The Imarticus Learning acquisition of Singapore-based BELLS Institute of Higher Learning — valued at an estimated ₹800 crore — marks the Bengaluru-headquartered edtech firm’s first international deal, as publicly reported on 2026-08-03. Imarticus Learning, among India’s leading professional education companies, announced the acquisition of Singapore-based BELLS Institute of Higher Learning, marking its first international acquisition and a significant milestone in its growth journey. The development comes as Imarticus Learning is gearing up for its proposed ₹1,000 crore IPO.
Quick Highlights
- Acquirer: Imarticus Learning
- Target: BELLS Institute of Higher Learning, Singapore
- Deal Value: ~₹800 crore (estimated, as publicly reported)
- Founders: Nikhil Barshikar and Sonya Hooja
- Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Announcement Date: 2026-08-03
Deal Breakdown
Deal Rationale
While Imarticus Learning has established a strong platform in finance and professional education in India, BELLS adds complementary strengths across enterprise learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, technology and workforce development, along with established relationships with the Singapore government, SkillsFuture Singapore and leading enterprises across the region. The company currently derives 10 per cent of its revenue from international markets and plans to grow that share to 50 per cent; its existing international revenue comes from its presence in Dubai and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
Deal Structure
As part of the acquisition, BELLS will become a subsidiary of Imarticus Learning, and its promoter will also join the board of Imarticus. This is the second acquisition for the company within a year, following the ₹50 crore acquisition of edtech platform MyCaptain in May 2025. The acquisition comes at a time when the company is planning to file its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) in the next four to five months as part of its IPO plans.
Expansion Plans
The first major initiative following the acquisition is the proposed launch of BELLS School of AI — a dedicated applied AI skilling and workforce development institute designed for working professionals, recent graduates, and enterprise teams seeking to build practical AI capabilities across finance, fintech, and digital operations. Programmes will span foundational AI literacy, applied machine learning, AI for finance and fintech, and AI-enabled business transformation, developed in collaboration with industry partners and aligned to employer demand across Singapore, India and the broader ASEAN region.
The acquisition gives Indian learners access to globally benchmarked education, Singapore exchange opportunities, and ASEAN career pathways, while Singapore learners benefit from Imarticus Learning’s industry-led programmes in finance, data science, analytics and technology. For Singapore learners, programmes will be offered under relevant Skills and Workforce Development Agency, SkillsFuture Singapore and Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore frameworks, making them eligible for government subsidies.
Significance
The acquisition reflects the increasing international expansion of Indian education technology companies as they seek to address the growing demand for industry-relevant professional education, digital skills and workforce development across Asia. Imarticus Learning, which has impacted over one million learners, joins forces with BELLS’ network of more than 150,000 alumni, seven training centres across Singapore, and its long-standing contribution to Singapore’s skills ecosystem. With this acquisition, the combined entity — with an employee strength of more than 1,100 employees — will operate from over 25 offices across India and Singapore. For context, Imarticus Learning’s FY25 revenue stood at ₹205 crore, marking nearly 16 per cent year-on-year growth, while EBITDA stood at ₹14 crore — underscoring how decisive this deal is for the company’s pre-IPO international growth story.
These details have been verified against multiple publicly available reports as of 2026-08-03.
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Disclaimer: This report is compiled from publicly available sources and is for informational purposes only; funding figures are as publicly reported and may be subject to change.
