{
  "id": 14085846,
  "title": "Mesa School Bags ₹110 Cr To Launch New On-Campus Courses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/mesa-school-bags-110-cr-to-launch-new-on-campus-courses",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-13T00:30:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Inc42",
    "slug": "inc42",
    "url": "https://inc42.com/buzz/mesa-school-bags-%e2%82%b9110-cr-to-launch-new-on-campus-courses/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mesa School of Business has secured ₹110 crore ($11.4 million) in its Series A funding round, marking a significant boost for the Bengaluru-based business school. The round, comprising both debt and equity, has positioned the school at a post-money valuation of ₹385 crore ($40 million). Led by co-founder Ankit Agarwal, the funding mix includes ₹85 crore from Dharana Capital and Elevation Capital, alongside ₹25 crore secured through venture debt from InnoVen Capital and Alteria Capital. Mesa intends to utilize the influx of capital to bolster its leadership team, integrate AI into its programs, expand partnerships with startups, and introduce new courses.\n\nFounded in 2023 by Agarwal and Varun Limaye, Mesa offers on-campus educational programs tailored for individuals, including three full-time courses aimed at early-career professionals, recent graduates, and undergraduate students. The startup charges ₹25.4 lakh for its one-year post-graduate program, ₹15.4 lakh for its one-year Forge program for fresh graduates, and ₹48 lakh for its undergraduate program spanning four years. Despite the burgeoning startup ecosystem in India, a notable talent gap exists, particularly in non-technical roles that constitute approximately 80% of jobs within the sector. Agarwal highlighted that graduates from prestigious institutions often have established routes into startups, whereas students without such networks face challenges in entering the ecosystem. Unlike traditional business schools, Mesa relies on startup founders, executives, and industry experts to craft and deliver its curriculum instead of employing full-time faculty.\n\nRevenue for Mesa primarily stems from program fees collected annually, with the experienced-professional postgraduate program contributing roughly 40% and the undergraduate program generating 35-40% of the income. The fresh-graduate program contributes the remaining 20%. While Mesa has not yet achieved profitability, Agarwal indicates that most of its programs are nearing operational breakeven. The school boasts an annual growth rate of around 2.5X over the past two years, projecting continued expansion at a similar pace. Mesa's graduates have established connections with over 120 startups, with first three postgraduate cohorts producing around 300 alumni who hold positions in various roles such as founders' offices, product management, partnerships, account management, and venture capital. The experienced-professional postgraduate program reports average salaries of ₹26-28 lakh per annum. Mesa has also incubated over 50 student startups, generating ₹50 crore in annual revenue, and provides equity-free grants and incubation support to student ventures.",
  "summary": "Bengaluru-based Mesa School of Business has raised ₹110 Cr ($11.4 Mn) in its Series A funding round in a mix…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}