As industries shift toward electric mobility, renewable energy, automation, and connected technologies, the gap between classroom learning and industry expectations continues to grow. Companies want talent that can work on real systems. Colleges want partners who can bring practical learning into their curriculum. Students want skills that convert into jobs.
SkyySkill Academy, founded by Himansu Sekhar Panda, is building its place in this landscape. Headquartered in Hyderabad, the company focuses on training that happens through real labs, equipment, and hands-on engineering work rather than theory-heavy online modules.
Where the Journey Began
Himansu grew up in a small town in Odisha. He often saw students complete engineering without getting real exposure to equipment, tools, or industry systems. The disconnect stayed with him through his own education and early career.
“The problem was never talent,” he says. “It was access. Students needed systems to work on, not just lectures to listen to.”
His early years working with colleges, companies, and students made the issue more visible. The idea was not to launch a training company, but to create an environment where learners could assemble, test, build, and understand real systems.
What started in 2018 as Skyy Rider Institutions set up in a small rented room eventually shaped itself into SkyySkill Academy. The company was formally incorporated under Telangana ROC in 2023.
A Model Built Around Real Systems
The company’s core belief is that engineering must be experienced, not just studied. Learners work on EV powertrains, battery modules, solar setups, embedded controllers, CAD/CAE tools, and IoT applications.
The Academy runs alongside SkyySkill Lab, its engineering and infrastructure arm that designs and manufactures labs and Centres of Excellence for institutions. This combined structure allows the team to introduce the Learn–Earn Program, where students take part in assembling and testing systems that later get deployed in colleges across India.
“Our goal was not to replace colleges,” Himansu says. “It was to strengthen them. Students should not have to wait for a job to get industry exposure.”
Building Credibility Through Demonstration
In the early years, gaining trust was a major challenge. Institutions were hesitant to partner with a young company building advanced labs without a long track record.
The turning point came when colleges began visiting the facilities. They watched students working on real EV drivetrains, digital-twin dashboards, battery management systems, robotics rigs, and embedded labs. Seeing the setup in action made the model easier to understand and helped SkyySkill secure its first large collaborations.
From there, word of mouth and demonstrations drove growth. Today, the company has set up more than 60 Centres of Excellence, trained over one lakh learners, and worked with 200+ institutions across India. Its team has grown to more than 80 members.
Institution Partnerships and Expanding Infrastructure
SkyySkill Academy collaborates with IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, MG Motor India, ASDC, ESSCI, and other industry bodies to keep its curriculum aligned with changing technologies. Inputs from EV manufacturers, renewable energy companies, embedded engineers, and academic partners are added into the training content every few months.
To support scale, the company introduced digital twins, AI-driven learning tools, and adaptive assessments within its LMS. These tools run parallel to hands-on sessions, allowing students to learn theory and practice together.
A Structure With Two Divisions
SkyySkill functions through its two verticals: SkyySkill Lab, which builds technology, labs, and CoEs, and SkyySkill Academy, which delivers training in EVs, Solar, IoT, Embedded Systems, Robotics, and other technologies.
Revenue comes from lab deployments, institutional engagements, training programs, CSR projects, hiring partnerships, and consulting.
A Founder Guided by Purpose
Himansu often refers to the philosophy he shared in one of his talks, Passion, Perception, Persistence, Patience, Pursuit, and Purpose. These principles shape how the company operates and how the team approaches skilling.
“The future workforce needs theoretical clarity and practical confidence,” he says. “Our job is to build the bridge that connects the two.”
What Comes Next
SkyySkill Academy is now working on advanced labs for hydrogen mobility, robotics, drones, smart grids, and AI-driven manufacturing. The team is also building hybrid learning systems that combine physical labs with AI tools and simulations.
As India moves toward greener mobility and more technology-driven industries, SkyySkill aims to contribute to the talent pipeline by giving students access to real systems and real engineering, not just content on screens.
SkyySkill’s story is not about competing with conventional education; it is about complementing it and giving students the confidence to handle emerging technologies. The company’s growth reflects a broader shift in Indian skilling toward practical, industry-connected training that prepares learners for what the market actually needs.
