New Edtech Startups Strategy to Attract Users during the Pandemic

Digital education platform users have surged during the corona pandemic. Startups like Ruangguru, Zenius, Quipper, and AyoBlajar have also prepared new strategies to attract more consumers. Zenius has 15.7 million users in 300 cities and counties. CEO Zenius Rohan Monga said the number had jumped 12 times on an annual basis (year on year / yoy) per second quarter.

The company targets to attract 30 million students in Indonesia who have internet access. Zenius also implemented several strategies, one of which was by launching a new product. The new service in question is direct learning or live teaching. “We are launching a new product that users really need,” said Rohan, Friday (25/9).

In addition, they released ultima and optima products that present direct and interactive learning concepts. Users can provide direct questions to the tutor and will be discussed in the same session.

In Cooperation with Other Companies and Will Launch More Supporting Features

The education startup also hooked up Gojek in April. Through this partnership, Zenius services can be accessed through the Gojek application. Rohan did not specify the contribution of the country’s decacorn in attracting new users. But he said that the collaboration was effective in reaching more users.

In the future, Zenius plans to launch more teaching and learning support features. One of them is the automated doubt solving experience feature that relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

Another such startup, Ruangguru, has more than 17 million registered users. The number has jumped more than two million since the start of the year. The company has also recruited more than 300 thousand private tutors. Ruangguru is actively collaborating to increase transactions, one of which is hooking up Telkomsel.

Through this partnership, the company provides monthly subscription packages and focuses on targeting the younger generation segment. In addition, it is collaborating with Persada Capital Investama and the Adaro Foundation to provide scholarships to 1,200 high school 12th grade students. The company noted that 80% of them entered selected state universities (PTN).

“Regardless of the high competition to enter PTN, these students prove that hard work and persistence bring results,” said Ruangguru founder and president director Belva Devara quoted in a press release (24/9).

Quipper and AyoBlajar also Provide Distance Learning Support Services

Apart from Zenius and Ruangguru, the number of Quipper users increased during the coronavirus pandemic. At least 20 thousand online classes have been held on the platform in a week since activities at schools have stopped. Quipper Indonesia’s Business Development Manager Ruth Ayu Hapsari said the company focuses on providing online learning support products and services.

One of them, premium school to support teaching and learning activities, assessment, and student and teacher development. “It can be used for schools that are still carrying out online and face-to-face teaching and learning activities,” said Ayu, last August.

Another similar startup, AyoBlajar, focuses on developing an education management system and targets students directly. One way to do this is by offering four main features, namely learning management systems, online live classes, one on one mentoring and learning videos.

Currently, AyoBlajar reaches 13 thousand students and 23 schools. The company targets to attract 100 thousand users this year. Based on data from the Ministry of Education and Culture as of April 13, 68.73 million students are studying from home. As many as 41.6% of them are students at the SD / Madrasah Ibtidaiyah / equivalent level.

BRI Ventures CEO Nicko Widjaja said educational startups are needed during a pandemic. Likewise, financial technology (fintech) and e-commerce. “Companies that will survive and grow rapidly are them,” said Nicko, last July (15/7). Startups in this sector are considered to be able to adjust the direction of developing their business model with the complexity of current market demand.