TutorVista
Encyclopedia
TutorVista is an online tutoring company geared towards students. It relies on a combination of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony, instant messaging
, a toll-free fax number (allowing review of printed materials), and an electronic blackboard. TutorVista’s operations are entirely located in India, but most of its market is abroad. The company primarily provides academic help to students in English, mathematics, and the sciences.
and began to take on investments from other companies such as Pearson
, bringing the total reported raised capital to $38 million.
TutorVista, has sold a controlling 76% stake to book publisher Pearson. TutorVista said Pearson would pay Rs 577 crore to raise its stake from the 17.2% that it already had in the company. That stake was acquired in June 2009. The price values TutorVista, started in 2005 with $2.15 million from Sequoia Capital, at about Rs 1,000 crore.
, Mr. Ganesh, the founder and CEO of TutorVista, suggested that building trust for an unknown Indian brand was the biggest difficulty he faced. There have also been several outcries in the United States, to protest against such organizations that do not allow face-to-face and personalized tutoring. Officials and parents from both local and national bodies have mixed reactions regarding the ethical and practical implications of this trend.
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
, a toll-free fax number (allowing review of printed materials), and an electronic blackboard. TutorVista’s operations are entirely located in India, but most of its market is abroad. The company primarily provides academic help to students in English, mathematics, and the sciences.
History
TutorVista was founded in 2005, going live in the United States within the same year. In 2007 the company acquired the educational firm Edurite and in 2009 they announced a partnership with the American Book CompanyAmerican Book Company
The American Book Company was an educational book publisher in the United States that specialized in elementary school, secondary school and collegiate-level textbooks...
and began to take on investments from other companies such as Pearson
Pearson
Pearson may refer to:In places:*Pearson, California *Pearson, Georgia, a US city*Pearson, Texas, an unincorporated community in the US*Pearson, Victoria, a ghost town in Australia....
, bringing the total reported raised capital to $38 million.
TutorVista, has sold a controlling 76% stake to book publisher Pearson. TutorVista said Pearson would pay Rs 577 crore to raise its stake from the 17.2% that it already had in the company. That stake was acquired in June 2009. The price values TutorVista, started in 2005 with $2.15 million from Sequoia Capital, at about Rs 1,000 crore.
Criticism
In an interview with The EconomistThe Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
, Mr. Ganesh, the founder and CEO of TutorVista, suggested that building trust for an unknown Indian brand was the biggest difficulty he faced. There have also been several outcries in the United States, to protest against such organizations that do not allow face-to-face and personalized tutoring. Officials and parents from both local and national bodies have mixed reactions regarding the ethical and practical implications of this trend.