Adamas Belva Syah Devara co-founded Ruangguru with Muhammad Iman Usman in April 2014. The first version helped students find tutors online, and more than 1,000 teachers had registered by August 2014. East Ventures was an early backer.
A beta Android app arrived in February 2016. The product grew to cover school curricula and exam preparation, with Ruangguru taking a share of each transaction. UOB Venture Management joined a Series B in July 2017, and General Atlantic led a $150 million Series C in December 2019.
Tiger Global put in $55 million in April 2021. In 2021 Ruangguru had revenue of about $102.6 million and a profit of about $3.7 million, after revenue of about $63 million and a loss of about $1.2 million in 2020. Fast Company ranked it number 25 on its most innovative companies list that year.
In 2022 Ruangguru bought Kalananti and Schoters. It also runs StartDee in Thailand and Kiến Guru in Vietnam. In November 2022 the company laid off hundreds of staff, and Devara publicly apologised.