Kenyan startup Uptyke Education develops accessible digital content for K12 learners with visual impairment (VI) and hearing impairment (HI), creating interactive videos with captions, images, sign language interaction, and audio narration compatible with assistive technologies.
Founded in September 2019 by Lilian Mutegi, Uptyke aims to bridge the gap in accessibility and compliance with educational standards, ensuring that learners can engage with and benefit from digital learning.
The startup creates interactive videos with captions, images, sign language interaction, and audio narration compatible with assistive technologies, in a bid to equip VI and HI learners with 21st century digital and ICT skills.
It does this by leveraging technologies like assistive technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, and machine learning to enhance the learning experience and significantly enhance their ability to learn how to read and write.
“We identified a gap in the inclusivity and accessibility of digital content for VI and HI learners. Our tailored scripts consist of interactive, multimedia-rich content that sets us apart from competitors who primarily rely on videos and e-books,” Mutegi told Disrupt Africa.
The startup already has over 1,000 active users, and has plans to move into other countries, particularly Cameroon, Rwanda, and Ghana.
“We aim to expand across Sub-Saharan Africa through referral connections, and partnerships, complemented by social media marketing, schools onboarding, and teacher training programmes,” Mutegi said.
Uptyke is mostly bootstrapped, having generated revenue through subscriptions and grants, most notably from the Mastercard Foundation, Founders Factory, and the International Publishers Association (IPA).
“Our partnerships with educational organisations and the government have significantly contributed to our revenue. Our main cost drivers are content development and user engagement strategies,” Mutegi said.
