- South African edtech startup Koa Academy has won an Africa-wide startup challenge which features a $50 000 grand prize.
- Koa Academy has beaten out startups from Nigeria, Kenta, Senegal, Ghana and others from South Africa to claim victory.
- The academy offers innovative online high schooling, IEB accreditation and has 500 learners enrolled currently.
A local South African edtech startup has won the MEST Africa Challenge for 2023, a competition between startups from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa that seeks to boost early-stage tech firms, with a $50 000 grand prize.
Held in Accra, Ghana, the 2023 edition of the challenge saw educational tech startup and online education provider Koa Academy win the whole thing in March 2024. The latest MEST Africa Challenge was a collaborative effort with ABSA Bank aiming to empower the next generation of African tech innovators.
According to Koa Academy in a statement sent to Hypertext, the startup started out as one of five regional winners, and was one of the two edtech startups that competed in the finalist stage. To even enter the competition, Koa had to hit certain eligibility criteria, including having raised $1 million cumulative and seen at least six months of recurring revenues of at least $5 000.
“This has been an extraordinary honour, and it is very exciting that MEST Africa and its partners have recognised Koa as the winner amongst a range of incredible startup ventures that are all aimed at improving the quality of life on the continent,” said Lauren Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Koa Academy, pictured accepting the win in the cover image.
“I think Koa has stood out in the competition because our approach to education is unique; personalised and flexible yet academically robust. Our impact, growth and momentum are all evident,” she added.
Koa Academy saw its starts in 2021 amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and claims to have grown steadily while also implementing a high standard of digital, online learning. In 2023, the company received accreditation from the Independent Education Board (IEB).
Its first cohort of matrics achieved a 100 percent pass rate last year. The academy has 500 pupils currently enrolled.
“Because online learning is such a new, flexible space, we have been able to pivot and introduce new things with fantastic agility,” said Anderson. “Our staff and our students have grown in tandem supported by adaptable systems designed to make room for growth in a sustainable way.”
According to Anderson, the academy now has aspirations to take its online edtech offerings worldwide.
“It’s fantastic that we can reach anybody, anywhere with quality education, and to teach children in new, tech-supported ways that are relevant and engaging,” he says.
[Image – Provided]
