The executive education arm of Eruditus, focused on shorter, more affordable programs than its parent. Emeritus offers over 700 programs from universities like MIT, Columbia, Wharton, and Cambridge for $2,000 to $15,000, and says it has taught 500,000 learners. While Eruditus handles the high-end degrees, Emeritus serves working professionals who want a prestigious certificate without committing to a full master's. Same parent company, different price point. Together they cover the entire executive education market.
Founded
2015
HQ
Singapore
Total Raised
$40 million own round, $741M+ at parent Eruditus
Founder
Ashwin Damera, Chaitanya Kalipatnapu
Status
Private (part of Eruditus, valued at about $3.1B)
Verified Sep 2026
Website
emeritus.orgTHE ORIGIN STORY
Emeritus was created alongside Eruditus by the same founders — Ashwin Damera and Chaitanya Kalipatnapu. While Eruditus focused on longer, more expensive degree programs, Emeritus was designed for shorter executive education certificates.
The idea: many professionals don't need a full degree, they need specific skills from a top university. A 6-week online program from MIT in data science or a 10-week Wharton leadership certificate fills that gap at a fraction of the cost of an MBA.
WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO
Revenue share with university partners. Emeritus handles marketing, enrollment, technology, and student support.
Universities provide the brand, curriculum, and faculty. Revenue is split between Emeritus and the partner university.
Programs are typically $2,000-$15,000 — more accessible than full degree programs.
THE PRODUCTS
Executive Certificates — 6-16 week programs from top universities. Professional Certificates — career-focused programs in data science, AI, digital marketing, leadership.
Custom Programs — corporate training designed with university partners.
HOW THEY GREW
University brand aggregation. By signing up more than 80 top universities, Emeritus created a one-stop shop for executive education.
A professional looking for a data science credential can choose between MIT, Columbia, or IIT, all through one platform. The breadth of university partnerships is the moat.
THE HARD PART
Same as Eruditus — the risk of universities going direct, competition from Coursera and LinkedIn Learning, and the challenge of proving ROI for $5,000-$15,000 certificates. The shorter format also means lower lifetime value per student compared to full degrees.
MONEY TRAIL
Series C
2019 · Led by Sequoia Capital India
$40M raised
WHO BACKED THEM
Emeritus raised its own $40 million Series C in January 2019, led by Sequoia Capital India with existing backer Bertelsmann India Investments taking part. Everything since has been raised at the parent level.
Eruditus has now pulled in more than $741 million in equity, including a $650 million round led by Accel and SoftBank Vision Fund 2 in 2021 and a $150 million Series F led by TPG's The Rise Fund in October 2024, at a valuation of roughly $3.1 billion.
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