Smartlinx VOIP Networks, a Hyderabad-based startup providing online learning through its ‘Live Tutor’ virtual classroom service, is bullish on the Indian online tutoring market, which is currently pegged at over $100 million (approximately Rs 460 crore).
“We are piloting Live Tutor, an extension of the value-added service that we are providing to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s broadband customers, at Hyderabad-based Sister Nivedita Schools. The service will be implemented in the next academic year beginning June 2010, encompassing 150 teachers and 5,000 students, who will be specially trained for this initiative,” Job Thomas, director and chief operating officer of Smartlinx, told Business Standard.
Sister Nivedita School’s students will be connected to their counterparts in Karimnagar and Lingampally through Live Tutor's voice and video over IP (VVOIP)-based application platform.
“We are talking to multiple content providers to enhance the capabilities of students. Once this is complete, we will roll out the service across schools in the four southern states. We have already given proof-of-concepts to 980 schools in Andhra Pradesh. Our target is to reach out to 1,200 schools in Tamil Nadu, 800 in Karnataka and 725 in Kerala by June this year,” he said.
The company, which became a wholly-owned subsidiary of US-based Smartlinx Inc (listed on the OTC of the New York Stock Exchange) in October 2009, has its operations centre in Hyderabad employing 50 marketing and technical support staff.
“We are planning to invest close to $1.5 million (about Rs 7 crore) to double our employee strength and create infrastructure, with the thrust being on marketing, in the next one year,” Thomas said.
Smartlinx expects revenues of $1 million (Rs 4.6 crore) in 2010 and $12 million (Rs 55 crore) in 2011. Outlining the company’s revenue projections, he said the company expects a profit after tax of $6 million (Rs 27 crore) in the fifth year on revenues of $61 million (Rs 281 crore).