Companies

Learning startups shortlisted for top prize

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Pupils use e-readers at the Kenya National Library, Nyeri. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI

Kenyan tech startups eLIMU and M-Shule are among 30 contestants shortlisted to pitch at the Global Next Billion EdTech prize in Dubai starting March 22.

Tmrw Digital, the sponsor of the event, welcomed eLIMU and M-Shule’s selection saying it incentivises other Kenyan innovators to pursue solutions that improve access to education among low income earners.

“The Next Billion Prize was created to shine a light on those gifted entrepreneurs that are not only ingenious but also bold and persistent enough to bring forward the revolutionary ideas that are desperately needed to transform education,” said Tmrw Digital chief executive Vikas Pota. eLimu relies on storytelling traditions and technology to promote learning and attainment, motivation and retention with contextualised learning while M-Shule is a text-message-based education platform that delivers subject-specific content to users.