Watch: Why Bertelsmann India MD Pankaj Makkar believes edtech is here to stay

For edtech startups, especially in the K-12 learning space, this year has been phenomenal in terms of valuations.  Noida based growth stage investor Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) has remained focused on backing companies in the edtech enabler space. 

In an interview with TechCircle, Pankaj Makkar, managing director, BII explains the company’s investment philosophy. Its portfolio companies in the space -- executive education program marketplace Eruditus Learning Solutions and higher education platform provider iNurture -- have raised follow-on funds. 

“As an investor, the enabler model is attractive as it is stable from the start and low risk,” Makkar told TechCircle.

The fund which has not taken any bets yet in the K-12 segment in edtech continues to evaluate the space for long term opportunities. “Of the three large buckets of unregulated space in edtech we have bets in two,” Makkar said, adding that BII missed the K-12 segment.

The India investment arm of German media and entertainment major Bertelsmann is also scouting for deals in new age fintech companies, logistics and healthtech space. “As BII we have stayed away from horizontal ecommerce and e-pharmacy is going that way with discounts and no clear winners yet,” Makkar said.