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Peeyush Ranjan, former CTO of Walmart-owned Flipkart and ex-executive at Google and Airbnb, has stepped into the edtech arena with a fresh take on AI-driven learning. On January 23, Ranjan alongside Mukesh Bansal, co-founder of Myntra, unveiled Fermi.ai—an AI-first edtech platform designed specifically for high-school STEM education.
The Singapore-headquartered startup operates through subsidiaries in India and the United States, emerging from the Meraki Labs ecosystem. What sets Fermi.ai apart in a crowded edtech market is its deliberate approach: the platform refuses to hand out answers. Instead, it guides students through problems, prioritizing understanding over quick fixes.
The Problem Fermi.ai Aims to Solve
Ranjan’s observation is sharp and timely. When schools close for summer holidays, traffic on ChatGPT drops noticeably. Students aren’t using AI to learn—they’re using it to shortcut homework. “Students are getting answers faster than ever but their understanding is getting weaker,” Ranjan explained. The ex-Flipkart CTO believes this trend weakens cognitive development, as students bypass the mental work required for genuine learning.
Fermi.ai addresses this by reintroducing what educators call “productive struggle”—the necessary friction that forces students to think critically. The AI-powered edtech startup doesn’t solve equations for students; it acts as a patient tutor, nudging them toward solutions through questioning and stepwise guidance.
How Fermi.ai’s AI Tutor Works
Unlike typical AI tools that surface solutions instantly, Fermi.ai’s platform withholds final answers. The system uses a stylus-first, canvas-based interface where students can write equations, sketch diagrams, and work through problems as they would on paper. This handwriting-first approach eliminates the friction of typing complex mathematical expressions or chemical formulas.
The platform covers mathematics, physics, and chemistry, built around four core components:
- An adaptive real-time AI tutor that provides hints without revealing answers
- A handwriting-first canvas supporting natural problem-solving workflows
- A curriculum-linked concept graph with exam-aligned question banks (AP, IB, JEE)
- Diagnostic tools showing exactly where student reasoning breaks down
Bansal emphasized that the platform surfaces gaps in thinking rather than masking them. “AI can solve any equation but it can’t yet explain why a student’s logic failed at step three,” he said. Fermi.ai gives teachers visibility into struggles that typically remain hidden in traditional classrooms.
Technology Behind the Edtech Startup
Peeyush Ranjan’s Fermi.ai doesn’t rely on a single AI model. The edtech startup uses multiple large language models, including OpenAI’s GPT and Google’s Gemini, benchmarking each for specific tasks. This multi-model approach allows the platform to remain flexible as AI technology evolves.
The tech team includes veterans from Google, Walmart, Vedantu, and Cuemath—combining deep technological expertise with education domain knowledge. Ranjan confirmed that the company doesn’t train AI models on school-owned data, ensuring institutional content remains private.
Pilot Results Show Promise
Before its public launch, Fermi.ai ran a three-month pilot with 79 students, conducting over 15,000 concept tests. The results were encouraging. Students who initially scored two out of ten or lower improved by an average of 4.68 points by their final attempts. Overall mastery scores rose by 2.6 points between early and later practice sessions.
Students who completed 100 or more practice attempts showed a 21% drop in their reliance on hints, suggesting the platform successfully builds independence over time. These metrics matter in an industry where learning outcomes often get lost amid engagement metrics.
Market Strategy and Expansion Plans
Fermi.ai is currently targeting two massive markets: India’s $8 billion after-school edtech sector and the United States’ $5 billion market. The AI-driven education platform is running pilots in Bengaluru, northern India, and Silicon Valley, with expansion discussions underway for additional regions.
The platform positions itself as a supplemental learning tool—working as a teacher’s assistant in classrooms and as a standalone tutor for home study. It runs on any device with a Chrome browser and stylus support, including Chromebooks, iPads, and Android tablets, eliminating the need for dedicated hardware investments.
Ranjan emphasized a measured rollout approach. “We want to be sure we’re landing with a great product before we start scaling hard,” he said. The edtech startup remains in a pilot and product-discovery phase, with the platform currently free for users globally.
Funding and Business Model
Fermi.ai is fully funded by Meraki Labs and hasn’t raised external capital. Ranjan, the former Flipkart executive, confirmed the company isn’t actively fundraising and will consider a dedicated funding round only after finalizing product capabilities and pricing strategy.
While monetization details remain under discussion, the likely model involves per-student, per-seat pricing, with teachers accessing the platform at no cost. The company plans to introduce flexible pricing options, including subscription packages and top-up credits for specific problem sets.
The Flipkart Mafia Expands
This launch adds another chapter to the growing influence of the “Flipkart mafia“—former Flipkart founders and senior executives building startups across sectors. Peeyush Ranjan and Mukesh Bansal bring deep operational experience from scaling India’s largest ecommerce platform to the challenge of reimagining education with AI.
Their entry comes as the edtech sector recalibrates after a boom-and-bust funding cycle. While many edtech companies chased aggressive growth, Fermi.ai’s founders are taking a different path—focusing on product refinement and validated learning outcomes before pursuing scale.
Future Roadmap
While currently focused on high-school STEM subjects, the platform’s architecture allows for rapid expansion. Ranjan noted it took just two weeks to add chemistry after launching with math and physics. Future plans include expanding into college-level courses and professional re-skilling programs.
Despite competition from giants like Google and OpenAI in AI-led education, Fermi.ai believes its specialized, reasoning-based approach creates a defensible position. “We will make learning hard things easier,” Ranjan said, referencing potential expansion into advanced subjects like quantum physics and deformable mechanics.
Ready to experience AI-powered learning that actually teaches? Visit Fermi.ai to explore how this innovative platform is reshaping STEM education for students worldwide. Follow their journey as they scale from pilot programs to classrooms across India and the United States.
For more insights on India’s fastest-growing startups and funding announcements, visit KnowStartup for comprehensive coverage of the startup ecosystem.
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