Lighthouse Learning said to be acquiring two schools in Hyderabad, Bengaluru

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Mumbai: Lighthouse Learning is in the process of acquiring Hyderabad-based Meru International School and Bengaluru-based Millennium World School for a total consideration of about ₹600 crore, three people familiar with the matter said, adding to its portfolio of educational institutions.

“The Hyderabad chain is being acquired for about ₹450-500 crore while the Bengaluru-based chain is being bought for about ₹100 crore,” one person said.

Backed by investors such as KKR and PSP Investments, this is part of Lighthouse’s efforts to consolidate and scale up its educational platform, the people added.

Meru International, founded by Meghana Gorukanti Jupally, is an educational venture of the Hyderabad-based My Home Group, which has a diversified portfolio spanning cement and power. A person familiar with the matter indicated that the school has a revenue of about ₹110 crore with a profit of ₹50 crore.

Millennium World School has already been acquired by EuroSchool, which Lighthouse Learning operates, according to its official website. Lighthouse declined to comment. Emails sent to Meru International and Millennium did not elicit a response by the time of publishing.

There is rising interest in school chains as a resilient asset class, with investors betting that brick-and-mortar K-12 education offers predictable cash flows, long-term demand and limited disruption from artificial intelligence.

Earlier this month, The Times of India reported that Pathways School in Gurugram was being acquired by Lighthouse Learning Group for about ₹1,500 crore. Mint reported that several private equity firms are in talks to buy stakes in K-12 assets, which is expected to translate into several transactions this year.

About two weeks ago, European private equity firm Vitruvian Partners closed a $100 million capital infusion in K12 Techno Services, which runs the Orchids The International School chain, while Blackstone bought a majority stake in Jaipur-based Globetrotters Educational Innoventions, the parent of Jayshree Periwal International School, last November.

Mint also reported that Vibgyor Schools is looking to sell a 20-30% stake to raise primary capital and has appointed Avendus Capital as its banker. The transactions signal a reversal from the pandemic years when investors shifted capital into fast-growing edtech companies.

Set up in 1997, the Lighthouse group offers education in the pre-primary and K-12 segments across India. A few years ago, the group bought the Heritage group and operates through core brands: Eurokids, Kangaroo Kids and Mother’s Pet in the pre-school segment and EuroSchool, Billabong High, Centre Point, and Heritage in the K-12 segment. It now has over 1,850 preschools and 60 K-12 schools, serving more than 190,000 students across major metros.

Its schools are affiliated to diversified education boards including the Central Board of Secondary Education as well as the International Baccalaureate Organization and, along with quality content delivery and staff, they have enabled high enrolments.

Over the years, the company has diversified its geographical presence and is currently located in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Thane, Hyderabad, Surat, Pune and Gurugram, maintaining an established presence in the premium and semi-premium segments.

Last year, global private equity firm KKR made a fresh investment in the company, along with a new investor PSP Investments. While KKR retains a majority stake, the investment will fund the growth of Lighthouse’s K-12 and preschool network and strengthen teaching, technology and operational capabilities.

Lighthouse reported revenue of ₹802.51 crore in FY25 compared with ₹632.48 crore a year earlier. Its net profit fell to ₹8.12 crore from ₹186.01 crore in FY24, according to filings sourced by Tofler from the ministry of corporate affairs.

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