upGrad has announced the acquisition of Internshala, widely regarded as the world’s largest early-talent internship marketplace through a 90% stock-swap transaction. The financial details of the deal remain undisclosed.
The acquisition positions upGrad to deepen its presence across the entire career lifecycle, integrating education, practical training, and job placement within a single, cohesive ecosystem.
Founded in 2010, Internshala has grown into a robust early-career platform with over 34 million registered learners and a network of 450,000 employers. The platform facilitates close to 3 million active applications annually and draws a majority of its traffic organically. Notably, over 40% of its users come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, underlining its strong reach beyond metropolitan hubs.
With this integration, upGrad aims to create a more seamless transition for students from discovering internships and acquiring industry-relevant skills to securing full-time employment. The company plans to invest further in product development, AI-powered talent matching, and enterprise hiring solutions. Internshala’s current revenue base of ₹45 crore is projected to scale to ₹100 crore and beyond under the new growth roadmap.
Commenting on the development, Chirag Samdaria, Head – Corporate Strategy & Growth at upGrad, said the collaboration addresses the long-standing disconnect between education and employability in India. He emphasized that strengthening the earliest stage of a learner’s career journey where intent and potential are at their peak can create more measurable and meaningful outcomes for both students and recruiters.
Internshala will continue to function as an independent brand under the leadership of its Founder and CEO, Sarvesh Agrawal. Backed by upGrad’s technological infrastructure and expansive learning ecosystem, the platform is expected to enhance its offerings and scale its impact.
Also Read: Ministry of Education to Host AI-in-Education Session at India AI Impact Summit 2026
Sarvesh Agrawal described the partnership as a natural convergence of learning and opportunity. Reflecting on Internshala’s 15-year journey of democratizing career access, he stated that the association with upGrad would enable the platform to skill millions more candidates, deliver pre-trained talent at scale, and emerge as the go-to launchpad for graduates entering the workforce.
Investec served as the exclusive financial advisor to Internshala in the transaction.
This acquisition marks a strategic milestone in upGrad’s broader ambition to strengthen India’s skilling economy by aligning academic learning with real-world employment outcomes.
