Once hailed as India’s most valuable startup, BYJU’S has taken one of the biggest financial hits in recent startup history. The company has offloaded two of its major US-based acquisitions — Epic and Tynker — for a mere $97 million, a dramatic markdown from their original combined acquisition cost of $700 million.
In 2021, Byju’s acquired Tynker, a coding education platform for kids, for $200 million through a cash-and-stock deal. A year later, it went on to acquire Epic, a digital reading platform, for $500 million. These acquisitions were part of Byju’s aggressive global expansion strategy, aimed at dominating the EdTech space in Western markets.
Fast forward to 2025, Byju’s has reportedly sold Tynker to CodeHS for just $2.2 million in cash, a fraction of its purchase price. Meanwhile, Epic has been sold to Chinese education firm TAL, as part of a broader effort to raise cash amid a severe hashtag#liquidityCrisis.
This fire-sale of assets marks one of the largest markdowns in startup M&A history, highlighting the extent of Byju’s ongoing financial distress. The company has been facing mounting legal challenges, plummeting revenues, and increasing pressure from creditors and hashtag#investors. Selling off its US subsidiaries appears to be a desperate move to stay afloat and focus on restructuring its core operations.
