YYeni AI
- Namibia
- For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Picture a classroom where students are packed in so tightly, it feels more like a crowded market than a place of learning. This chaotic reality is what millions of students face every day across the globe. Back in 1984, a thinker named Benjamin Bloom shed light on the "2 Sigma problem," showing us that when it comes to learning, the personal touch of one-on-one tutoring significantly outshines the traditional group setting. Yet, here we are, decades later, still scratching our heads on how to bring that tailored teaching experience to every student.
Now, let's talk numbers. UNESCO tells us that about 250 million kids aren't even making it to school, and for those who do, many are stuck in environments that just don't cut it. They're not getting the chance to dive deep, think critically, or let their curiosity run wild. Instead, they're getting lost in the crowd, and it's not just a local issue; it's a global crisis.
Enter YYeni AI, our brainchild born out of the need to tackle these very problems. We're leveraging Generative AI to simulate that coveted one-on-one tutoring experience, making it accessible right from a student's phone or laptop. This isn't about replacing teachers but empowering them and their students to push beyond traditional learning boundaries.
But here's another twist: it's not enough to just remember facts anymore. Bloom also emphasized the importance of deep thinking skills—something that's in short supply in many classrooms today. This gap in critical thinking and problem-solving education is what we're eager to fill with YYeni AI.
We're bringing this solution to life in classrooms where teachers might not have the luxury of diving deep with each student due to oversized classes or limited resources. And with the power of AI, like the kind that fuels ChatGPT, we're introducing a level of cognitive engagement that many educators dream of providing.
So, what's the scale of this challenge? Massive. We're talking millions of learners worldwide who could benefit from this tech-powered personal touch, transforming how they learn, think, and interact with the world around them. It's about making sure every student gets to experience those "aha" moments, no matter where they are or what obstacles they face. And that, my friends, is the mission driving us at YYeni AI.
Picture this: a bright morning in a classroom buzzing with anticipation. Instead of the usual routine where the teacher stands at the board, explaining a concept to 30 learners at once, something different happens. Each student pulls out their device—be it a smartphone or a laptop—and logs into YYeni AI. Today, learning takes a new form, one that’s personalized, engaging, and incredibly effective.
Here’s where the magic begins. The teacher, having already prepared for today's lesson, doesn't need to spend hours crafting individual plans. Instead, they dive into the syllabus, copying the day’s learning objectives, and, if needed, uploading a PDF with related notes or content. These objectives could be from any curriculum, from any country—it doesn't matter. YYeni AI is versatile. With just a few clicks, the lesson is set to go live, tailored to meet each student right where they are.
As students start their lessons on YYeni AI, the platform springs to life, engaging each learner in a way that feels just right. For those who thrive on reading, there’s text that unfolds like a conversation. For the visual learners, YYeni AI fetches the best YouTube videos to illustrate complex concepts with clarity. And for the auditory learners, the platform reads out loud, ensuring no student is left behind.
But YYeni AI doesn’t just deliver content; it challenges students. Using a Socratic method, it prompts them to think, question, and deduce, transforming passive learning into an active discovery process. It's not about spoon-feeding answers but about nurturing critical thinkers who can navigate through problems with confidence.
As the lesson progresses, YYeni AI adapts to each learner's pace and understanding, ensuring that by the end, all students have met the objectives set out by their teacher. But it doesn’t stop there. YYeni AI turns each lesson into a two-way street, gathering insights on where students might be stumbling. These insights, along with suggestions for creative interventions, are then shared with the teacher, making them a partner in this personalized learning journey.
So, what does a typical day look like with YYeni AI in the classroom? It’s a day where every student feels seen and supported, where lessons adapt to their needs, and where teachers are empowered to guide each learner towards their full potential. It’s a day where education takes a leap into the future, making learning not just more effective but truly transformative for every student involved.
YYeni AI is on a mission to transform the traditional classroom, where one teacher lectures to a group, into a personalized learning experience for every student. Our target? Institutions worldwide, from schools to universities, where group instruction is the norm. Specifically, we're focusing on students from 4th grade onwards, across various educational systems and curriculums.
In today’s classrooms, many students are underserved by the one-size-fits-all teaching model. Imagine sitting in a classroom where the lesson flies over your head or drags on at a pace that leaves you disengaged. That's the daily reality for countless learners. They are diverse, not just in their backgrounds but in how they absorb information. Some are visual learners; others prefer auditory explanations or learn best through interaction and engagement. The challenge? Traditional teaching methods can't cater to this diversity effectively.
Enter YYeni AI, which reimagines this dynamic by turning every student's device into a personal tutor. This isn't about minor tweaks to the existing system; it's a complete overhaul. By simply copying learning objectives from their syllabus, teachers set the stage for YYeni AI to deliver tailored, interactive lessons to each student. Whether the curriculum comes from the U.S., Namibia, or anywhere else, YYeni AI adapts, ensuring that learning objectives are met in ways that resonate best with each learner.
This personalized approach addresses several critical needs:
Engagement: By matching the lesson delivery to the student's learning style, YYeni AI keeps students engaged, making learning more enjoyable and effective.
Understanding: It uses Socratic methods to encourage deeper thinking, challenging students to explore concepts and find answers themselves, enhancing their comprehension and retention.
Support: For visual learners or those needing extra help, YYeni AI finds and presents the most relevant YouTube videos, providing visual and auditory reinforcement of the lesson content.
Feedback: The platform identifies where students struggle, offering teachers insights into misconceptions and suggesting targeted interventions for individual learners.
The impact? Students receive education tailored to their unique needs and pace, making learning more accessible, enjoyable, and effective. For the first time, every student can experience the benefits of one-on-one tutoring within the group instruction model. This means improved outcomes, higher engagement, and a deeper love for learning. Teachers, on the other hand, are empowered with data and insights to support their students more effectively, making their job not just easier but more rewarding.
YYeni AI’s solution is designed to serve a global audience, breaking down barriers to quality education and ensuring that no student is left behind because of the traditional limitations of group instruction. By making personalized learning accessible to all, we're not just changing how students learn; we're changing how they think about and interact with the world around them, preparing them for a future where they can thrive.
Our journey with YYeni AI isn't just about launching a product; it's deeply personal. It springs from my own experiences in packed classrooms in Namibia, where I first took on the role of "Professor," helping peers navigate through our educational system's gaps. This wasn't about being a standout student; it was about recognizing that every student has a unique way of understanding the world, a perspective that traditional classrooms often overlook.
Fast forward, and here we are with YYeni AI, a team led by someone who's lived the very problem we're solving. Our solution is born out of firsthand experiences, making us uniquely positioned to empathize with and address the needs of our target communities. We're not outsiders trying to fix a problem we read about; we've lived it, felt its frustrations, and celebrated its small victories.
Our team embodies the diversity and vibrancy of the communities we serve. We bring together technologists, educators, and innovators, many of whom have personal narratives of overcoming educational barriers. This mosaic of backgrounds not only enriches our solution but ensures it's crafted with a deep understanding of the varying needs across different educational landscapes.
In designing YYeni AI, we've leaned heavily on dialogue with educators, students, and communities. Their insights shape our development process, ensuring our solution isn't just technologically advanced but culturally sensitive and pedagogically sound. It's this collaborative spirit that allows YYeni AI to transcend being a mere tool, evolving into a solution that's by the community, for the community.
Ultimately, our proximity to the problem, combined with our diverse team and community-guided approach, makes us not just well-positioned but deeply committed to delivering YYeni AI to the hands that need it most. We're here to change how learning happens, making it a journey of personal discovery for every student, no matter where they are or what obstacles they face.
- Provide the skills that people need to thrive in both their community and a complex world, including social-emotional competencies, problem-solving, and literacy around new technologies such as AI.
- 4. Quality Education
- 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Pilot
So far, YYeni AI has transitioned from a promising concept to a functional pilot that's actively being used in real-world educational settings.
Development and Testing:
Functional Platform: We have built a robust AI system capable of generating tailored educational content, which includes generating study notes, providing voice input and output, and integrating with external resources like YouTube to find relevant videos to give to learners/students. As well as an ability for the teachers to be able upload lesson notes, that YYeni AI will consult as its delivering this lesson. YYeni AI also generates Tests containing both structured and Multiple choice questions that it immediately marks and gives instant feedback upon submitting the test. It shows teachers Misconceptions and possible interventions to take for each individual learner.
User Interface: The platform includes an intuitive user interface designed for ease of use by both students and teachers, allowing for seamless integration into daily classroom activities.
Customer and Beneficiary Impact:
B2B Customers (Schools & Institutions):
Although we have not yet secured B2B customers for direct purchases, we are excited to move into the piloting stage with two schools that are part of our sales pipeline. These pilots, scheduled to run for about 31 active school days starting in May, are critical for demonstrating the effectiveness of YYeni AI in a classroom setting and are aimed at transitioning these schools from potential clients to paying customers.
B2C Customers (Parents):
Since our launch in September 2023, we have successfully attracted parents interested in using YYeni AI as a study aid for their children, especially during the exam season. From September to November 2023, we acquired 9 parent customers and generated revenue of approximately $1,130.
In the current year, from March to April 2024, we have engaged two parents who have opted to take their children out of formal schooling. These children now attend personalized learning sessions using YYeni AI at our offices from 8 AM to 1:40 PM daily. These two clients collectively contribute $325 per month to our revenues, totaling $650 so far, with an anticipated Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) from these clients alone of $3,900.
Impact on Learning:
Across these engagements, both in B2B and B2C segments, over 300 students and 20 teachers have signed up to use YYeni AI. This substantial user base allows us to gather valuable data on user engagement, lesson interaction, and the overall impact on learning outcomes.
Specifically, for the two learners who have been with us for 1 month and 22 days, we've recorded a substantial improvement in academic performance. Based on over 30 tests across five subjects, no score has fallen below 50%, with an average score of 82.11% on YYeni AI-generated assessments. This indicates a significant positive impact on learning, affirming the effectiveness of our personalized and interactive approach.
This real-world application and the data we are gathering from our pilot schools are invaluable as they provide the evidence base to refine YYeni AI further, ensuring it meets the needs and expectations of our users effectively. This phase is not only about proving the concept but also about setting the stage for scaling our solution to reach a broader audience.
We are applying to Solve not only because we see a profound alignment between Solve's mission to support innovative solutions that address global challenges and our vision at YYeni AI to revolutionize education through technology, but also as a strategic step to enhance our startup’s viability and longevity.
At YYeni AI, we've developed a platform that uses Generative AI to personalize education, ensuring it is accessible and effective for every student. Participating in the Solve community would enable us to access a network of innovators, educators, and thought leaders, which is vital for fostering partnerships, gaining strategic support, and enhancing our visibility in the global education sector.
Moreover, our approach is pragmatic—we actively seek out opportunities for grants and support programs globally to bolster our chances of survival and success. Being part of Solve would not only provide mentorship and resources critical for navigating the challenges of scaling but also potentially connect us with funders dedicated to educational equity. This proactive engagement in programs like Solve is a key part of our strategy to keep our startup thriving, ensuring we continue to innovate and expand our impact without succumbing to the financial pressures that many startups face.
In essence, we are applying to Solve because we believe in the power of community-driven support and are committed to taking every opportunity to ensure YYeni AI succeeds and leads transformative change in education worldwide. This commitment aligns perfectly with Solve’s vision of solving the world's most pressing problems through innovation.
- Business Model (e.g. product-market fit, strategy & development)
- Financial (e.g. accounting practices, pitching to investors)
- Human Capital (e.g. sourcing talent, board development)
- Product / Service Distribution (e.g. delivery, logistics, expanding client base)
YYeni AI redefines the educational landscape through its innovative use of Generative AI, offering a fundamentally new approach to learning that personalizes the educational experience at scale. Traditional educational models often struggle with overcrowded classrooms where personalized attention is scarce. YYeni AI disrupts this status quo by transforming every student's smartphone or laptop into a dynamic learning hub that delivers customized, one-on-one tutoring that adapts to the individual learner's pace, style, and needs.
What sets YYeni AI apart is its ability to integrate seamlessly with any existing curriculum by simply inputting the learning objectives from the teacher’s syllabus. Our AI then crafts lessons tailored to these objectives, utilizing advanced algorithms to provide interactive, engaging content that includes text, audio, and curated video resources from platforms like YouTube. This not only enhances understanding but also engages students in a manner that traditional teaching methods often fail to achieve.
Our solution is innovative not just in its technical execution but in its educational philosophy. By fostering a Socratic method of teaching, YYeni AI encourages critical thinking and deep engagement with the material, challenging students to formulate their own responses before providing them with the answers. This method helps develop higher-order thinking skills, preparing students for the complexities of the modern world.
The broader impact of YYeni AI could be transformative across the educational sector. By demonstrating the effectiveness of personalized AI-driven education, YYeni AI could catalyze a shift towards more adaptive learning technologies, influencing other companies and educational institutions to rethink how they approach teaching. This could lead to a more widespread adoption of AI in education, driving forward a market shift towards personalized learning environments that prioritize student engagement and understanding over one-size-fits-all teaching methods.
In sum, YYeni AI not only addresses the immediate challenges of individual learning needs but also sets the stage for a broader revolution in education that could reshape how educational content is delivered and consumed globally. This positions YYeni AI as a trailblazer in the education technology space, potentially changing the market landscape by setting new standards for what is achievable in education through technology.
YYeni AI operates on a well-established educational framework, drawing directly from Benjamin Bloom’s seminal work to shape our innovative approach to learning. Here’s how we map our activities to broader impacts, incorporating substantial educational research to validate our model:
Activities:
Deployment of Generative AI in Classrooms: Teachers input learning objectives from the curriculum into YYeni AI, which then customizes instruction for each student using various multimedia formats.
Socratic Teaching Methods: Our AI engages students in a dialogue that prompts them to think deeply, analyze situations, and come up with solutions, rather than simply receiving information passively.
Immediate Outputs:
Enhanced Student Engagement and Understanding: Personalization ensures that each student interacts with the curriculum in a way that suits their learning style and pace, leading to higher engagement.
Increased Teacher Effectiveness: With real-time data on each student’s progress, teachers can focus their efforts where they are most needed, enhancing their instructional impact.
Short-term Outcomes:
Improved Academic Performance: Direct application of personalized learning has been shown to improve understanding and retention, as indicated by better performance on assessments.
Development of Higher-Order Thinking Skills: By using a Socratic method, YYeni AI encourages students to move beyond simple recall to higher-order cognitive skills such as applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.
Long-term Outcomes:
Educational Equity: Providing personalized learning at scale helps level the playing field for students from varied backgrounds.
Future Readiness: Students become adept not just academically but also in critical thinking and problem-solving, preparing them for future educational and career challenges.
Evidence to Support the Links:
* Benjamin Bloom’s 2 Sigma Problem: Bloom’s research indicated that students who received one-on-one tutoring performed two standard deviations better than those who learned via conventional classroom instruction. This underscores the effectiveness of personalized learning approaches that YYeni AI is designed to replicate digitally.
* Bloom’s Taxonomy in the Cognitive Domain: Our use of Socratic questioning aligns with Bloom's Taxonomy, facilitating cognitive development from basic knowledge recall to higher-level skills such as evaluation and creation. This progression is often impractical in traditional classrooms due to the lack of individualized interaction, which YYeni AI effectively addresses.
* Active Learning Research: According to studies published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, active learning strategies reduce failure rates and improve overall student performance in STEM subjects. YYeni AI incorporates active learning by engaging students in the material through tailored questioning and problem-solving tasks.
* Pilot Program Feedback: Initial implementations of YYeni AI have demonstrated increased student engagement and enhanced understanding. Data collected from these programs reveal significant advancements in students' abilities to engage with and apply learning materials in complex and creative ways. Look at this testimonial video for reference:
By integrating these research-backed methodologies and leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, YYeni AI not only addresses current educational challenges but also paves the way for a transformation in how education is delivered, making it more effective, equitable, and aligned with future needs.
YYeni AI is committed to transforming educational outcomes through the targeted use of Generative AI, with the overarching goal of making personalized learning accessible to every student. Our impact goals revolve around enhancing educational equity, boosting academic performance, and fostering critical thinking skills. Here’s how we articulate these goals and measure our progress towards achieving them:
Impact Goals:
Increase Academic Performance: Improve grades and comprehension in core subjects among students using YYeni AI.
Enhance Educational Equity: Provide high-quality, personalized education to underserved populations, particularly in low-income regions and communities.
Develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Advance students' abilities to analyze, evaluate, and create new solutions or ideas through interaction with the curriculum.
Measuring Progress:
To gauge our impact effectively, we employ a mix of qualitative and quantitative indicators:
Academic Improvement: Track changes in student grades and test scores over time. We use pre- and post-intervention assessments to measure comprehension and retention in subjects taught using YYeni AI.
Engagement Metrics: Monitor user engagement with the AI, including session length, frequency, and interactive responses. High engagement levels are correlated with increased personalization and effectiveness of the learning experience.
Skill Development: Evaluate the development of higher-order cognitive skills through structured assessments that require students to apply, analyze, and create based on the knowledge acquired through YYeni AI.
Feedback from Educators and Students: Collect qualitative data through surveys and interviews to assess the perceived impact of YYeni AI on learning and teaching experiences. This feedback helps refine the AI and ensure it meets the needs of diverse learners.
Accessibility and Reach: Measure the expansion of YYeni AI to new schools and regions, particularly those with significant populations of underserved students. This includes tracking the number of new users and analyzing demographic data to ensure we are reaching targeted populations.
Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Our indicators also align with specific targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education). For instance:
Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics. We align with this indicator by measuring improvements in test scores among YYeni AI users.
Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills. Our focus on enhancing digital literacy through the use of AI-driven educational tools contributes to this target.
Indicator 4.a.1: Proportion of schools with access to computers for pedagogical purposes. By expanding YYeni AI into more schools, especially in underserved areas, we contribute to increasing this proportion.
By setting clear impact goals and employing a robust measurement framework, YYeni AI aims to create a transformative impact on the educational landscape, ensuring that every student can benefit from personalized learning that prepares them for the challenges of the future.
YYeni AI harnesses the power of Generative AI models and vector database/embeddings to transform traditional educational environments into personalized learning experiences. Here's a concise breakdown of how these technologies work together in our solution:
Generative AI Models: We use a suite of advanced AI models, including both proprietary and open-source language models that have been fine-tuned specifically for educational content. These models enable our platform to generate personalized text, simulate interactive dialogues, and provide detailed explanations and teaching materials tailored to the learning needs and styles of each student.
Vector Database/Embeddings: Central to our technology stack is the use of vector embeddings to manage and utilize the vast amounts of educational content effectively. Teachers upload their lesson notes into our system, which are then converted into vector form and stored in a vector database. This allows for rapid retrieval and reference during lessons, enabling YYeni AI to integrate teachers' materials seamlessly into personalized student learning paths.
Together, these technologies ensure that YYeni AI provides a responsive, adaptive, and deeply engaging learning environment, capable of addressing the specific educational challenges of students across various settings. This approach not only improves educational outcomes but also scales personalized learning in ways previously unattainable in traditional educational models.
- A new application of an existing technology
- Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
- Software and Mobile Applications
- Namibia
- Botswana
- South Africa
- Zambia
3 Full-time
3- Part-time
We began addressing this educational challenge two years and five months ago, in December 2021, with our initial venture, TeachLearnNamibia. This platform allowed learners to access digital classrooms of top teachers nationwide. Despite successfully onboarding 13 schools with training and preparing to add 22 more, we pivoted in August 2023 to start working on YYeni AI. Which we officially launched on the 9th of September 2023. So we have been working on our YYeni AI solution for about 7 months now.
Ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion within our team at YYeni AI is integral to our core values and operational ethos. Our commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment is reflected in both the composition of our leadership team and the strategies we employ to minimize barriers to opportunity for all staff members.
Our leadership team comprises six individuals, with an even gender split of three girls and three boys, exemplifying our dedication to providing equal opportunities to both sexes. Moreover, our team members hail from various fields of study, including chartered accounting, software engineering, mathematics and statistics, and law. This diverse academic background underscores our commitment to offering employment opportunities to individuals from diverse educational backgrounds, provided they exhibit intelligence, integrity, passion, and a strong work ethic.
Cultural diversity is also a cornerstone of our team, with members representing different tribes from our country. By embracing diversity in cultural backgrounds, we eliminate biases and ensure that every team member feels valued and respected, regardless of their heritage or ethnicity.
In terms of ensuring equity of opportunity, we uphold a culture where every team member is given a fair chance to participate in core activities such as engaging with teachers, students, and sales efforts. There are no barriers to career advancement based on factors such as gender, ethnicity, or academic background. Instead, advancement opportunities are based solely on merit and individual contributions to the team's goals and objectives.
To further promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our team, we have established clear goals and action plans. These include:
1. Training and Development: Providing ongoing training and development opportunities to enhance cultural competency and promote understanding and respect for diverse perspectives within the team.
2. Mentorship and Support: Establishing mentorship programs to support the professional growth and development of team members from underrepresented groups, ensuring that they have access to guidance and support to thrive in their roles.
3. Creating Safe Spaces: Fostering an environment where all team members feel safe to express their ideas, concerns, and identities without fear of judgment or discrimination.
4. Regular Evaluation and Feedback: Conducting regular evaluations and soliciting feedback from team members to assess progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and identify areas for improvement.
In summary, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just buzzwords for us; they are fundamental principles that guide our actions and decision-making processes. By embracing diversity in all its forms and fostering an inclusive environment, we believe that we can unlock the full potential of our team and achieve our mission more effectively.
Our organization, YYeni, is dedicated to revolutionizing education by providing personalized and engaging instruction through our AI teacher platform. Our target beneficiaries include K-12 learners from the 4th grade onwards, as well as university students. Through YYeni, we aim to deliver value by offering these learners the undivided attention of expert teachers tailored to their individual needs and learning styles.
Our business model revolves around serving various customer segments, each with distinct needs and motivations:
In the B2B realm are private schools. These institutions subscribe to YYeni's premium service on behalf of their teachers and students. By integrating YYeni into their classrooms and after-school sessions, private schools aim to enhance learning outcomes and differentiate themselves by providing high-quality education. Moreover, YYeni helps alleviate teacher workload and enables schools to expand their after-school tutoring programs without incurring additional hiring costs. Currently, we are actively involved in sales negotiations with four schools.
Similarly, university departments represent another crucial B2B customer segment. These departments procure YYeni subscriptions for lecturers and students in relevant courses. By leveraging YYeni, universities seek to improve learning outcomes and alleviate lecturer workload. To ensure effectiveness, we are embarking on pilot studies with all three of the major universities in Namibia. This serves as a trial validate YYeni's impact within higher education settings before agreeing on our final sales agreements with these institutions.
Another B2B customer is, Corporate Social Institutions (CSIs) of large corporate firms. CSIs allocate funds to support initiatives aligned with their CSR objectives, making them ideal partners for funding YYeni's adoption in underserved public schools. By partnering with CSIs, we enable these schools to access high-quality education resources, thereby empowering disadvantaged students and reducing teacher workload. Our approach involves facilitating CSR-funded adoptions, covering costs such as device procurement, internet access, and premium YYeni subscriptions for the selected teachers and learners.
We also sell to the government (B2G). All public schools receive funding from the government, therefore in order to provide YYeni to these schools, we need to sell to the government. Through research experiments conducted in collaboration with the Namibian Ministry of Education, we aim to showcase YYeni's efficacy within public school classrooms. The data received from the experiment will pave the way for negotiations with the government to incorporate YYeni into public school systems, thus ensuring equitable access to quality education for all students.
Lastly, in the B2C space parents subscribe to YYeni's premium service to supplement their children's education, utilizing it as a personal tutor or study tool. They value YYeni for its ability to facilitate academic excellence and alleviate the burden of managing their children's learning. Additionally, some parents opt for YYeni's tutoring service, further investing in their children's educational development. We also have two parents who's children come to our office everyday from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm to use YYeni as their teacher (like they're in school). These parents pay for their children's premium subscription as well as the tutoring service that we provide.
- Organizations (B2B)
Our approach to achieving financial sustainability at YYeni is multifaceted, emphasizing a blend of direct sales, competitive funding, and investment opportunities. We focus on monetizing our educational technology through sales to a targeted market comprising private schools, university departments, and government institutions within Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana. With over 125.66K institutions identified as our potential market, and 25.13K of these having the necessary financial and infrastructural capacity to adopt YYeni right now, our business model is poised for rapid scaling. We offer YYeni at a rate of $30 per learner or teacher, and with an institutional capacity of 380 individuals, if we just get 1096 schools/ institutions (5% of our addressable market), we could generate revenues exceeding $100 million. This ambitious target underscores our potential to become a unicorn—a billion-dollar enterprise—transforming the landscape of equitable education in Africa and beyond.
Evidence of our capability to sustain and expand our operations comes from our track record in securing significant grants. For instance, our $11,000 win at the Africa to Silicon Valley (A2SV) hackathon (we won 3/7 categorieswhere 47 countries participated and over 551 projects participated) and our $30,000 win from Huawei’s Tech4Good Global Competition (we won 1st where 75 countries participated, over 130 projects enrolled). These wins not only provided essential funding but also validated our technological innovations and market potential on global stages. Moreover, the additional opportunity to raise a further $100,000 through Huawei’s competition exemplifies the confidence in our growth trajectory.
Further proof of our model’s effectiveness is demonstrated through our B2C revenue streams. Currently, we are generating $325 per month from parents whose children use YYeni everyday as a tutor. The success of our early version of YYeni AI (launched 9 September 2023), which, despite being an MVP and having bugs, still managed to generate $1,135 from nine parents in just 76 days, is a compelling testament to the demand and willingness of customers to pay for our product even in its nascent stages.
Early funding from key figures like the first lady and the Deputy Minister of ICT ($1090), along with grants from initiatives like Upshift Namibia ($1350), are a testament to the belief in our solution even in it's early days.
The significance of these awards extends beyond mere financial injection. They represent crucial endorsements from respected bodies in the tech and educational sectors, enhancing our credibility and attractiveness to other investors and partners. As we continue to capitalize on these successes, our potential to generate substantial revenue from institutional sales affirms our strategy and highlights our path towards becoming a financially sustainable and impactful unicorn in the educational technology space.
Co-Founder & CEO
CSO/CFO