Success Story: From ₹100 a Day to a Multi-Crore Empire – How a Son Turned His Father’s Struggle into Success

M. Raja Shekar from Hyderabad, along with his friend K. Vamsi Prasad, co-founded the startup College Mentor—a platform designed to provide students with the right guidance at every stage of their education. Within a short span, the startup has achieved an annual revenue of ₹5 crore and employs over 250 people.

Overcoming Challenges to Guide Students
Choosing the right career has become one of the biggest challenges for today’s youth. In India, nearly 90% of students make career choices without proper guidance. To address this gap, M. Raja Shekar and K. Vamsi Prasad launched College Mentor in October 2024. Unlike conventional education portals that merely list colleges, College Mentor offers a comprehensive mentorship ecosystem for students from 8th grade through graduation.

Raja Shekar’s journey is particularly inspiring. Born into a family with limited means, his father earned just ₹100 a day to support the household. Raja originally aspired to be a cricketer, but financial constraints led him to focus on academics. During his engineering years, he noticed that most education portals in India functioned like “yellow pages,” offering limited practical benefit to students. This experience, coupled with years of consulting at various universities, motivated him to launch College Mentor.

A Unique Mentorship Model
The startup stands out for its 360-degree personalized mentorship model. Every student is assigned six dedicated mentors:

• Student Mentor – a senior student guide
• Career Mentor – industry expert guidance
• Health Mentor – support for mental well-being
• Admission Mentor – assistance with college applications
• Scholarship Mentor – helps secure financial aid
• Loan Mentor – guidance on education loans

This model ensures that students receive academic, financial, and emotional support simultaneously. Additionally, College Mentor has initiated social campaigns like ExamTHON to address rising stress and suicide among students.

₹5 Crore Revenue in the First Year
Despite offering free services initially, College Mentor achieved ₹5 crore in revenue in its first year. The startup earns by providing partner universities with qualified student admission leads. To build trust, the company launched the College Mentor Scholarship Test, which saw over 53,000 student registrations and distributed prizes worth ₹1 crore. This year, the scholarship fund has been increased to ₹5 crore, offering financial support to thousands of students.

Ambitious Goals Ahead
Currently operational in cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Tirupati through online and offline centers, the startup is now focusing on technology. Under the leadership of Raja Shekar and Vamsi Prasad, the company is developing an AI-based mentorship tool that will act as a digital coach for every student. The target is to reach ₹25 crore in revenue by the end of 2026. Raja Shekar believes that providing the right student with the right mentor is crucial for national progress.