Edtech start-up, upsurge has secured Rs three crore in a pre-seed funding round led by JCBL India, the family office of Rishi Aggarwal. The funding will be used to accelerate growth, develop content and expand the platform’s reach.

Founded in 2021 by Karan Baweja, the upsurge is a Delhi-based gaming-focused edtech start-up that aims to help children learn about money management, entrepreneurship, and other important life skills through its proprietary games, interactive game-based courses and rewards. The programs and courses are reportedly designed to cultivate skills such as problem-solving, leadership, communication, critical analysis, and creativity in children through the use of gamified learning and positive reinforcement. 

“Financial literacy and life skills are increasingly important competencies in today's world, and we believe that our interactive and engaging approach is an effective way to teach these valuable skills to young people. We are thrilled to have the support of our investors as we work to empower the next generation with the skills they need to succeed,” said Karan Baweja, founder and chief executive officer (CEO), upsurge.

“Investing in the financial literacy and life skills of children in their early years is not only good for their future, but it is also an investment in the future of our society," added Rishi Aggarwal, managing director (MD) of JCBL India.

According to a report by the National Centre for Financial Education only 27 per cent of Indians were financially literate in 2019. 

Teaching children about money management is essential for setting them up for financial success in the future, said upsurge, adding that financial literacy, entrepreneurship and skill-building are becoming increasingly important as in a rapidly digitising world.