Physics Wallah Success Story: How a YouTube Teacher Built a Unicorn

The tale of Physics Wallah (PW) is one of the best examples in India where love for a subject merged with passion for teaching and entrepreneurial spirit and changed the way people looked at education and business. Alakh Pandey is a teacher in Allahabad with a small YouTube channel. Now he has one of the most successful EdTech ventures in India. Everyone is talking about the Physics Wallah IPO.

In this blog, for the first time, the rest of the world got to see the amazing journey of Pandey as well as the billion-dollar business he built with online teaching. We will also analyse the opportunities that Investors and India as a country will get from the Physics Wallah IPO.

The Beginning of the Physics Wallah Journey

In 2014, Physics Wallah (PW) founder Alakh Pandey started to teach Physics and Chemistry on YouTube. The goal was to provide education and make teaching as a profession even more affordable.

He started to make videos that explained various topics one at a time and broke down complex topics to make them as part of the syllabus. It was a boon for students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities who often find few teachers explaining the topics. The content was free, practical and energetic. India was in dire need of teaching along with motivation for hundreds of thousands of students worldwide.

As of 2018, Physics Wallah had garnered India’s most prestigious online educational institute by gaining millions of subscribers. Physics Wallah's success story began when Alakh’s efforts started dismantling the monopolies of coaching institutes like Allen and Aakash.

The Making of a Multi-Million Dollar Company

In 2020, Alakh Pandey and co-founder Prateek Maheshwari started Physics Wallah Pvt. Ltd. and launched the PW App to facilitate tailored online courses for JEE, NEET, and other competitive exams.

The company’s rapid growth can be attributed to pricing policies. The company offered whole-year courses for only ₹4,000, in contrast to other educational institutes charging ₹1.5 lakh.

In 2022, Physics Wallah gained a `unicorn` status following a $100 million fundraise from Westbridge and GSV Ventures, thus valuing the company at $1.1 billion.

PW has 15 million+ enrolled students in India, offering 60+ online and 45 offline courses.

Physics Wallah IPO 

Physics Wallah IPO was open from Nov 11 to 13 Nov 2025. For detailed analysis of this IPO read our comprehensive blog on Physics Wallah IPO.

Why Physics Wallah Succeeded When Others Struggled

The PW success story is built on trust. With initiatives for:-

1. Affordability for Everyone: PW kept their educational initiatives extremely low-cost. They democratized education for millions across India.

2. Strong Teacher-Student Connection: Alakh built a loyal following due to high-energy, humour, & emotionally engaging instruction.

3. Hybrid Model: PW expanded its digital footprint into a physical PW Pathshala. This offered more access for students in tier 2 and tier 3 markets.

4. Focus on Quality: Shifted the narrative around educational initiatives. Given no-rating and low-quality grading from education platforms, PW attracted focus and kept predominantly uncelebrated educators front and centre.

5. Profits First Strategy: Unlike loss-heavy EdTechs, PW scaled smartly to profitability. Because of this combination of factors, PW became one of the most loved brands in India.

Physics Wallah Net Worth and Growth

In 2025, Physics Wallah Net Worth (Company Valuation) is about $1.1 billion. But, after the IPO, the value could go over $2 billion depending on the Physics Wallah Net Worth.

Co-founder Alakh Pandey’s personal net worth is estimated to be more than 500-600 crores, mainly from his share of the PW ownership. Alakh Pandey started out as a classroom teacher earning 5,000 a month. Alakh Pandey coming at the top of this op with his unicorns is the modern Indian Dream.

Physics Walla Story Of Success

1. Stay Purpose Driven: Solve the problem instead of going after the funding.

2. Build a Fan Club: PW converted a legion of their students to be their most active promoters.

3. Value over Vanity: Purpose and profit are mutually inclusive.

4. Stay Flexible: PW's speed of sprouting is a perfect pivot to quick expansion in theatre education.

Final Thoughts

Physics Wallah founder Alakh Pandey's journey truly showcases hard work and creativity. He started from nothing and now has so much. His story shows that the best way to be successful is to uplift your peers.

Physics Wallah's IPO will change the story of EdTech in India. No longer will people look at the industry as one that has a lot of burning cash. To many students, PW is just a brand. To us, it has built a movement that democratizes education.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is NOT any buy or sell recommendation. No investment or trading advice is given. The content is purely for educational and information purposes only. Always consult your eligible financial advisor for investment-related decisions.