Hyderabad-based mathematics learning startup Bhanzu has earned a major global recognition, securing the #12 position in TIME and Statista’s EdTech Rising Stars 2026 ranking.

The Rising Stars list was published alongside TIME’s World’s Top EdTech Companies 2026 ranking and celebrates young education technology companies demonstrating strong revenue growth over the past three years.

For Bhanzu, the recognition marks another important milestone in its journey from a Hyderabad-born idea to a global math-learning platform.

“When we started Bhanzu, the goal was simple: make math a source of confidence, not fear, for every child.”

That mission is now receiving recognition on one of the world’s most prominent business and innovation platforms.

What the TIME EdTech Rising Stars Ranking Represents

TIME partnered with global market and consumer data platform Statista to evaluate thousands of education technology companies for its 2026 rankings.

The Rising Stars category specifically recognises high-growth EdTech companies that meet qualifying criteria such as:

• Being 10 years old or younger
• Generating at least $1 million in revenue in 2024
• Recording revenue growth of more than 20% over the previous three years
• Submitting company data through the ranking’s application process

Bhanzu’s #12 position therefore represents more than brand visibility. It reflects the company’s growth trajectory and its ability to scale a specialised learning model across markets.

Building Confidence in Mathematics

Bhanzu was founded by Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash, widely known as the World’s Fastest Human Calculator.

Rather than building another conventional tutoring platform, Bhanzu began with a larger goal: changing the way children perceive mathematics.

For many students, math is associated with memorisation, examination pressure and fear of making mistakes. Bhanzu’s learning model attempts to replace that anxiety with curiosity, confidence and problem-solving ability.

The company offers live and interactive online math programmes for school students, combining structured teaching with technology, games, practical applications and personalised learning support.

The underlying idea is simple:

Children should not merely learn how to arrive at an answer. They should understand how numbers work and develop the confidence to explore them.

From Individual Ability to a Scalable Learning Platform

Neelakantha Bhanu’s own journey demonstrated what the human mind could achieve with the right relationship with numbers.

The bigger entrepreneurial challenge, however, was translating his personal methods and experiences into a system that could help thousands of children.

Bhanzu has worked to turn that philosophy into:

• Structured digital learning programmes
• Interactive live classes
• Concept-based math instruction
• Personalised learning pathways
• Progress tracking for students and parents
• Technology-enabled tools for practice and engagement

This transformation—from an individual’s expertise into a repeatable global education product—is central to the Bhanzu story.

Bhanzu’s Growing Global Footprint

Bhanzu’s platform currently reports:

• 50,000+ students overcoming their fear of mathematics
• More than 3 million teaching hours
• Presence across 16+ countries
• Over 40 million questions solved

These numbers indicate that Bhanzu is no longer serving only a niche group of high-performing math students.

Its wider opportunity lies in helping everyday learners become more comfortable with numbers, improve their problem-solving skills and develop stronger mathematical foundations.

The company’s international presence also shows that math anxiety is not an India-specific challenge. Students and parents across geographies are looking for learning models that are more engaging, personalised and confidence-oriented.

From Series B Funding to Global Recognition

Bhanzu’s TIME recognition follows an important period of growth for the company.

In November 2024, Start-Up Hyderabad reported on Bhanzu’s $16.5 million Series B funding round, which was aimed at supporting global expansion, product development and continued investment in its technology platform.

The round reflected investor confidence in Bhanzu’s approach to math education and its potential to build a globally relevant company from India.

The #12 position in TIME’s Rising Stars ranking adds another layer of validation. While funding provides the resources required to scale, global recognition highlights how the company’s growth is being noticed beyond the startup and investment ecosystem.

Why This Recognition Matters for Bhanzu

1. Greater Trust Among Parents

Education is a high-trust category.

Parents are not simply purchasing a digital subscription; they are investing in their child’s confidence, academic development and long-term relationship with learning.

Recognition from TIME and Statista can strengthen Bhanzu’s credibility among families exploring online math programmes, particularly in international markets.

2. Stronger Global Brand Visibility

Bhanzu has ambitions beyond India.

Being featured in a global EdTech ranking can introduce the company to new audiences, including parents, schools, educators, potential partners and investors across different markets.

The recognition supports Bhanzu’s transition from an Indian EdTech startup into a global math-learning brand.

3. Validation of a Focused EdTech Model

Bhanzu has remained focused on one core subject: mathematics.

At a time when many education platforms attempt to offer everything from school tuition to test preparation and career skills, Bhanzu’s specialised model demonstrates the potential value of going deeper into a single category.

Its positioning is not simply “online math classes.” It is about building a distinctive learning system around confidence, speed, conceptual understanding and problem-solving.

4. Recognition for the Team Behind the Platform

In announcing the achievement, Neelakantha Bhanu credited the wider Bhanzu team rather than treating the recognition as an individual accomplishment.

Building an education company across multiple countries requires more than curriculum development. It depends on teachers, academic teams, product developers, engineers, counsellors, operations professionals and customer-support teams working together consistently.

The TIME recognition is therefore also an acknowledgement of the organisation Bhanzu has built around its founding mission.

What Bhanzu’s Journey Means for Hyderabad

Bhanzu’s global recognition is also an important moment for Hyderabad’s startup ecosystem.

The city is widely known for enterprise technology, SaaS, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and deep-tech. Companies such as Bhanzu demonstrate that Hyderabad can also build globally relevant consumer education platforms.

The startup’s progress highlights several strengths of the local ecosystem:

• Access to strong technology and product talent
• A growing community of ambitious global founders
• The ability to build specialised products from India
• Increasing investor interest in Hyderabad-based companies
• A culture that supports technology-led solutions to large social problems

Every globally recognised Hyderabad startup strengthens the city’s position as a place where companies can build not only for India, but for the world.

A Positive Signal for Indian EdTech

India’s EdTech sector has experienced rapid growth, major funding cycles, consolidation and difficult questions about sustainability.

Against that backdrop, Bhanzu’s recognition points toward a more focused model for the sector’s next phase.

The companies that emerge stronger may be those that:

• Solve a clearly defined learning problem
• Demonstrate measurable student outcomes
• Build trust with parents and learners
• Combine technology with strong teaching practices
• Expand globally without losing product focus
• Pursue sustainable growth rather than scale alone

Bhanzu’s emphasis on helping children overcome math anxiety gives it a clear problem to solve and a mission that can travel across borders.

What Comes Next for Bhanzu?

The TIME recognition is an important milestone, but Bhanzu’s larger challenge will be maintaining quality as it scales.

The company will need to continue investing in:

• Teacher training and academic consistency
• Personalised learning technology
• Curriculum localisation for global markets
• Student engagement and measurable outcomes
• Responsible applications of artificial intelligence
• Strong communication with parents

In education, rapid growth is valuable only when learning quality grows alongside it.

Bhanzu’s ability to preserve its confidence-first philosophy while expanding internationally will determine how significant this recognition becomes in the years ahead.

Closing Thought

Bhanzu began with an ambitious but relatable idea: children should experience mathematics as a source of confidence rather than fear.

Its #12 position in TIME and Statista’s EdTech Rising Stars 2026 ranking shows how far that idea has travelled.

For Neelakantha Bhanu and the Bhanzu team, it is a moment to celebrate. For Hyderabad, it is another example of a locally built company earning a place on the global stage.

And for the students learning through the platform, the most meaningful achievement may remain the simplest one:

Looking at a math problem and believing they can solve it.