upGrad to Ride High on IPL 2020 to Reach Out to Bharat to Boost Online Higher Education

* This marks upGrad’s first major sports association in a bid to reach out to the 550Mn+ IPL viewers and accelerate the need for online higher education in India

upGrad, India’s largest online higher education company is betting big on the upcoming edition of T20 League - Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled to commence on September 19th, 2020.  In a move to accelerate the adoption of technology and online higher education, upGrad has got into a high-value deal with Star India, to run their latest ad-campaign across TV and the OTT platform Hotstar throughout the tournament. This marks upGrad’s first major sports association and the on-boarding of India’s largest higher edtech player on the Dream 11 IPL 2020. 

Commenting on the association, Arjun Mohan, CEO - India, upGrad said: “IPL enjoys vast viewership across the globe, not only for cricket fans but also for all members of the house, making it perhaps the largest co-viewing property in the world. It is also the most opportune occasion to reach out to individuals reminding them about the urgency to upskill and prepare themselves for the forthcoming competitive world. Given the revolutionary NEP, which has accorded autonomy, multi-disciplinarily, and flexibility to higher education, our strategic partnership with Star will enable us with the right platform, thereby helping us reach out to a larger set of audience residing in the remotest corners of Bharat.”

upGrad offers online programs that range from Global MBAs to domain-specific degree and diplomas across Tech, Management and Data for seasoned and mid-senior professionals, to job-linked programs for the first-time job seekers, which are distributed across tier I, II, & III cities. Moreover, given the current volatile market, the edtech major, in a recent move, has now made online education affordable, through its easy financing options will not only break the socio-economic barrier to enrol for premium education, but will also allow individuals to embark on the journey of Lifelong Learning to remain professionally relevant, especially amid such critical times.

The brand's recently launched ad film, ‘Sirf Naam Ki Nahin, Kaam Ki Degree’, which has already garnered over 5.5 million views across social media & digital platforms and was trending on Twitter & YouTube will be played during the cricket matches. 

About upGrad

upGrad is India’s largest online higher education company. Founded in early 2015, upGrad has on-boarded over 34.5K paid learners and impacted around 8 lakh individuals globally, within a short span of 5 years.

upGrad provides online programs in the areas of Data Science, Technology, Management and Law to college students, working professionals and enterprises. These programs are designed and delivered in collaboration with top-notch universities like IIT Madras, IIIT Bangalore, MICA, NMIMS Global Access, Jindal Global Law School, Duke CE, Deakin University, Liverpool John Moores University and others.

With an 80% program completion rate, robust tech platform, outcome-based learning approach, industry-relevant curriculum, finest university credentials, strong mentorship, and steadfast placement support, upGrad has established its position as the leader in the Indian education system.

upGrad Elevate, a virtual hiring drive for upGrad users/alumni offers the opportunity to interview with 300+ hiring partners ensuring successful career outcomes they deserve.

IIIT Bangalore and upGrad's PG Diploma in Data Science is India’s first-ever PG Diploma to be recommended and validated by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM). The program is India's largest Data Science program with over 10,000 alumni & learner-base, which now provides learners with certification from NASSCOM FutureSkills, thereby making the program aligned to Government approved National Occupational Standards (NOS) to facilitate the upskilling of India’s IT workforce and make them abreast of the new-age skills. Through this first-of-its-kind collaboration, upGrad joins NASSCOM’s mission to make India a hub for innovation and a global hotspot for a skilled talent pool.

upGrad has been awarded the title of ‘Best Tech for Education’ by IAMAI in 2019. upGrad received the ‘Best Education Brands’ award by Economic Times in 2018, Most Innovative Companies in India' by Fast Company in 2017 and has made it to LinkedIn’s ‘Top 25 Startups’ two years in a row in 2018 and 2019.