Rajshree Upadhyaya | Business Remedies | Recognizing the lack of access and quality education in India’s villages, Himanshu Chaurasia and Saurabh Yadav founded Cograd with the vision of strengthening rural education and creating meaningful impact. Both founders are trained engineers who studied at reputed institutions, yet they grew up witnessing how rural talent often fades-not due to lack of ability, but because of lack of access. This realization motivated them to start Cograd, which was officially launched in 2019.
The core idea behind Cograd was to rethink how quality education could reach the grassroots level. By 2021, this idea evolved into a structured, on-ground education model that eventually gained national attention. Instead of building new schools from scratch, Cograd adopted a practical, community-centric approach by reviving underutilized or defunct school infrastructure in rural and semi-rural areas. These spaces were transformed into functional learning centers where students from Classes 1 to 8 could access affordable, high-quality education at a price point suitable for low-income families.
The founders strongly believed that accessibility and consistency matter more than attractive campuses, and this philosophy shaped every operational decision. A key pillar of Cograd’s model has been empowering educators themselves. Along with classroom learning, the company developed structured teacher training programs aimed at equipping instructors with modern pedagogy, digital tools, and outcome-based teaching methods. While many educators had strong academic backgrounds, they lacked exposure to contemporary teaching frameworks-especially in rural settings. Cograd positioned teachers not as passive content deliverers, but as empowered facilitators of learning.
Launch of an AI-Enabled Teaching Assistant
Technology played a supportive role within the ecosystem. One of Cograd’s most distinctive offerings is Medha AI, an AI-enabled teaching assistant designed specifically for low-connectivity environments. The tool helps teachers create lesson plans, worksheets, assessments, and personalized learning aids-even functioning partially in offline conditions. This enabled Cograd classrooms to maintain structured academic delivery despite infrastructure challenges that commonly disrupt rural schools.
The brand gained national visibility when Himanshu and Saurabh appeared on Shark Tank India Season 4. At the time of the pitch, Cograd operated around five schools and had expanded into multiple service lines, including skill workshops, AI literacy programs, and external education consulting services. The founders sought Rs. 1 crore for 2% equity, positioning Cograd as an impact-driven yet scalable education company.
While the sharks appreciated the mission, they expressed concerns about the company’s lack of focus and the fact that a significant portion of revenue was coming from services rather than direct school expansion.
A Living Experiment in Driving Change in Villages
After detailed discussions, Cograd secured a deal of Rs. 50 lakh for 6% equity, along with Rs. 50 lakh as debt at 9% interest for three years. More than the capital, the deal validated Cograd’s vision and pushed the founders towards sharper execution discipline, with a clear directive to prioritize the core schooling model.
Today, Cograd is operational and growing rapidly. The company reports running 16+ schools in Uttar Pradesh, directly serving over 8,000 students. Its larger initiatives-spanning AI education, STEM exposure, and teacher enablement-have reached more than 100,000 learners. Projects like Project RISE further reflect Cograd’s commitment to improving teaching quality at scale without ignoring on-ground realities.
Cograd’s journey highlights the delicate balance between purpose and sustainability. From reviving empty classrooms to building technology that works where internet connectivity is minimal, the brand stands as a living experiment in rural transformation. Led by founders who chose long-term impact over short-term gains, Cograd is redefining what quality education can look like beyond India’s cities.
