An exclusive interview with Mr. Amit Bhatnagar, the Founder of AulaCube Technologies
By D.Raghavendra for ET Tech X, April 27, 2024
In the world of education technology, AulaCube Technologies, led by Amit Bhatnagar, is making waves. As the Founder & CEO of AulaCube, Amit Bhatnagar is dedicated to empowering educational institutions through the company’s innovative School Management System. AulaCube stands out from competitors by integrating the power of Artificial Intelligence and featuring a refreshingly clean, intuitive design. Amit is actively working towards a future where AulaCube delivers data-driven insights to enhance school operations and helps students discover career pathways aligned with their strengths and interests.
Amit holds an MS in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University, an MBA from Emory University, Atlanta, and a B.Tech. in Computer Science & Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Allahabad. His extensive career includes roles at global tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe, as well as strategic and leadership positions at prominent Indian startups including Nykaa, Dineout, and OYO. Amit’s diverse background—from engineering to entrepreneurship—has shaped his innovative approach.
As an education and tech advocate, Amit offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: stay passionate, think long-term, and get hands-on. In this exclusive interview with ET Tech X, Amit sheds light on AulaCube’s ethos and their mission to transform education.
Can you tell us more about your journey as an entrepreneur, and how your diverse background has shaped your approach to innovation?
My entrepreneurial journey at AulaCube has been profoundly shaped by the diverse professional experiences I’ve gained across various industries and geographies. This broad exposure has instilled in me several key insights that have been fundamental in shaping our approach at AulaCube.
Firstly, I’ve learned that the strength of a product is intrinsically tied to the calibre of the team behind it. Recognizing this, we’ve meticulously built a very strong team at AulaCube. AulaCube employees (or AulaNauts as we call them) are distinguished alumni from top educational institutions like IITs, NITs, NSUT, TISS and SRCC and have honed their skills at global tech giants and Indian startups, including Atlassian, Samsung, Flipkart, PharmEasy, Lead School, and Teachmint. With such diverse experiences and a shared mission of reshaping education, they bring a wealth of knowledge and innovative thinking to our work every day.
Secondly, the importance of direct engagement with customers was a critical insight from my past roles. Too many products and companies fail because the product managers or founders assume they know the customer’s problems.
Before writing a single line of code at AulaCube, I personally spent two months visiting various cities, meeting with school management, teachers, and parents to deeply understand their challenges and needs. This groundwork ensured that we were not just coding software but were crafting solutions that address real, articulated problems.
Lastly, the adage “culture eats strategy for breakfast” resonates deeply with me. At AulaCube, we’ve fostered a culture of respect, transparency, mission-centricity, and empowerment. This culture acts as our backbone, supporting every strategic decision and innovation. It ensures that everyone on the team is aligned and motivated, not just by personal or professional goals, but by a shared vision of making a significant, positive impact on education.
This combination of a strong, committed team, firsthand customer insights, and a robust, values-driven culture has been essential in navigating the complex landscape of educational technology and in positioning AulaCube as a leader in creating innovative, impactful solutions.
As an alumnus of Stanford University, how has your education influenced your entrepreneurial journey and your approach to problem-solving and innovation?
My education at Stanford University, particularly my Master’s degree in Management Science and Engineering (MS&E), profoundly influenced my entrepreneurial journey and approach to problem-solving and innovation. At Stanford, I focused on courses related to entrepreneurship and data science, which equipped me with the practical skills needed to navigate the complex challenges of starting and scaling a technology-driven business.
The entrepreneurship courses were instrumental in shaping my understanding of how to effectively build and manage a startup. They provided insights into the entrepreneurial ecosystem, emphasized customer-first thinking, detailed the nuances of building a resilient business model, and highlighted the importance of cultivating a strong organizational culture. This knowledge has been crucial in guiding AulaCube’s strategic direction and fostering a culture of innovation within the company.
Courses in Statistics and Data Science emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making, central to AulaCube’s mission. Although we are early in our journey, we aim to use these insights to significantly enhance operational efficiencies in schools and to guide educational and career pathways for students.
My time at Stanford was about more than acquiring knowledge; it was about learning to apply that knowledge in ways that are innovative, scalable, and directly impactful to the educational sector. This approach defines our mission at AulaCube, where we are committed to using technology to significantly improve educational outcomes for students.
What inspired you to found AulaCube, and how does it reflect your personal mission and values regarding education and technology?
The founding of AulaCube was deeply inspired by my personal journey and the transformative power of education. Growing up in a lower middle-class family in a tier 3 city in India, I experienced the challenges and rewards of pursuing education under financial constraints. My parents placed a high value on our education, believing it to be the key to a better future. This commitment led to opportunities that transformed my life, instilling in me a profound desire to give back to the educational community.
Since completing my engineering degree in 2005, I have actively supported educational causes. In 2020, as schools transitioned online, I observed how underprivileged children were disconnected from learning. This led me to pool resources with friends to provide tablets to those in need. Around the same time, I also considered launching a non-profit called VidyaShakti, aimed at assisting engineering aspirants who cannot afford coaching for entrance exams. However, I soon realized that the impact of these efforts, while meaningful, was limited without scalable solutions.
As a technology professional, I recognized the immense potential to extend our impact through technological innovation. AulaCube is the realization of this potential—it’s more than a business venture; it’s a mission to use my expertise to create significant, positive changes in the educational landscape.
AulaCube reflects my personal values of resilience, empowerment, and community upliftment. By integrating innovative technology with educational processes, we aim to ensure that even schools in less privileged areas have the tools and resources needed to enhance educational outcomes and provide students with life-changing opportunities, much like those afforded to me.
AulaCube is an interesting name. What does this mean?
The name “AulaCube” is deeply meaningful and reflective of our mission. “Aula” is a term derived from Latin, meaning “hall” or “classroom,” which represents the educational spaces we are dedicated to transforming. The “Cube” component symbolizes the three key dimensions we integrate: Parents, Schools, and Technology. These elements are pivotal in our mission to revolutionize the classroom experience, leading to enhanced student outcomes.
Thus, AulaCube signifies a comprehensive, multi-dimensional platform designed to seamlessly integrate these crucial elements. This integration allows schools to operate more efficiently, fosters deeper and more meaningful engagement between parents and schools, and leverages cutting-edge technology to improve educational outcomes for students.
AulaCube, your venture, is aimed at transforming the educational landscape. Can you elaborate on what you are building at AulaCube and how it addresses the needs of today’s schools?
At AulaCube, we have built an advanced school management system that transcends traditional ERP solutions by incorporating the power of AI and providing an intuitive user experience that significantly enhances school management efficiency. While we offer all the functionalities expected from an ERP system such as fee, attendance, and transport management, our platform stands out due to its ease of use.
A key strength of our product is its ability to engage parents effectively. Our system includes a Facebook-like social feed that keeps parents informed about important school updates such as homework assignments, exam schedules, and fee reminders. This innovative approach not only streamlines communication but also fosters a more connected and informed school community.
Beyond these core functionalities, AulaCube is integrating advanced AI features to further empower educators and students. Our AI-powered writing assistant for teachers aids in crafting clear and professional communications, whether drafting announcements or composing homework posts.
Additionally, we have developed Aula Genie, an AI chatbot tailored for students. Aula Genie personalizes responses to students’ questions based on their class and age, providing a safe and reliable source of information that is always age-appropriate.
Through these innovative features, AulaCube aims to transform traditional school management by making it more efficient, communicative, and supportive of educational goals. As we continue to refine our system, we are guided by feedback from our partner schools to ensure that our solutions meet their evolving needs. Our goal is to make AulaCube an integral tool for schools, equipping them with the resources they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
We’ve heard that AulaCube has recently been accepted into StartX. Could you tell us more about what StartX is, and what does being selected into this program mean for AulaCube?
Absolutely, we are thrilled to have been accepted into StartX. It’s a Stanford-affiliated non-profit organization and one of the most prestigious startup accelerators globally. The fact that StartX is exclusively accessible to Stanford alumni, students, or professors speaks volumes about its selectivity and the calibre of the network it offers. Even from this competitive pool of Stanford-affiliated applicants, only around 10% of applicants make it into each cohort
For AulaCube, being selected for StartX is a significant vote of confidence in our vision and the solution we are building. It’s an acknowledgment of the potential impact of our work and aligns perfectly with our mission to revolutionize the educational landscape through our platform. This opportunity will open doors to amazing mentorship from industry leaders, who will provide guidance and support as we scale our operations and refine our product. The summer cohort, which starts in June in California, will be a pivotal step for us to connect with other innovators, educators, and technologists. It’s a chance to share knowledge, learn from the success of others, and further validate our work within an ecosystem known for fostering cutting-edge innovations in education technology.
How do you envision technology shaping the future of education, and what role do you see AulaCube playing in this transformation?
Technology is set to continue its transformative impact on education by enhancing interactive learning, expanding access to quality education, and enabling data-driven decision-making to optimize both teaching methods and school management. As we look towards the future, I envision technology not only facilitating administrative efficiency but also deeply personalizing the educational experience.
At AulaCube, we are actively developing our AI-powered school management system to lead this transformation. Currently, our system streamlines administrative tasks and improves communication between educators and families, which significantly enhances operational efficiency and allows teachers to focus more on educational rather than administrative tasks.
Looking ahead, we plan to integrate advanced features into AulaCube that will allow for in-depth analysis of each student’s unique learning style. For instance, we aim to develop capabilities for our system to identify whether a student learns best through visual aids, interactive activities, or traditional lectures, and provide this data back to the schools. This will enable educators to tailor their instructional methods to better suit each student’s needs, enhancing learning outcomes.
Moreover, we are working towards leveraging AulaCube to uncover and nurture students’ specific passions and interests, facilitating personalized educational pathways. For example, if our system identifies a student’s keen interest in environmental science, it could suggest specialized courses and extracurricular activities, as well as inform potential career paths in that field. This capability will not only support students in pursuing their passions but also assist schools in creating more focused and engaging educational programs.
As these features are developed and implemented, AulaCube will continue to innovate and adapt, ensuring that our solutions remain at the cutting edge of educational technology and that we play a pivotal role in the ongoing advancement of educational practices.
Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and product leaders who are looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective industries?
Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is undeniably challenging, and while I am still navigating my path, I’ve gathered some insights that might help aspiring entrepreneurs and product leaders.
Firstly, entrepreneurship should be driven by passion rather than the allure of current trends. This journey is filled with ups and downs, and it’s your passion for the mission that will sustain you through the challenges. Before jumping on the latest startup bandwagon, make sure your venture is something that deeply resonates with you and addresses a genuine need.
Secondly, when faced with the decision of whether to start your own venture, I recommend using Jeff Bezos’s regret minimization framework.
This decision-making process pushes you to project yourself into the future and compare two types of regret: the regret of trying and possibly failing, and the regret of not trying at all and always wondering “what if.” It’s a powerful exercise that helped me take the leap into founding AulaCube, by focusing on the long-term perspective rather than short-term fears.
Lastly, while theoretical knowledge acquired through books, courses, and videos is valuable, there is no substitute for real-world experience. Entrepreneurship is a unique teacher. If you have identified your passion and are leaning towards starting up after applying the regret-minimization framework, the next best step is to simply start. The practical challenges and uncertainties of running a startup are profound learning experiences that will sharpen your skills like no other method can.
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