With traditional study-abroad pathways increasingly restricted by visa limitations and diplomatic disputes, India’s Leverage Edu is guiding students toward new opportunities—redirecting them from Canada to Germany, and from India to destinations like Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. This adaptability has fueled the company’s rapid revenue growth, profitability, and ongoing international expansion.
In recent months, students from emerging economies have encountered heightened unpredictability in the international college admissions process. Evolving visa regulations and diplomatic rifts—such as the 2023-2024 conflict between India and Canada, as well as new challenges in India-U.S. relations regarding tariffs and immigration—have thrown application schedules and eligibility into disarray for thousands. Countries like Canada and Australia have tightened student visa requirements, catching many families unprepared. Even established local consultants and study-abroad agencies have struggled to keep pace. In contrast, Leverage—the company behind Leverage Edu—has stepped in to help students find alternative study destinations and adapt swiftly, ensuring their academic plans remain intact despite the turmoil.
Founded eight years ago, the startup acted swiftly when tensions escalated between India and Canada, assisting Indian students in shifting to Germany and supporting Canadian universities in attracting students from Nigeria—effectively maintaining student flows in both regions. The company is now using similar strategies as U.S.-India relations face new challenges.
Although Leverage continues to facilitate student placements in the U.S., a growing portion of this demand now comes from countries such as Brazil and Vietnam, where interest in American universities remains high, according to founder and CEO Akshay Chaturvedi.
This capacity to rapidly pivot across different regions has become a cornerstone of Leverage’s expansion strategy. In the past two months, the company has launched operations in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam, and Malaysia—markets with increasing numbers of students aspiring to study abroad but limited access to organized admissions support. With these additions, Leverage now recruits students in 16 countries, assisting them in applying to universities in 11 different destinations.
Beyond application support, the Noida-based startup—located in a tech hub near New Delhi—is evolving into a comprehensive platform for international education, guiding students through planning, financing, and managing their academic journeys. Its offerings include a mobile application, an AI-driven course discovery tool, a university matching service called UniConnect, and a recently introduced SaaS suite for global universities under the Univalley.ai brand.
Leverage has also branched out into related sectors, providing services such as Leverage MBBS for medical school hopefuls, Fly Finance for education loans, Fly Homes for student accommodation, and additional offerings through Leverage Careers and Compass.
Currently, Leverage places more than 10,000 students each year, a significant increase from about 1,500 a few years back. Much of this growth is attributed to organic demand, with 60% of student enrollments occurring without any customer acquisition costs, according to Chaturvedi.
“We have closed the gap with most of our international competitors, many of whom are either publicly listed or have raised substantial funding rounds,” he shared with TechCrunch.
Leverage’s founder and CEO, Akshay Chaturvedi
Image Credits:Akshay Chaturvedi / Instagram
Leverage has experienced remarkable financial growth, achieving profitability for the first time this year—a notable feat in India’s edtech landscape. The company ended fiscal year 2025 with revenues exceeding ₹1.8 billion (about $20 million), doubling from the previous year’s ₹900 million (roughly $10 million). In the first half of fiscal year 2026 (April to September), it generated over ₹2 billion (approximately $23 million), and is projected to close the year with ₹3.7-₹3.8 billion (around $45 million) in revenue.
On the profitability side, Leverage posted profits after tax of ₹120-130 million (about $1.4-1.5 million), and anticipates surpassing ₹250 million ($2.8 million) by the end of fiscal 2026—a dramatic turnaround from a full-year loss of ₹800 million in fiscal 2025, representing a 256% improvement.
Roughly a quarter of Leverage’s revenue comes from its platform businesses, which provide students with services beyond admissions—such as loans, international money transfers, housing, and help with internships or initial employment. The remaining 75% is generated by its core education segment—student placement and counseling. Of this, about 20% is paid directly by students, while 55% comes from university commissions, Chaturvedi told TechCrunch.
India continues to be Leverage’s primary market, making up 58% of its total student population. Within India, the company concentrates on states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Punjab, which are known for sending large numbers of students abroad.
Regarding destinations, the U.K. is Leverage’s top market, accounting for 52% of student placements, followed by Germany at 22%. Italy, which saw the fastest growth this summer, is also becoming increasingly popular.
Currently, North America accounts for less than 5% of Leverage’s total placements, reflecting recent years’ stricter visa policies and diplomatic challenges. The company expects this proportion to rise as it grows its presence in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
India IPO in plans, likely for 2026
With its rising revenues and expanding international reach, Leverage is now considering a possible IPO in India as soon as next year, with investment bankers already making preliminary approaches, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to TechCrunch.
Founder and CEO Chaturvedi did not rule out a public offering, but stated that Leverage would choose between going public or raising additional external funding after reaching the $100 million revenue mark, which the company expects to achieve in 2026.
To date, Leverage has raised under $50 million in equity. The company operates in 27 countries through more than 50 offices and employs around 800 people.
