Posted by Bangalore: PowerSchool, a cloud-based software provider for K-12 education in North America, today announced an expansion of its city-based CoE (Centre of Excellence) space from the current 75,000 to 112,000 sq. ft., with a nearly Rs 40 crore infrastructure investment. The CoE expansion is focused on bringing the latest technology into PowerSchool’s ed-tech products. This will help to address different challenges faced by educators and improve student learning outcomes.
“India is a critical part of PowerSchool’s global strategy, and we envision a robust future in this region,” said PowerSchool CEO Hardeep Gulati.
“Our strategic focus will be on leveraging local talent, fostering innovation, curating cutting-edge technology solutions, and contributing to the growth of the education technology landscape and student achievement overall,” added Gulati.
“The expansion of our new CoE in Bengaluru not only reflects our commitment to the Indian market but also serves as a strategic hub for our expansion plans in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia,” commented Gulati.
As part of its strategic expansion, the NYSE-listed company PowerSchool aims to increase its India headcount from the current 1000 to 2000 over the next 3 to 5 years, according to a press release.
The hiring is planned across all business units in India to elevate R&D, product innovation, customer service and success, marketing, and sales functions. The hiring plan also includes key technology-focused positions such as include Data Scientists and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI/ML) experts. This will enable PowerSchool to execute its plans to integrate AI functionality to tap the personalised education space.
Also, PowerSchool plans to expand its Chennai office in 2024 as it aims for a robust growth strategy in India’s education technology (edu-tech) sector. This move comes after it acquired Jarulss Software Solutions Private Limited, also known as Neverskip, a Chennai-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) software company last year in September. The Neverskip acquisition has strengthened PowerSchool’s business and reach in India to more than 900 schools and 1.2 million students.
“Our hiring focus in India will be multifaceted, with 50% emphasis on bolstering our capabilities distributed across various functions,” said Apoorav Nischal, MD and Country Head – PowerSchool India.
“We are committed to fostering AI/ML skills, which are integral to our product innovation strategy and will play a crucial role in shaping the future of education technology. We have invested in this new CoE which is thoughtfully designed keeping in mind PowerSchool’s collaborative work culture and evolving industry requirements, creating a symbiotic and sustainable working ecosystem for all,” added Nischal.
“Additionally, we will also be looking into the expansion of Chennai office space in the near future,” he said.
The company claims to serve over 50 million students across 90-plus countries. Globally, millions of students today use its Learning Management System (LMS) and PowerSchool Schoology Learning products.
PowerSchool has a public market valuation of over $4 billion. It expects the revenue to grow from around $700 million in 2023 to $1 billion by 2026.