Edtech startup Byju’s has received $1million in funding from Breakthrough Global Foundation and Saurabh Gupta, Managing Partner of DST Global, to support the company’s COVID-19 initiatives in India.

Breakthrough Global Foundation, founded by renowned tech investor and science philanthropist Yuri Milner (founder of DST Global) and his wife Julia and Saurabh Gupta, Managing Partner of DST Global, has been actively extending support towards combating the coronavirus pandemic around the world.

Remote and marginalised communities in India have been hit hard by the unprecedented second wave of COVID-19. In an effort to provide continuity of education that is so vital for the future of the country, Byju’s will utilize the Foundation’s funds under its social impact initiative ‘Education for All’ to support children who have lost their families due to COVID-19.

Education is a true catalyst for change and has the transformative power of uplifting society. Access to quality learning is a fundamental right and every child deserves access to quality learning. With ‘Education for All’, Byju’s will provide equal learning opportunities and empower children across the country through its tech-enabled learning programs, it said in a statement.

Yuri Milner said, “From overcoming pandemics to generating growth, India’s – and all of humanity’s – future depends on knowledge. Breakthrough Global Foundation is proud to support Byju’s COVID-19 initiative.”

Saurabh Gupta said, “It’s hard to overstate the benefits of unleashing India’s human potential, for India and the world. Byju’s is leveraging advances in digital education technology to do just that.”