Unstop, a community engagement and hiring platform for students and graduates, said it has raised $5 million from Japan-based human resources firm Mynavi, online education provider Coursera and others. The Delhi-based startup is Coursera’s first India-based investment. Unstop will use the capital to enhance its technology, marketing, product and sales functions.

Mynavi, which led the funding round, is one of Japan’s largest human resources firms. The round, its first, consisted of other investors including Venture Catalysts and 9Unicorns. Founded by Ankit Aggarwal, Unstop lets users learn, upskill, showcase their skills, gain curriculum vitae points, and get hired. The talent community comprises about 6 million students and early talent from over 20,000 colleges attracting about 2 million monthly active users, the company said.

Over 800 brands like Flipkart, Amazon, Reliance, TATA Sons, HUL, Reckitt, Accenture, EY, Infosys, and Wipro, as well as other top recruiters work to engage and hire from Unstop’s community, the statement added. “This funding is a significant milestone for Unstop as our investors form a unique blend, coming together from various parts of the world and different domains (EdTech + HRTech), and supporting us in our journey with their vote of confidence on our robust proposition,” Aggarwal said.

There are 40 million students currently enrolled in Indian education at an undergraduate or postgraduate level, the statement said. Over 5,000 companies are engaging with campuses across domains. “Mynavi is dedicated to addressing challenges in India, investing in start-ups for HR and education. Supporting Unstop can make our vision a reality, to work towards bridging skill gaps for freshers and professionals. We are excited to collaborate as a major HR provider in Japan and expand Unstop,” Hidekazu Ito, managing director at Mynavi Solution India, said.

Prior to founding UnStop in 2017, Aggarwal was director of operations at Crownit, a market research platform. "We are excited to partner with Unstop to advance our shared vision for skills-based hiring in India. Coursera is committed to empowering learners, and through this investment, we aim to expand opportunities for students, helping them unlock their true potential and access diverse career pathways,” Apurva Shah, VP of Corporate Strategy and Financial Planning at Coursera, said.