FIRST OF ALL, KINDLY TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF? (THINGS LIKE YOUR HOBBIES, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, INTERESTS ETC.)
I’m Pierre van der Hoven, the CEO & Founder: Tuluntulu (Pty) Ltd
My career started at the SABC where I held various financial and strategic positions. I was then a founder and key player in setting up a number of media companies including eTV, YFM, Yarona FM, TBM and SA Direct.
Tuluntulu launched in 2011 with Pierre as its Founder and CEO. Tuluntulu has received a number of awards including a Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Leadership Award VOD 2015, a number of Technology Top 100 awards, Best African App AppsAfrica award, MTN App of the Year finalist in 2015, and has been recognized globally Unilever Foundry 50 as one of the top 50 startups in the world in 2015, and by Interbrand as a global ‘Breakthrough Brand’ in 2016.
I delivered papers at numerous conferences, both locally and internationally. I’m passionate about technology, sport and making a positive contribution to a prosperous Africa.
WHAT WAS YOUR CAREER BEFORE TULUNTULU WAS FOUNDED?
- I worked at SABC and then involved in numerous start-ups — Yfm, eTV, etc.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT TULUNTULU?
Africa is a continent experiencing explosive growth in mobile penetration and usage, driven by the decreasing
cost of smartphones / tablets and data. This has driven rapid increases in mobile video consumption.
Tuluntulu has become one of the largest providers of video / mobile content on the African continent, servicing
this fast-growing market.
Tuluntulu’s mobile content platform targets audiences in Africa and globally with African-focused content. The
application and its underlying technology platform have the following differentiators and attributes:
• The app is free to download, and free to use i.e. no subscription fee, facilitating maximum demographic
reach. Data costs are incurred when connected via mobile networks.
• User has the option of choosing high or mid-quality viewing (which lowers data costs).
• Mid-quality video is data-light (+/-50MB/hour, as low as R1.50 /hour) — this is at a lower cost than all
comparable video services.
• There is a wide bouquet of content choice across multiple genres (33 x TV channels and 28 x Radio
streams).
• Content is available over WiFi or all mobile operator networks.
• Tuluntulu is available free on all major app stores for Android or iOS.
• Well established in all major African countries, including large audiences in SA, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania
and Ghana.
• Unique scalable cloud-based technology and multi-compression delivery streams.
• Full customer database with real-time analytics (+-200,000 registrations).
• Full interactive transactional capability using return path.
• Onscreen Twitter-feed interaction with and between individual viewers.
• Multiple revenue-sharing and co-branding models with content partners.
• Customer messaging via in-app and out-of-app notifications.
• ‘TV remote’ style UI, with user-favourites, most popular and expanded genre presentation.
• Multiple advertising options — banner, pre-roll, post-roll, geo-blocked, branded, sponsorship etc.
• Streaming system is built on a Video-on-demand foundation, allowing for future VOD options.
Tuluntulu’s multi-language streaming content includes English, French, German, Hausa, Portuguese, Arabic
and Kiswahili. The app has been downloaded over 475,000 times in 154 countries. The most popular
territories are South Africa (26%), Nigeria (26%), Ghana (14%), Tanzania (13%) and Kenya (11%).
The cumulative usage numbers since launch (August 2014) are as follows:
• Over 15,9 million screen views.
• Over 3,2 million sessions.
• Over 475,000 active users / app installs.
• Over 85% returning users.
The platform currently has 33 x 24/7 streaming TV channels:
• General Entertainment (Africa365).
• News (tNews4U, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle — English, Deutsche Welle — Arabic, Deutsche Welle — German,
France24 — English, France24 — Arabic).
• Education (SABC Education, BrainBoosters, Spark4U, VTC).
• Documentaries (Afridocs).
• Movies (Nolly4U).
• Series (AfrikTales).
• Sport (AfricaSport4U, WildTVAfrica).
• eSports (OPTV).
• Fashion (Fleur),
• Lifestyle (Africa4U).
• Children (SABC Children).
• Comedy (Good4U).
• Music (Mafrik).
• Shopping (VerimarkTV).
• Public information (BetterLife4U, Health4U).
• Politics (Democracy4U).
• Religion (Elev8).
• Travel (AfricanHolidays4U)
Tuluntulu has received a number of awards including a Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Leadership Award VOD 2015, a number of Technology Top 100 awards in (2015 & 2016), Best African App AppsAfrica award 2015, and an MTN App of the Year Finalist award 2015. In addition, Tuluntulu was selected by Unilever Foundry 50 as one of the top 50 startups in the world in 2015, and by Interbrand (global) / Facebook as a global ‘Breakthrough Brand’ in 2016.
WHO IS/ARE PART OF BUILDING/FOUNDING IT?
- I was the only founder
WHAT WAS TECHNICALLY THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF PUTTING UP THIS PLATFORM?
- Solving the last mile issues in Africa; Getting video to work on low bandwidth mobile networks (EDGE)
HOW DID YOU GET THE FUNDING? IS IT JUST FROM YOUR FUNDS? OR YOU HAVE PARTNERS/INVESTORS?
-From my own funds plus Angel investors
A MOBILE “TV” PLATFORM OFFERING VARIOUS 24/7 STREAMING VIDEO CHANNELS! VERY INTERESTING! HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA OF PUTTING UP THIS KIND OF PLATFORM? DO YOU HAVE ANY MOTIVATION?
- I looked at what was happening globally in the TV and mobile industries. And modified the working models for the African conditions — unique tech that works and costs the end user less. Free (no subscription). Curated content — streaming. VoD will come later
BRIEFLY, CAN YOU TELL US HOW IT WORKS?
- Download the app, choose the channel and watch / listen. With a design like a TV remote, it is simple to use. There is also an interactive Twitter feature.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS IN THE FUTURE? DO YOU VISION TO INTRODUCE TULUNTULU WORLDWIDE?
- It is available globally. And we have audiences in 154 countries. We hope to attract anybody globally interested in cheap video streaming and / or African content.
YOUR APP CAN BE DOWNLOADABLE ON GOOGLE APPS AND APPSTORE RIGHT? IS THERE ANY PAYMENT/SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE THE APP?
- The app is absolutely free
IN ONE WORD, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE TULUNTULU?
- Innovative
ON YOUR OPINION, HOW DID TULUNTULU CHANGED THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN SOUTH AFRICA?
- Tuluntulu carries numerous education, social development and news channels that has improved the lives of Africans.
