Latest news with #WhiteHatJr
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
WhiteHat Jr founder Karan Bajaj returns with new venture: A look at his education, career, new startup and more
WhiteHat Jr founder, Karan Bajaj, is back in the spotlight with his latest startup, Complement1, a healthcare platform focused on improving cancer care through personalised lifestyle coaching. This marks a major shift in his career from the tech-education sector to the healthcare industry. Let's take a closer look at Karan Bajaj's education, career journey, and his inspiring new venture. Karan Bajaj's New Startup Complement1: A Fresh Chapter in Healthcare After stepping away from his role at WhiteHat Jr, Karan Bajaj has now launched Complement1, a cancer care startup based in the United States. The company recently raised $16 million in seed funding, led by Owl Ventures and Blume Ventures, along with support from other undisclosed investors. Complement1 is designed to offer tech-enabled, evidence-backed, and personalised coaching for cancer patients and individuals at high risk. The goal is to help them adopt and maintain lifestyle changes—like improved nutrition, physical activity, and mind-body practices—guided by dedicated CoActive Coaches. According to Bajaj, "Lifestyle change is one of the most powerful, yet often overlooked tools in cancer care." His vision is to make clinically recommended routines part of daily life for patients, improving both their health outcomes and overall well-being. Complement1's Promise: Technology Meets Compassion in Cancer Support The platform uses scientific research from multiple global studies and meta-analyses. According to the company: Patients using Complement1 experienced 37% fewer side effects, 18% less pain, and 27% better sleep. Over 90% of users stick to the routine, a rare achievement in lifestyle-based healthcare. The platform also aims to cut cancer-related healthcare costs by up to 30%, making it a valuable addition for insurance companies, employers, and care providers. In a world where nearly 1 in 2 Americans may face cancer in their lifetime, Complement1 offers hope through education, coaching, and behavioural changes. Karan Bajaj: From Tech-Education to Holistic Health Early Life and Education Karan Bajaj was born in India and raised in a family with a military background. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM,), Bangalore—one of India's top business schools. Professional Journey Before becoming the WhiteHat Jr founder, Bajaj worked with some of the world's leading companies, like: Procter & Gamble The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Kraft Foods He later moved into the media sector, becoming CEO of Discovery Networks in 2016. In that role, he headed Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, and Discovery Kids in South Asia until 2019. The WhiteHat Jr Success Story In 2018, Karan Bajaj founded WhiteHat Jr, an online learning platform that focused on teaching coding and maths to children. The startup quickly gained popularity and was acquired by BYJU'S in 2020 for a whopping $300 million. Post-acquisition, Bajaj led BYJU'S International Division, launching educational programmes for students in the US, Brazil, and Mexico. Under his leadership, Byju's FutureSchool introduced a wide variety of courses, including music, English, fine arts, and science. He left BYJU'S in August 2021. A Talented Author with a Passion for Spiritual Exploration Apart from being a successful entrepreneur, Karan Bajaj is also a published author. His novels blend elements of spirituality, adventure, and self-discovery. Notable Books by Karan Bajaj: Keep Off The Grass (2008): A psychedelic journey of a Yale graduate exploring India. Johnny Gone Down (2010): A gripping thriller about a man's transformation through bizarre life events. The Seeker (2015): A tale of a Wall Street banker who leaves everything to become a yogi in the Himalayas. The Yoga of Max's Discontent: Reviewed by the Chicago Tribune and other notable publications. Bajaj's books have been shortlisted for awards like the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and Indiaplaza Golden Quill. Karan Bajaj's wife and kids Karan is married to Kerry Bajaj, who is a child sleep expert. The couple have two daughters What's Next for Karan Bajaj? With Complement1, the WhiteHat Jr founder has taken a bold step into the world of healthcare and lifestyle coaching. His journey from engineering to entrepreneurship, from education to holistic cancer care, reflects his versatility and vision. By combining technology, clinical research, and personal coaching, Karan Bajaj aims to transform cancer care, making his new startup Complement1 one to watch. Karan Bajaj's inspiring story showcases how one individual can impact multiple industries—from education and tech to healthcare and wellness. With Complement1, he is not only returning to entrepreneurship but also making a meaningful difference in people's lives. As the WhiteHat Jr founder embarks on this new path, all eyes are on how Complement1 will grow and revolutionise cancer care across the globe. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here.
India Gazette
18-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Aakash Institute among
Dubai [UAE], May 18 (ANI): BYJU'S founder, Byju Raveendran has described the acquisition of Aakash Institute as one of his 'best acquisitions' and admitted that acquiring WhiteHat Jr was a 'business mistake.' 'It's one of our best acquisitions now. At that point in time, that was 5 per cent of the valuation of Think and Learn. And we thought that there is a huge opportunity to what was available only to a few students in big metros, making the same kind of options available to small towns. So we, after the acquisition, actually took Akash (Institute) to small towns. What was reaching out to only a few parts of India? the same programme, we made it available to 300-plus senders within 18 months of taking over. It was actually one of our best acquisitions,' Raveendran said in an interview with ANI. Edtech BYJU's in April 2021 acquired Aakash Educational Services Ltd (AESL) for nearly USD 950 million. The deal was a cash-and-stock deal, and the acquisition was one of the largest in the Indian startup ecosystem. The deal involved a 70 per cent cash component and a 30 per cent equity component. 'Today, all this narrative around acquisitions - like we made mistakes - like when you make six big acquisitions, four of them are doing well but everyone talks about the two, and that's how it works, right?' Raveendran further said. Talking about the acquisition of WhiteHat Jr, an online coding and coding-related skills platform for children, Raveendran admitted that it was a 'business mistake', although the concept was unique. '....those are all business mistakes. now I am like today; even though that came through an acquisition, the concept of WhiteHat Jr, what would have really changed is teachers in India teaching students anywhere in the world who wanted to learn math from Indian teachers. Like, that's a huge opportunity lost,' he said. Founder of one of the most valuable edtech companies in the country, with about USD 22 billion valuation in 2022, also acknowledged that the company made 'some business mistakes' when it expanded 'too fast' to 21 countries due to the 'mandate' from the world-class investors. Raveendran revealed that the decision, made collectively with board members including investor and founder directors, was not driven by desperation, as the company had raised USD 5 billion earlier. The Bengaluru-based edtech company is facing financial problems, regulatory issues, and legal battles. Think & Learn Pvt Ltd (TLPL), the Byju's parent company, has been admitted into insolvency proceedings. (ANI)
Mint
14-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Karan Bajaj raises funds for a new healthtech venture, years after $300 mn WhiteHat Jr exit
Four years after selling WhiteHat Jr to Byju's in a high-profile deal worth $300 million, founder Karan Bajaj has raised $16 million in seed funding for his new healthtech startup, Complement 1. The round was led by Blume Ventures and Owl Ventures, with participation from several angel investors, according to a statement by the company on Wednesday. According to Bajaj, the platform seeks to address a gap in cancer care by helping patients adopt clinically recommended lifestyle changes. 'Every oncologist will tell you patients need more support incorporating physical activity, nutrition and mind-body practices," said Bajaj, who serves as chief executive officer and co-founder. 'We've focused on daily engagement through personalized coaching to support lasting improvements during and after treatment." Targeting cancer care With the new funding, Complement 1 plans to expand its coaching operations in the U.S., strengthen its AI engine, and partner with cancer centres, healthcare insurance providers, and employers. The company also intends to invest in enhancing the digital experience for both patients and coaches. Also Read: K Balakrishnan's Kriscore Capital raises ₹50 crore in commitments for new micro-VC fund, targets early-stage startups Founded in January 2024, Complement 1 offers a personalized lifestyle modification platform aimed at cancer patients, high-risk individuals, and survivors. The programme includes physical activity, nutrition, and somatic practices tailored to cancer type and stage, delivered via 1:1 'CoActive" coaching. The company also uses AI to drive personalization and support long-term adherence to the programme, it said. This is Bajaj's first startup since his exit from WhiteHat Jr in August 2021. The founder exited from edtech when the sector was at its peak, commanding high valuations and massive investor interest. Byju's acquired the firm among a number of other acquisitions it made to speed up growth. However, Byju's struggles began after a sudden fall in demand post-pandemic. Whitehat Jr. was among the first of its acquisitions to sour. In a recent media interaction, Byju Raveendran shared that the 'most encouragement for an acquisition" he received was for Whitehat Jr from its investors. Byju's investors and its founders have been at odds for over three years, even as the entity, once valued at $22 billion, filed for bankruptcy last year. Following the sale, Bajaj took a sabbatical that included travelling through Costa Rica and writing The Freedom Manifesto, a book published by HarperCollins India. '(I) caught up on the missed time with my daughters from the CEO & startup founding years as they attended a forest school in the Costa Rica mountains," said Bajaj, in a post on his LinkedIn profile. Also Read: Code junkies make way for AI pros as skills landscape shifts To be sure, this was not Bajaj's first retreat to the mountains. Back in 2012, he had also spent time in the Himalayas studying meditation and later authored The Seeker, a novel based on those experiences. Later in 2019, he founded Mumbai-based WhiteHat Jr, which he sold two years later to Byju's. Now, Complement 1 is being built out of the US. The shift from edtech to healthtech Bajaj's return marks a shift from edtech to healthtech, with the startup aiming to integrate lifestyle medicine into the broader oncology ecosystem. 'Complement 1 is creating a new model to improve global cancer outcomes. We were drawn to the combination of personalized technology and human-led coaching," said Amit Patel, managing director at Owl Ventures. Also Read: Another Indian fintech unicorn taps bankers for a $400-million IPO In India, too, investors as well as conglomerates such as the Reliance Group and Tata Group are jumping on the opportunity to invest in technology-driven detection and treatment of cancer as the incidence of the disease rises every year.
