Exclusive: Ex-ShareChat CXO Shashank Shekhar’s new startup to raise $4 Mn led by Peak XV

Shashank Shekhar, a former head of content strategy and operations at ShareChat, is raising $4 million for his new startup focused on AI-led learning, according to two sources familiar with the development.

“Peak XV Partners is leading the round with participation from a few early-stage institutional and angel investors,” said one of the sources requesting anonymity. “Shekhar has been quietly building this for the last few months and has early prototypes in place.”

According to sources, the startup is currently in stealth and is expected to go live later this year. While details remain limited, its model draws similarities to Seekho, a career-focused learning platform. Entrackr recently reported that Seekho is in talks to raise $25-30 million.

Shekhar was Head of Content at ShareChat between December 2016 and May 2018. He then co-founded the hyperlocal information platform Circle Internet, which was acquired by ShareChat in August 2020. Following the acquisition, he served as Head of Content Strategy and Operations at the Google-backed company until his resignation in March this year.

“The round is expected to close in the coming weeks. The startup is likely to use the capital to expand its AI and product team, continue development and prepare for an initial rollout,” said another source.

The startup’s name could not be confirmed.

Queries sent to Shekhar and Peak XV did not elicit a response until the time of publication.

While Shekhar’s startup will be the first direct rival to Seekho, platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram offer indirect competition through creator-led educational content aimed at the same audience.