EdTech in Kerala: Ramees Ali on Interval's personalized learning platform

About this episode

In this episode, host Shan A Salam sits down with Ramees Ali, the co-founder and CEO of Interval, an edtech startup founded in Areekode, Kerala. Ali shares his journey from law school to launching a personalised one-on-one learning platform that serves learners worldwide. He explains how Interval pivoted from offline remedial coaching into an online platform catering to school curricula, homeschooling families, and early childhood learners across the GCC and Western markets. The discussion delves into the mechanics of building a high-touch educational venture, managing a team of five co-founders without destructive conflicts, and maintaining a heavily female workforce. Ali also recounts the challenges of fundraising in a sceptical post-boom edtech landscape, reaching operational profitability in 2024, and expanding into early childhood brain toys. Finally, he outlines his perspective on artificial intelligence in education, arguing that human connection remains vital while technology should empower teachers behind the scenes.

Key takeaways

1. 1Personalised one-on-one sessions address foundational academic gaps that standard mass classrooms and recorded lectures often overlook.
2. 2Founders with distinct domain ownership can minimise equity friction by periodically reviewing and realigning shares based on actual execution and commitment.
3. 3Word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied parents often provide a more sustainable, low-CAC acquisition channel than heavy digital ad spending in early-stage edtech.
4. 4Integrating AI into internal teacher workflows improves pedagogy and student assessment without diluting the essential human empathy required in teaching.
5. 5Expanding into global diaspora communities allows regional edtech startups to tap into higher purchasing power before expanding to local native markets.
6. 6Fundraising pitches should be treated as rigorous feedback loops where investor objections are converted into operational improvements.

Chapters

1. 0:00Highlights
2. 3:04Introduction
3. 4:18What Interval Is Doing
4. 5:09The Homeschooling Culture
5. 8:42Ramees' Background
6. 13:31The 14 - 19 Hour Study Culture
7. 16:40The Education System in Barcelona
8. 19:02Entrance Exams
9. 21:30Choosing LLB
10. 26:04Life at Law College
11. 27:43Becoming a Tuition Teacher
12. 28:34Management Fest Participation
13. 30:37The Tuition Market as a Business Idea
14. 31:36The Five Cofounders
15. 32:51Early Stage of Interval
16. 36:06Building the 'Interval' Brand
17. 41:31Finland Exposure
18. 45:20Leadership and Travel
19. 47:47Female Workforce
20. 49:08Fundraising Journey
21. 54:20Student Demographics and Split
22. 55:38How to Crack the GCC Market
23. 1:01:57Investment Landscape
24. 1:02:27The Viral LinkedIn Post
25. 1:04:35AI Anxiety
26. 1:08:00Schools vs. EdTech
27. 1:10:02Collaboration Between EdTech and Private Schools
28. 1:11:03Share Splitting Among Cofounders
29. 1:17:09ESOP
30. 1:18:24D2C Space
31. 1:20:25EdTech Game in Kerala, India
32. 1:23:30Interval Becomes Profitable
33. 1:24:41What we figured out