Our aim is to teach mathematics to 100 mn learners worldwide within the next five years

From a child prodigy in music to a dynamic entrepreneur reshaping maths education, Prachotan Devulapalli embodies the harmony between art and intellect. At just 26, he serves as the co-founder and Head of Business Development at Bhanzu, an innovative EdTech company transforming the way students perceive and learn mathematics.

With a creative flair rooted in his background as a performing artist, Prachotan in an interaction with Bizz Buzz, spells out a distinctive perspective to strategy, marketing, and curriculum development.

At Bhanzu, he works closely with the core team to design research-driven programs—most notably the math with music and arts initiative—that blend creativity with conceptual learning. His approach ensures that mathematics is not merely taught but experienced, making it more accessible and enjoyable for learners across age groups.

Before Bhanzu took shape as a global learning platform, Prachotan led several impactful education projects with UNESCO and the Pratham Education Foundation, contributing to initiatives aimed at making learning more inclusive.

Recognized early for his extraordinary musical talent, Prachotan holds a world record in the Limca Book of Records for identifying 144 ragas at the age of three—a rare achievement that marked the beginning of a journey filled with over 25 national and 50 state-level awards in music.

Beyond the professional sphere, he remains an ardent sports enthusiast, art lover, and public speaker, continuously channeling his diverse interests into his entrepreneurial vision.

Bridging the worlds of melody and mathematics, Prachotan Devulapalli stands as a testament to how creativity can redefine education, inspire young minds, and drive meaningful change in the learning ecosystem.

You and your co-founders started Bhanzu. How did the idea evolve from concept to reality?

Before we even became a company called Bhanzu, we were just a group of youngsters curious about how children learn mathematics. The initiative was led by the world’s fastest human calculator, Neelakanta Bhanu.

We conducted several workshops and outreach programs and realized that children weren’t really understanding mathematics the way we wanted them to.

For instance, while working on government school projects, we discovered that even sixth or seventh graders struggled with basic concepts like understanding that 4 × 3 means 3 + 3 + 3 + 3. Even students in private and international schools found maths intimidating or abstract. Since three out of every four children worldwide reportedly dislike mathematics, we wanted to change that perception.

We started with government-led initiatives and later, during the pandemic, transitioned into a private company—Exploring Infinities, which we eventually rebranded as Bhanzu.

How would you describe Bhanzu’s mission to someone hearing about it for the first time?

Our vision is to make math fun and super accessible to everyone. Our mission is to teach mathematics the right way to 100 million learners within the next five years.

Whether through paid programs or pro bono initiatives, we want to be synonymous with math in every household—eradicating global math phobia once and for all.

Bhanzu has gained global traction in a short time. What sets it apart from other math learning platforms?

The edtech space is crowded, but our approach is unique—we put foundations first. Many parents spend on coding or robotics, but there’s a large group that simply wants to strengthen their children’s basics.

Bhanzu is not just for prodigies, it’s designed for students who struggle with or even hate math. Our courseware builds strong foundations and then helps students become future-ready.

Importantly, our technology is deeply integrated into our pedagogy, ensuring that our learning experience is both tech-enabled and learner-centric. That’s why we’ve gained traction in over 16 countries.

Could you share Bhanzu’s growth journey and the markets where you’ve seen the strongest response?

We began in India, primarily focusing on tier-one and tier-two cities, and later expanded to the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. In 2023, we entered the US market, which showed tremendous resonance with our mission.

Many US education companies still operate with outdated methods, so our approach felt fresh. The US has now become our fastest-growing market, followed by India and other Anglosphere nations. We recently launched our first physical learning centre in Dallas, and we plan to expand further across the US and India.

How do you balance rapid expansion with maintaining quality and personalized learning?

Quality at scale is one of the toughest challenges in education. We’ve invested heavily in AI tools—not just for teaching but for quality assurance. Every Bhanzu class is evaluated using a 40-parameter scorecard, powered by an AI engine that analyzes class transcripts and compares them against our benchmark sessions.

This ensures consistent quality across geographies and helps teachers receive actionable feedback regularly.

What are some challenges you’ve faced while scaling across countries and cultures?

Understanding the consumer voice in each market has been our biggest challenge. “Market feedback” ultimately means listening deeply to parents and students—what they say, what they expect, and how they learn. Adapting our product and communication to each culture requires intense research and sensitivity.

How important is AI and data analytics in shaping Bhanzu’s personalized learning models?

Extremely important. While we don’t believe children can yet learn effectively only from AI tutors, AI can superpower teachers. Our tools help teachers understand classroom dynamics and student needs more deeply.

With AI assistance, a teacher who could once manage 10 students can now handle 30 effectively. Since 2023, we’ve invested heavily in R&D to ensure our technology enhances—not replaces—the human element in learning.

As Head of Business Development, what are your top priorities when entering new markets or partnerships?

Expanding both our online and in-person learning presence is a key focus. We’re also localizing our programs—offering math lessons in Arabic, exploring Spanish and European languages, and adapting our curriculum to different cultures. Understanding each market’s needs and customizing our offering is my biggest priority right now.

How do you evaluate potential collaborations with schools, governments, or other partners?

Schools come first. Unlike many edtech firms, we’re not a threat to school curricula. We complement them by improving student performance and confidence.

Since 2022, we’ve partnered with hundreds of schools in India and the Middle East, conducting workshops that make math fun. Schools see tangible improvement, and these partnerships often become long-term collaborations.

Can you share an example of a strategic partnership that made a big impact?

Even before becoming a commercial entity, we collaborated with UNESCO and several global organizations. These early initiatives helped us establish credibility and made market entry—especially in countries like the US and Australia—much easier.

Our first thousand US customers came through these networks, proving the power of early strategic partnerships.

How do you measure Bhanzu’s real-world impact on students?

We use both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Quantitatively, we track speed, accuracy, and proficiency improvements. Qualitatively, the best feedback comes from parents who see their children confidently solving real-world math problems or expressing newfound interest in the subject.

We’ve even had parents who initially doubted our “fun” approach later requested more gamified content after seeing their child’s enthusiasm!

What’s next for Bhanzu? Are you planning to go beyond math?

Yes. While math remains our core, we’ve already introduced English learning courses in select geographies. We believe numeracy and literacy are the two foundation skills every child needs. Once those are strong, any other learning—STEM, arts, or sports—becomes much easier.

How do you see Bhanzu contributing to India’s broader education and skill development goals?

Numeracy is a crucial component of skill development. We’ve worked with governments on initiatives like “30 Days to Numeracy,” which helps learners grasp number fundamentals.

By improving math literacy, we empower people to build any other skill they choose. We aim to be both a driver of innovation and a partner in India’s skilling revolution.

The edtech sector has seen ups and downs recently. What lessons has Bhanzu learned, and how do you ensure long-term sustainability?

Many edtechs surged during the pandemic and struggled afterward. We took a different path—we used that period to research deeply instead of rushing to scale. Our real growth came post-pandemic, based on solid understanding and learner-first principles.

We’re committed to growing with humility—aiming high but staying grounded. As long as we keep the learner at the centre of everything we do, sustainability will follow. That’s our biggest lesson from observing the industry’s journey.