage classes, create personalised assignments, send automatic updates to parents, and handle reminders and payments more easily.
Fresh Funding to Support Expansion and New Hiring
UpKraft plans to use the new funding to increase student enrolments and grow its presence in Bengaluru and Gurugram over the next 12 to 18 months.
The startup is also hiring for several departments, including AI and data science, product engineering, customer success, tutor onboarding, and field marketing.
One of its current openings is for a Manager – Field Marketing in Bengaluru’s Marathahalli area. The role offers a salary of ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 per month, along with performance incentives and travel reimbursement. The selected candidate will work with RWAs, organise music events and trial classes inside apartment complexes, and promote the brand through offline marketing activities.
The company believes that building strong relationships with residential communities will help it grow faster in the coming years.
PedalStart to Support UpKraft Beyond Funding
Along with providing investment, PedalStart will also work closely with UpKraft on business planning, governance, investor connections, and improving its go-to-market strategy.
According to PedalStart, UpKraft’s community-based model gives it a strong advantage because it is not easy for other companies to copy.
The startup has also introduced clear policies to manage classes smoothly. Students must inform their Relationship Manager through WhatsApp at least 24 hours before a class if they want to reschedule it. Requests made within 24 hours will be counted as completed classes.
Students can reschedule one class after every eight classes, but the missed class must be completed within one month. Group classes cannot be rescheduled. Students can also pause their classes for up to two weeks because of exams or travel by providing the required documents.
If students are unable to complete their course on time, UpKraft allows a one-month extension for three-month courses and a two-month extension for six-month courses.
With more parents looking for quality extracurricular learning for their children, UpKraft is aiming to build a strong position in this growing market. The latest funding will help the company improve its technology, expand its reach, and bring its AI-powered learning platform to more students in the months ahead.