Ed-tech startup Esoma Solutions is offering e-learning solutions to K-12 learners, with its flagship product Esoma Kids being an online learning tool for foundational literacy and numeracy.
Founded in 2018 by Julius Irungu, Kelvin Kung’u, and Esborn Waithuki, Esoma Solutions initially rolled out Esoma-KE, an exam preparation platform which targets learners across all grades in K-12 (children aged 4-10).
Since then, it has evolved its offering to include Esoma Kids, a flexible, subscription-based learning platform that utilises gamification to make foundational literacy and numeracy engaging for children.
The premise of the Esoma Kids platform is that through interactive games and challenges children stay motivated and eager to learn. This approach makes learning fun and enhances retention and understanding of key concepts.
“The most serious gaps we are addressing through Esoma Kids are the significantly low levels of foundational literacy and numeracy proficiency in Kenya, and in Sub-Saharan Africa at large. In Kenya, we have 60 per cent of fourth graders who cannot effectively solve grade three mathematics problems, nor read a grade three appropriate text,” Irungu said.
“In the Sub-Saharan Africa region, 89 per cent of children cannot read and understand by the age of 10. These gaps have necessitated seeking alternative and complementary paths to delivering formal education.”
While there are other players active in the space in Kenya, such as Angaza Elimu, Akili Kids, Ubongo and EIDU, Esoma has seen strong uptake. Its exam preparation platform hit 600,000 users in 2023, and Esoma Kids, launched the same year, has started off on the same track.
The startup has received different forms of funding, including grant funding, most notably from the Mastercard Foundation recently.
“So far, Esoma Solutions has raised US$112,555 in equity-free investments, to top up the revenue generated and the investment made by the founders,” Irungu said, adding that the startup planned to break even in the next 18 months and seek profitability in the aftermath.
“We are currently operating in Kenya, with great plans to expand into adjacent markets in the region through collaborations and partnerships,” he said.
