Two startups from Sierra Leone and Kenya have been selected for Gray Matter Capital’s (GMC) Calibrator programme.
In a statement, the US-based impact investor Gray Matters Capital said the two will join seven other startups from India and Vietnam in the second round of the India-based edtech accelerator program. Sierra Leone’s mobile learning platform for financial inclusion, Mosabi and Kenyan parenting website, Mums Village are the two selected from Africa.
Gray Matter Capital is a US-based impact investor focused on the funding of for-profit social enterprises in Africa, India, Latin America, USA and South East Asia. It has made 3 investments in Rwanda-based African Renewable Energy Distributor (2017), Ghana-based Redbird Health Tech (2018) and Nigeria-based Sonocare (2019).
The GMC Calibrator was launched last year to make the mobile phone a device to promote “Self Learning to Earning”. The accelerator aims to do this by improving user engagement, monetization and optimization of mobile learning platforms. The six-month long programme kicked off on Wednesday in Bengaluru, India.
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Commenting on the selection of the African startups, GMC Calibrator Programme Head, Omkar Kulkarni said the accelerator was excited to welcome Mosabi and Mums Village. “Africa is an important market for us at Gray Matters Capital and we are strategically looking to nurture those start-ups, which can create gendered impact with their mobile solutions through our programme,” he said.
Mosabi, formerly known as InvestED was founded in 2016. It produces localized animated content focused on financial inclusion for the underserved. The startup operates in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kenya and Liberia. It connects users to financial service providers through an Android app designed for low-bandwidth settings.
The Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Mosabi, Chris Czerwonka said the startup aims to capitalize on the resources and mentorship of the accelerator to improve adoption and optimization of Mosabi’s curriculum. He wants to build best practices for learner affinity and retention by harnessing data insights to refine the app for the Indian market and also, to build a user base on the subcontinent.
Nairobi-based Mums Village is an online platform that enables Kenyan mothers to freely express themselves in a community of doulas (birth coaches), doctors, nutritionists, fitness experts and fellow parents. In addition, the website provides access to relevant and localized information on products and services for pregnant women and mothers in Africa.
The Co-founder and CEO, Isis Nyong’o said the startup’s participation in the accelerator will enable it scale and optimize. “The target market potential of baby goods in Africa is huge and is projected to reach between $5-billion to $-billion by 2021. This paves the way for us to take the e-commerce route to support our growing community,” added Nyong’o.
