NextLeap Expands Product Management Training with PM School Acquisition

Bengaluru-based workforce skilling platform NextLeap has acquired PM School, a product management education provider, to strengthen its training capabilities and provide learners with enhanced resources, mentorship, and career support. The acquisition aligns with NextLeap’s goal of creating a more accessible and effective product management education ecosystem in India, according to a company statement.

Founded in 2021 by former Flipkart executives Arindam Mukherjee and Mohammad Yasir, NextLeap focuses on upskilling professionals to transition into technology roles. The company secured $2 million in seed funding in the same year, backed by investors such as InfoEdge Ventures, Mukesh Bansal (founder of Meraki Labs and co-founder of Myntra and Cult.fit), Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CRED CEO Kunal Shah, and Virgio founder Amar Nagaram.

Speaking about the acquisition, NextLeap co-founder and CEO Arindam Mukherjee stated that product management is a growing function in the tech industry, but many professionals struggle to enter the field due to the lack of structured and practical learning. PM School, he said, has built a strong foundation in this area, and by joining forces, they aim to bridge this gap at scale.

NextLeap offers bootcamp-style fellowship programs in product management, UX design, data analytics, and software engineering. The company was recognized as one of South Asia’s Top 100 EdTech startups by HolonIQ in 2022.

Founded by Ankit Bareja, Nikunj Sharma, and Kushaal Devanahalli, PM School has been helping aspiring product managers build structured career paths. Commenting on the transition, the founders stated that after 4.5 years of assisting learners in breaking into product management, they are excited to see PM School continue its journey with NextLeap. They emphasized that this transition would ensure learners gain access to more resources, deeper mentorship, and stronger connections between education and employment.

NextLeap CTO Mohammad Yasir noted that integrating PM School’s reach and expertise with NextLeap’s AI-driven learning platform would help create a system that is more practical, hands-on, and aligned with industry requirements. He explained that the company's goal is simple: to help more individuals develop essential skills and connect them with the right opportunities.

The edtech sector in India continues to expand. According to Inc42’s Indian Tech Startup Funding Report, edtech startups raised over $568 million in 2024, marking a significant increase from $283 million the previous year. The industry is projected to grow to $29 billion by 2030, reflecting its rapid expansion and increasing demand for technology-driven learning solutions.