'Broke, but not broken': Byju Raveendran, founder of once India's most valuable startup, vows to rebuild empire and 'rise again'

Byju Raveendran is “broke, but not broken.” The disgraced entrepreneur, whose brainchild, the edtech giant Byju’s, had been in one controversy after another due to disputes with investors and dwindling finances, took to X on Sunday and vowed to rebuild his $22 billion empire from scratch.
His tweet, which read, “Broke. Not broken. We will rise again” has gone viral on the microblogging app, gaining more than 600K views and 8K likes.

Netizens React

Reacting to the post, one X user asked if this was a fake profile. Another commentator lauded him for his journey from being a simple teacher to a business tycoon but maintained that he failed to honour the trust he received from parents all across the country. Across India, parents and students entrusted you with their hard-earned money. Your sales teams burned the midnight oil to make your dream their mission. Your CXOs stood by your vision.But today, that trust stands fractured...” wrote the user.

He then went on to add that while redemption is not impossible, he should focus on being righteous this time around.
Once boasting an extraordinary valuation of $22 billion in 2022, the company has since suffered a sharp decline due to severe financial troubles, regulatory challenges, and legal conflicts with investors. Raveendran has largely remained outside India since late 2023, well before Byju’s began crumbling under the pressure of investor disputes, escalating debt, and a worsening financial crisis.

Reflecting on the company’s influence in shaping young careers,