In a strategic leadership move that reflects Leap’s unwavering commitment to internal talent development and long-term vision, LEAP NAMES RAJAN CHAUDHARY CO-FOUNDER. This announcement comes as the global study-abroad platform continues expanding operations across multiple international markets. Rajan, who joined the company over five years ago, has steadily contributed to the platform’s technological transformation and strategic product growth, playing a critical role in the company’s evolution from a startup to a global edtech player.
Rajan’s journey within Leap has been nothing short of remarkable. Starting from engineering, he rose through the ranks to become Assistant Vice President of Engineering. Now, as he steps into the role of co-founder, the move signals not only recognition of his deep technical contributions but also Leap’s culture of building long-term leadership from within. CEO Arnav Kumar and Co-founder Vaibhav Singh both expressed strong confidence in Rajan’s ability to lead alongside them through Leap’s next phase of expansion.
Founded in 2019, Leap operates several platforms such as LeapScholar, LeapFinance, GeeBee, and Yocket. The company provides test preparation, admission and visa counselling, and student financing solutions, catering to aspirants heading to destinations like the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. With recent expansion into Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Leap is scaling rapidly and deepening its global footprint.
Backed by investors including Owl Ventures, Jungle Ventures, and Peak XV Partners, Leap raised over $400 million to date and saw a 113.7% increase in operating revenue for FY24, reaching ₹174.92 crore. The leadership elevation marks a defining chapter in its global growth journey.
1. UNDERSTANDING LEAP’S BUSINESS MODEL AND MISSION
1.1 ORIGIN, FOUNDERS, AND BUSINESS PURPOSE
Leap was founded in 2019 by Arnav Kumar and Vaibhav Singh, two entrepreneurs with a passion for enabling cross-border education. Their vision was to build a platform that simplifies and empowers the international education journey for Indian and global students. Arnav brings prior experience in venture capital, while Vaibhav held leadership roles in consumer internet businesses.
1.2 WHAT LEAP OFFERS TO STUDENTS
Leap operates as a digital ecosystem offering comprehensive solutions to study-abroad aspirants. Its suite of platforms includes:
- LeapScholar for counselling and test preparation.
- LeapFinance for providing student loans.
- Yocket and GeeBee for international admissions and collaborations.
The startup supports students through every stage — from exam prep (IELTS, TOEFL, GRE) to visa and admission counselling, and even financial solutions. Its AI-driven tools and expert teams work to ensure students find the best-fit programs and secure funding seamlessly.
1.3 REVENUE AND MONETIZATION MODEL
Leap earns through multiple revenue streams:
- Commission from university partnerships.
- Interest income from student loans (via LeapFinance).
- Premium counselling and test prep services.
- Platform-based revenue from onboarding and student conversions.
Its monetization strategy blends B2B (institution-led) and B2C (student-led) streams, ensuring financial resilience and scalability.
2. LEAP’S GLOBAL GROWTH AND STRATEGIC MILESTONES
2.1 MARKET EXPANSION AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
While Leap started in India, it is now rapidly expanding across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The platform currently has operations in over 10 countries. Key destination markets include:
- The United States
- Canada
- The United Kingdom
- Australia
Its global student community has grown manifold as Leap continues adding new institutions to its network — now surpassing 1,000 international partners.
2.2 FUNDING AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Leap has attracted funding from leading venture capital firms such as:
- Owl Ventures
- Jungle Ventures
- Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India & SEA)
With more than $400 million raised, Leap’s strong capital base supports both technology expansion and market development. In FY24, the platform witnessed a 113.7% rise in revenue, clocking ₹174.92 crore — a sign of strong product-market fit and accelerating student demand.
3. LEAP NAMES RAJAN CHAUDHARY CO-FOUNDER: LEADERSHIP RESHUFFLE THAT SIGNALS LONG-TERM VISION
3.1 RAJAN’S ROLE IN BUILDING LEAP’S ENGINEERING BACKBONE
Rajan Chaudhary joined Leap more than five years ago and quickly became a cornerstone of its product and technology strategy. As Assistant Vice President of Engineering, he led efforts in platform scalability, innovation architecture, and AI integrations across services.
From building internal tools to driving external-facing student experiences, Rajan’s engineering leadership enabled Leap to transition from a mid-stage startup to a global education force.
3.2 LEADERSHIP SPEAKS: FOUNDERS APPLAUD RAJAN’S IMPACT
Arnav Kumar, Leap’s Co-founder and CEO, remarked that Rajan was a “rare one-in-a-million” partner. His trust, ownership, and consistent performance made his elevation to co-founder both strategic and emotional.
Vaibhav Singh echoed the sentiment by highlighting Rajan’s alignment with Leap’s long-term vision and global outlook. Both leaders underscored how internal leadership development is core to Leap’s philosophy.
3.3 RAJAN REFLECTS ON THE JOURNEY
In his own words, Rajan described Leap as a platform where his passion for real-world innovation came alive. He said, “Building scalable platforms that enable real-world outcomes has always been my passion… I am honoured to step into the Co-Founder role and excited to contribute even more meaningfully.”
4. WHY THIS MOVE MATTERS IN THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM
4.1 INTERNAL ELEVATION: A RARE MOVE AMONG INDIAN STARTUPS
In a landscape where external hiring often dominates leadership roles, Leap’s elevation of a long-term employee to co-founder is refreshing. It reflects:
- Trust in internal growth.
- Confidence in technical leadership.
- Vision for long-term stability.
Such moves inspire loyalty and push other startups to think beyond short-term hires.
4.2 TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP IN EDTECH
As edtech becomes more tech-driven, having a co-founder with deep engineering roots gives Leap a strategic edge. Rajan’s technical insights now directly shape Leap’s global product direction.
5. LEARNING FOR STARTUPS AND ENTREPRENEURS
5.1 BUILD LEADERSHIP FROM WITHIN
Founders should nurture homegrown talent. Elevating leaders internally ensures cultural alignment, operational continuity, and high morale across teams.
5.2 PRIORITIZE SCALABLE TECHNOLOGY EARLY ON
Startups must invest in product and platform scalability from the beginning. Leap’s rapid growth was possible only due to its robust technology foundations.
5.3 VISION MUST ALIGN ACROSS LEADERSHIP
All co-founders should share a clear, long-term vision. Leap’s leadership shows what’s possible when alignment and trust guide decision-making.
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