Eruditor Group

Eruditor Group is a holding company founded in 2005 by Sergey Kuznetsov and Egor Rudi, both graduates of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. The venture originated from their personal experiences as tutors, which led to the creation of their first service, "Your Tutor," a platform for finding tutors. This initial project established the foundation for the company's expansion into a portfolio of online marketplaces.

The firm operates as a BVI holding company that invests in and develops online platforms designed to connect small businesses and freelance professionals with clients. Its core business involves creating and managing a portfolio of specialized service marketplaces. These platforms provide an infrastructure for professionals to market their services, aiming to increase transparency and fair pricing for consumers. The business model is primarily based on charging specialists a commission fee for each new client acquired through their platforms. Eruditor's services are free for end-users.

The Group's portfolio includes several distinct projects. PROFI.RU is a consolidated online marketplace for freelancers across various sectors like healthcare, beauty, and tutoring. Zoon.ru functions as a recommendation service and consumer review site with a significant monthly user base. Other specialized platforms include RUKI, a home repair service, and Salon Online, a CRM software developer for beauty salons. The company has demonstrated growth through acquisitions, such as purchasing the psychotherapist search service "Meta" and the tutor service "TutGood".

Eruditor Group has secured substantial funding throughout its history to fuel its expansion across Russia, CIS countries, and potentially other international markets. The company raised $600,000 in a seed round in 2010, followed by a $4 million Series A in 2012, and a $12 million round in 2013 from investors including Intel Capital, Runa Capital, and Frontier Ventures. In 2021, it secured a significant $22 million venture loan from the Russian-Chinese Investment Fund and Sberinvest to support further development and international expansion.

Keywords: holding company, online marketplaces, freelance professionals, service marketplace, small business infrastructure, commission-based model, PROFI.RU, Zoon.ru, RUKI, Salon Online, Sergey Kuznetsov, Egor Rudi, Intel Capital, Runa Capital, Frontier Ventures, home services, local services, professional services, tutoring marketplace, beauty services, home repair, CRM software