Tetr College of Business, an institution founded by entrepreneur Pratham Mittal, is reportedly in advanced discussions to secure $20 million in its inaugural external funding round. Sources close to the matter indicate that Mittal is engaging with prominent venture capital firms, including Owl Ventures and Bertelsmann India Investments, to finalize this significant investment. This development highlights a notable shift in investor focus towards the higher education sector, particularly as funding for K-12 and test preparation segments, which saw a boom in 2020 and 2021, has substantially diminished.

Founded in 2024, Tetr College positions itself uniquely as a "global business school" dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurial talent. Its innovative educational model emphasizes experiential learning, where students gain practical skills by actively building companies across seven international locations: the United States, Singapore, Argentina, Dubai, India, Europe, and Ghana. The college offers a comprehensive four-year undergraduate program that integrates immersive stints at renowned institutions such as Insead, IIT, and NUS, complemented by courses delivered by a distinguished faculty comprising industry leaders and academics from prestigious universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, and experts from organizations like Nasa, Estee Lauder, and American Express.

Pratham Mittal, a serial entrepreneur, has a track record of successful ventures, including Master's Union, established in 2020, Outgrow.co in 2016, and the political engagement platform Neta in 2011. He is the son of Ashok and Rashmi Mittal, who hold the positions of chancellor and pro-chancellor at Lovely Professional University (LPU), respectively. This background underscores a deep-rooted connection to the education landscape.

Further demonstrating its commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, Tetr College launched the $10 million "Tetr–Under 20" fund in 2024. This fund is specifically designed to support student entrepreneurs developing ventures across diverse sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, consumer goods, and healthcare. The fund is notably led by an impressive panel of experts, including former SoftBank India head Manoj Kohli and Harvard professors Viney Sawhney and Mihir Mankad. The college has recently welcomed its second cohort, comprising over 200 students representing 50 different countries, reflecting its global appeal and diverse student body.

The burgeoning interest in entrepreneurial education in India is a significant trend, aligning with Tetr's vision. According to the GUESSS India 2023 report, a substantial 32.5% of Indian college students are already involved in entrepreneurial activities, surpassing the global average of 25.7%. This indicates a strong inclination among young Indians towards startup creation and innovation.

Other leading Indian institutions are also actively scaling up their support for startups. For instance, IIT Bombay's Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) has announced plans to quadruple the number of startups it supports to 1,000 over the next decade. In January, IIT Bombay also launched a ₹100-crore venture capital fund specifically to invest in deep technology startups. Similarly, BITS Pilani has implemented supportive policies for startup growth, offering students a one-year break to pursue their ventures, providing course credit for startup-related work, and introducing a deferred placement policy, all aimed at encouraging and facilitating student entrepreneurship.