Kenyan ed-tech startup Kurasa is enhancing the learning experience by providing digital tools for classroom management, lesson planning, and robust assessment analytics.
Founded in 2021 with the mission to empower educators and improve student learning outcomes through innovative tech solutions, Kurasa is designed specifically to align with Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), offering real-time insights and a personalised learning pathways for students.
“The gap identified was the need for integrated digital solutions that support the Competency-Based Curriculum, particularly in formative assessments and lesson planning,” said CEO William Nguru.
Kurasa competes with traditional educational content providers and emerging ed-tech platforms, but Nguru said it stands out due to its tailored CBC compatibility and comprehensive educator tools. Uptake has certainly been robust, with over 52,000 learners and 2,400 teachers actively using the platform.
“The introduction of Kurasa has seen positive reception from both private and now increasingly public schools, thanks to strategic partnerships and effective onboarding processes,” Nguru said.
“A landmark achievement includes securing a significant partnership with KEPSHA to implement our platform across public schools in Kenya.”
Earlier this year, it was one of 12 Kenyan startups selected to take part in the second edition of the Mastercard Foundation’s Ed-Tech Fellowship, securing funding and other support, while it also counts Acumen among its backers. Kurasa is also funding its growth from revenues, which derive from a subscription model charged per learner per term, alongside offering customised services for larger institutional clients.
“So far, revenue has been growing steadily as we expand our user base and service offerings, with plans to reinvest profits into further platform development and market expansion,” said Nguru.
Operating in Kenya and Ghana, Kurasa has ambitious expansion plans in both regions, but Nguru said there is a need to be patient with both prospective users and investors.
“Initial challenges included aligning the platform’s features with the specific needs of the CBC, ensuring user-friendly interfaces for non-tech-savvy educators, and building trust with educational institutions. Overcoming these involved extensive pilot testing, continuous feedback loops with users, and leveraging partnerships for credibility and reach,” he said. “Ed-tech is a nascent market, and adoption has been slow, thus the need to access patient capital.”
