upGrad-backed Indian edtech platform Harappa is eying the $150 billion corporate-learning market in the US by gearing up to launch its operations in the country. 

Using a blended learning approach and pedagogue, the start-up plans to establish four programmes for the US market. These include LEAP for aspiring women managers, RISE for seasoned women managers, GROW for first-time managers and SOAR for mid-level managers.

All of these programmes aim to solve challenges including attraction, retention, and building high-performance talent pools. The edtech has partnered with California-based Enliven Advisory to achieve its goal of upskilling more than 55,000 managers.

“We’re energized to see how Harappa is reimagining and revolutionizing leadership development with Thrive Programs. Their unique ability to deliver engaging, impactful, blended learning pathways at scale is a game changer for organizations,” Gary Milrood, co-founder of Enliven Advisory said. 

Commenting on the development, Pramath Raj Sinha and Shreyasi Singh, Harappa's founders cite reports that 82 per cent of Americans are likely to quit their jobs because of a bad manager, while 44 per cent managers feel they are unprepared for their jobs.

“These numbers, along with the opportunity for greater representation of women in leadership roles, point to an alarming crisis looming all over the US—one that needs to be addressed now. Given Harappa’s track record, we are confident of delivering a transformative experience to our US clients and help them build a robust pool of managers for the future,” they added. 

Ronnie Screwvala, co-founder and chairperson of upGrad, stated, “Job-linked upskilling is the future of lifelong learning for working professionals at every stage. At Harappa, we have built this expertise over decades of rich experience. Our programs, with their sharp blend of skills, will make the right connection across the US.”

Founded in 2018 by Shreyasi Singh and Pramath Raj Sinha, Harappa was acquired by upGrad earlier this year. While it has not disclosed its financials for FY 2022, its Registrar of Companies filings show that it made Rs 4.41 crore in revenues compared to Rs 35 lakh in FY20.