Why We Invested in Elimutab: Democratizing Access to Education in Kenya
Education in Kenya and much of Africa has seen both great strides and significant challenges, with educational access, quality, and resources often varying widely.
Despite progress in increasing school enrollment rates in Kenya thanks to the government’s free education initiative introduced in 2002, challenges such as inadequate learning materials persist, especially in rural areas where education facilities are often underfunded. This education inequality was not more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many students couldn’t access remote learning due to lack of digital devices.
The advent of education technology, or ‘edtech,’ has presented a transformative opportunity to bridge the educational gap, improve the learning experience, and make education more accessible. One such innovative solution is Elimutab, an edtech startup based in Kenya.
Founded in 2022 by Anthony Kahinga and Grace Wairimu, Elimutab is one of Kenya’s first educational tablet specifically designed to support various educational curricula, including the Kenyan Competency-based curriculum (CBC), Cambridge and Montessori, to meet the diverse learning needs of Kenyan students.
The tablet comes preloaded with educational content, curriculum-approved e-books, and engaging apps that help students prepare for exams, review core subjects, or learn the basics of coding — all tailored to the local school curriculum.
Since its inception, the company has partnered with over 27 partners, including financing partners like Untapped Global, that enable parents to purchase tablets on a more affordable and flexible payment basis and help ensure every student has access to quality education.
Elimutab has also partnered with local and global e-learning content providers like Duolingo and Google Classrooms to equip students with a variety of educational resources on par with the rest of the world.
Impact with Elimutab
Elimutab has gained considerable traction, especially in its home base of Kenya. In the last two years, they have sold over 9,000 tablets and reached more than 120 Kenyan schools. Of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Elimutab notably contributes to:
- Quality education: Elimutab improves the quality of education by providing access to a wealth of educational resources and interactive learning tools. It addresses the needs of diverse learning styles and educational systems, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all children.
- Reduced inequalities: Through its partnerships with financiers like Untapped, Elimutab lowers the acquisition cost for its tablets, making high-quality learning materials accessible for all students in cities and those in remote and underserved areas, leveling the playing field for all learners.
Smart Asset Financing™: Accelerating Growth
Through Smart Asset Financing, Untapped is financing more educational tablets for Elimutab to expand its inventory and reach. Antony Kahinga, Co-Founder of Elimutab, explained, “When we first started, our biggest challenge was ensuring our tablets could reach every corner of Kenya. Financial constraints often hindered our ability to speed up manufacturing and distribution. Untapped’s financing has not only eased this burden but also opened up opportunities for us to access larger markets. Now, we can reach more schools, empower more teachers, and inspire countless students. It is incredibly fulfilling to witness our mission of democratizing education come to life. We’re not just dreaming of a future where every child can access quality education; we are actively building it, one tablet at a time.”
About Untapped Global
Untapped Global creates shared prosperity by unlocking economic opportunity where it’s needed most.
We play a catalytic role in financing tech-enabled companies in emerging markets. Our financing approach delivers competitive returns, and measurable impact for global investors.
For more information, reach out to our team at info@untapped-global.com
