Mesa School of Business has raised Rs 110 Cr in a funding round co-led by Dharana Capital and existing investor Elevation Capital. The funding combines equity and venture debt and will help the school expand its AI-first curriculum, launch new programmes, and build stronger partnerships with startups.
Founded in 2023 by Ankit Agarwal and Varun Limaye, Mesa School aims to prepare students for the changing business world through practical learning, entrepreneurship and AI skills.
Key Numbers to Know
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Rs 110 Crore: Total funding raised.
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Rs 85 Crore + Rs 25 Crore: Equity funding and venture debt, respectively.
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550+ Students: Across three programmes, as reported by the school.
The equity portion of Rs 85 crore was co-led by Dharana Capital and Elevation Capital, while InnoVen Capital and Alteria Capital provided Rs 25 crore in venture debt.
Mesa School follows a hands-on learning model where students build and run small businesses, use AI to develop technology products, and work on real startup projects. According to the school, more than 100 founders have taught on campus, and students have completed over 200 projects with startups.
The institution is backed by prominent entrepreneurs, including Kunal Shah of CRED, Vidit Aatrey of Meesho, Abhiraj Bhal of Urban Company and Vijay Shekhar Sharma of Paytm.
Mesa has expanded from a single postgraduate cohort to more than 550 students across three programmes: a one-year Post Graduate Programme in Startup Leadership, a four-year undergraduate programme in business and entrepreneurship, and Forge, a one-year programme for fresh graduates.
According to co-founder Ankit Agarwal, the school focuses on helping every student build something real, learn modern skills and AI, and receive feedback from experienced founders. Dharana Capital founder and managing partner Vamsi Duvvuri also highlighted the growing gap between traditional education and the skills companies need in an AI-driven world.
The fresh funding will support Mesa’s next phase of growth as it works to make business education more practical, technology-focused, and closely connected to India’s startup ecosystem.
The Unicorn Magazine
