Pune-based entrepreneur Yash Gulati runs a London-based startup called Inforens, which connects prospective students with current students at top universities around the world so that the former can get their questions answered by a local, real-time peer. Since tensions between India and Canada have escalated, however, Gulati has faced a new kind of challenge from his clients.
“A lot of Indian students are feeling insecure and worried about the political tensions between the country and Canada. We have started getting a lot of questions from students on our platform… The mention of threats against diplomats and sections of the Indian community in Canada may raise security concerns for Indian students. They may need to be vigilant and take precautions while living in Canada,” says Gulati, who is used to fielding queries from students on choosing the right foreign college or university to apply to, scholarships and bursaries, visas and cultural adjustments.
In February 2023, the Ministry of Education announced that 7,70,000 students from India went abroad to study in 2022, the highest number in six years.
Gulati and Devika Ghosal, the ex-founder of the startup, started the organisation in 2020 with a few other contemporaries to reach out to aspiring students, but in an innovative way. According to Inforens, it has enabled nearly 6,000 students to fulfil their aspirations of studying abroad since its inception. The startup has also helped more than 300 students get into Canadian institutions for the January intake.
“The inspiration to start Inforens began with my personal journey of applying to top international universities. There were many challenges. The universities that the consultants suggested during the planning stage were universities that they had partnered with, so I didn’t know which ones were ranked universities and which ones were just promoted because the agents made more commission. When I arrived in the UK, I discussed my experiences with colleagues who were already studying here and who had experienced similar difficulties. The idea of helping international students was born, which helped me realise my vision for Inforens,” says Gulati. The startup was born as a university project before being registered as a UK company.
One of the surprising myths that Inforens aims to dispel for prospective students is that studying abroad is for the wealthy. Gulati says that with the right guidance, talented students can apply for scholarships and make their dreams come true.
Students supported by the Inforens community have received scholarships in excess of £10,000. “We believe that connecting students with others who have already received scholarships increases the chances of receiving a scholarship by 50 times. Also, a lot of guidance on how to apply for scholarships and the scholarship application process is not available through education agents, which makes it more difficult for students,” he says.
Inforens has won awards such as the Grow It Awards funding, through Santander Universities, from Queen Mary University of London, the AI Machine Learning Academy, supported by University College London, and the Funding Readiness Programme with Barclays Eagle Labs and Capital Enterprise.
The company has expanded and established a presence in India and the UAE. “We have undertaken various initiatives to drive revenue growth and optimise our operations. Our focus is to achieve a healthy and sustainable revenue trajectory, keeping in mind the opportunities and challenges in our industry,” says Gulati.
