Backed by early investor Kalaari Capital, edtech platform AlmaBetter has partnered with NASSCOM to upskill and certify 2 lakh professionals in AI and emerging technologies by FY2030. The announcement comes alongside a fresh round of strategic funding of INR 2 Crores, secured by AlmaBetter from a HNI educationist. The fund will be deployed towards upskilling and nationwide access.
According to the NASSCOM AI Talent Demand–Supply Report, the gap in AI and Big Data Analytics is significant, with demand for digital talent nearly 8x the available fresh talent pool. 82% of Indian employers report difficulty in finding skilled talent (Source: ManPowerGroup Global Talent shortage survey), which further highlights the urgent need for industry-aligned training. To bridge this employability gap, the collaboration will help integrate AlmaBetter’s specialised programmes into NASSCOM’s national skilling ecosystem, including the government-backed FutureSkills Prime platform. Learners and working professionals will receive NASSCOM-aligned and AlmaBetter joint certification mapped to National Occupational Standards (NOS), along with access to real world industry projects, mentorship and structured career pathways designed to prepare them for emerging technology roles.
The partnership was formalised following the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where policymakers, and industry stakeholders highlighted the need to build a future-ready AI talent pipeline. Ravi Kumar Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of AlmaBetter, said, “India’s AI ambitions depend on building talent that can apply technology in real-world environments. Through our collaboration with NASSCOM, we are combining industry-validated credentials, hands-on learning, and placement pathways to create job-ready AI professionals. Backed by fresh strategic funding, we are focused on accelerating product innovation, expanding access, and scaling industry-ready AI talent across India. ”
Through the initiative, AlmaBetter will deliver experiential project-based learning programmes across high-growth domains including Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Cloud Computing, Quantum Computing and Data Analytics. The curriculum as certified by NASSCOM is designed in collaboration with industry practitioners, enabling learners to build expertise in real-world deployment scenarios that translate academic learning into practical capability.
The initiative will also expand access to emerging technology careers for women professionals, first-generation technology aspirants and career transition candidates, including learners from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. By building a verified talent pool with NASSCOM-recognised credentials, the collaboration aims to help enterprises hire professionals equipped to support AI-led transformation across sectors.
Over the last five years, AlmaBetter has upskilled thousands of learners through an industry-led employability framework. The model combines competency-based learning, applied capstone projects, and a dedicated career and placement ecosystem.
The company is supported by a network of 200+ industry mentors and hiring collaborations across 5,000+ companies, helping bridge the industry-academia gap at scale. AlmaBetter has previously been backed by noted investors and tech entrepreneurs.
