Lucknow’s Edubuk Secures $50 Million from Nimbus Capital to Scale Blockchain Credential Verification Globally
In a significant milestone for India’s deep-tech ecosystem, Lucknow-based blockchain startup Edubuk has secured a $50 million strategic investment commitment from Nimbus Capital, a global investment firm based in Panama . The funding, announced in late March 2026, represents one of the largest investments in a blockchain startup emerging from India’s non-metro regions and underscores the growing global appetite for solutions addressing credential fraud.
The startup, incubated at Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) in Lucknow, has already processed over 100,000 on-chain verifications, demonstrating strong early adoption of its blockchain-powered digital credential platform . With this capital infusion, Edubuk is poised to scale its operations across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, positioning India as a serious contender in the global blockchain verification space .
The Founders: From Global Finance to Blockchain for Good
Edubuk was founded by Apoorva Bajaj and Shivani Mehrotra, a team that combines deep financial markets experience with educational leadership .
Apoorva Bajaj (CFA, IIT Dhanbad; IIM Kozhikode Gold Medallist) brings a wealth of experience from global financial markets, having worked with Goldman Sachs, DE Shaw, and GlobalData . His background in high-stakes financial environments gives him a unique perspective on the importance of trust and verification in professional credentials.
Shivani Mehrotra (MBE from Lucknow University, UGC NET Qualified ex-Professor) is an education leader and Microsoft Innovative Educator, recognized as a Women in AI APAC finalist . Her deep understanding of the education sector and its credentialing challenges drives Edubuk’s mission.
The founding team also includes Dhanraj Dadhich as CTO, who has been instrumental in building the technical architecture behind Edubuk’s blockchain solutions .
The Problem: A $50 Billion Credential Fraud Crisis
Edubuk is tackling one of the world’s largest yet often overlooked problems: fake credentials and broken verification systems . According to the company, over 500 million profiles globally are impacted by credential fraud, representing a $50 billion+ problem .
Traditional verification processes are time-consuming, costly, and prone to error. For students applying to study abroad, transcript verification can take 3 to 4 weeks and cost upwards of $500 per application . For employers, verifying candidate credentials across borders and institutions remains a significant operational burden.
The Solution: TruCV, TruJobs, and Blockchain Trust Layer
At the core of Edubuk’s offering are two integrated platforms designed to create a transparent, skill-first global workforce .
TruCV: Blockchain-Powered, Tamper-Proof Credentials
TruCV is a blockchain-powered CV platform integrated with DigiLocker, India’s government-backed digital document wallet . When a credential is issued through TruCV, a unique file hash and timestamp are recorded on the blockchain, capturing critical information including:
- Who the certificate was issued to
- Who issued it
- What the certificate is about
- Unique file hash of the certificate
- Timestamp of the certificate
- The wallet address of the entity that recorded it
This creates an unalterable record that can be verified instantly by any employer or institution with access. Any attempt to alter or forge a credential will result in a failed verification .
TruJobs: AI-Driven Job Matching
Complementing TruCV is TruJobs, an AI-driven job matching platform for employers . By leveraging verified credential data from TruCV, TruJobs enables recruiters to instantly verify candidate claims and match them with relevant opportunities. The platform aims to reduce hiring friction and improve the quality of candidate-employer matches.
Together, these platforms create a trust infrastructure for the future of work—making verification 1000x faster and 1000x cheaper than traditional methods .
The Investor: Nimbus Capital
The $50 million investment comes from Nimbus Capital, a global investment firm based in Panama . The firm’s strategic backing will enable Edubuk to:
- Strengthen technological infrastructure
- Accelerate product development
- Expand into international markets
The investment also supports the upcoming launch of Edubuk’s $EBUK reward token, which will power the platform’s ecosystem .
Global Recognition and Traction
Edubuk has already garnered significant recognition on the global stage. The startup has been backed by awards from:
The company has also built partnerships with 20 universities and has secured over 40 global awards . Its collaboration with Concordium, a Layer 1 blockchain platform, has enabled the development of eSeal technology for recording certificates on-chain .
The AKTU Connection: A University Incubator Success Story
Edubook’s success is also a validation of AKTU’s efforts to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within the state. The startup was incubated at the Kalam Centre at AKTU, which provides support to technology-driven ventures .
AKTU Vice-Chancellor Prof. JP Pandey noted that the university is continuously undertaking initiatives to foster innovation and entrepreneurship . The funding milestone highlights how academic institutions can serve as launchpads for high-growth startups, particularly in deep-tech sectors.
Global Expansion Plans
With the fresh capital, Edubuk is set to broaden its operations beyond India, targeting key markets in:
The company’s global expansion aligns with the increasing demand for secure, cross-border credential verification as international education and remote hiring continue to grow.
What This Means for India’s Startup Ecosystem
Edubuk’s $50 million funding round sends several important signals for India’s startup ecosystem:
1. Deep-Tech Can Emerge from Non-Metro Hubs
The fact that a startup incubated at a technical university in Lucknow—far from the traditional startup hubs of Bengaluru, Delhi, or Mumbai—has attracted $50 million in global investment demonstrates that deep-tech innovation can thrive anywhere in India . This is a powerful validation of India’s decentralized innovation potential.
2. Blockchain Startups Are Maturing
Edubuk’s funding round is one of the largest for an Indian blockchain startup focused on real-world applications. The company is not building speculative tokens or decentralized finance products; it is solving a tangible problem with clear customer demand. This reflects the maturation of India’s blockchain ecosystem.
3. The “Trust Layer” Opportunity
The global market for credential verification is massive and growing. As educational institutions shift to online learning and cross-border hiring becomes the norm, the need for reliable, tamper-proof verification will only intensify . Edubuk is positioning itself at the center of this opportunity.
4. Public-Private Partnerships Matter
Edubuk’s integration with DigiLocker—a government-backed platform—demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in building trust infrastructure . Startups that can align with government initiatives while maintaining commercial viability have a distinct advantage.
The Road Ahead
With $50 million in backing from Nimbus Capital, Edubuk has the resources to scale its vision. The immediate priorities include:
- Enhancing technological infrastructure to support growing user demand
- Accelerating product development across the TruCV and TruJobs platforms
- Expanding partnerships with universities and employers across target markets
- Launching the $EBUK reward token to power the ecosystem
The company’s ambition is clear: to become the infrastructure for a transparent, skill-first global workforce .
The Final Word
Edubuk’s $50 million funding round is more than just a financial milestone. It is a declaration that India’s deep-tech ecosystem is maturing, that blockchain can solve real-world problems, and that world-class startups can emerge from any corner of the country.
By building a trust layer for credentials—one that integrates with DigiLocker, leverages blockchain’s immutability, and uses AI for intelligent matching—Edubuk is addressing a critical gap in the global hiring infrastructure. The $50 million vote of confidence from Nimbus Capital suggests that investors believe this gap can be closed.
For the thousands of students, job seekers, and employers navigating the complexities of credential verification, the promise is simple: faster, cheaper, and more trustworthy verification. If Edubuk delivers on that promise, it could become one of India’s most consequential deep-tech exports.
