Solution Overview & Team Lead Details

Our Organization

Educational Initiatives (Ei)

What is the name of your solution?

Personalized Learning with Mindspark

Provide a one-line summary of your solution.

Building a scalable model for evidence-based Personalized Adaptive Learning in public schools through use of technology to bridge the learning gap.

Film your elevator pitch.

What specific problem are you solving?

The dichotomy in India’s economic growth story is evidenced by low average upward mobility, of which educational outcome is a strong determinant. A recent study based on data from the India Human Development Survey, studying 450,000+ villages and towns, showed that dramatic gains in average levels of income and access to education have not made a difference for the bottom quartile of the population. Increased enrolment, improved infrastructure, and better nutrition in schools have not translated into learning improvements, with students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in public schools of India lagging behind expected grade-level competencies. This has led to increased dropouts in higher grades and minimal benefits from education in terms of income or well-being among these groups.

Covid-19 induced school closures have further reduced the average learning levels and widened the distribution of learning achievements. The study suggested that 25% more students may fall below a baseline level of proficiency needed for future learning. Globally, before the pandemic, 53% of students from low- and middle-income countries were unable to read and understand a simple text. This learning poverty is projected to worsen to 63% now. Much more will be lost after children return to school as they fall behind the curriculum, being unable to catch up. This learning gap gets widened as the deficit increases in adult life affecting their earnings for the rest of their lives.

This strengthens our hypothesis that while enrolling children in school is (relatively) easy, getting them to actually learn is extremely hard. They could go through the motions of education - going to school, copying things from the blackboard, and preparing for and writing exams. However, our assessments - which tested for understanding - showed that these steps did not lead to learning. This will disproportionately affect schools and teachers who serve students from disadvantaged demographics in government-aided schools. They will not have access to updated data on student learning and growth to assess learning gaps. When teaching classes where students display a vast diversity of learning levels, teachers find it difficult to address their individual needs, especially when under the pressure to complete the syllabus for the year.

The evidence that children were not learning with understanding came with two related but non-intuitive insights. One, that there were students who often did not understand certain key concepts (i.e., they suffered from crucial misconceptions) and, two, that teachers were invariably unaware of how prevalent these misconceptions were. What this meant was that though students may have been in a particular grade, they actually learned at a level below what was expected for that grade. Despite attending school, therefore, they wouldn't learn much because the content was too advanced for them.

A realignment to make these schools and the system coherent for learning is possible through the collaboration between state and non-state actors to improve policies, systemic capacity, dissemination of implementation knowledge, and pedagogy in the classrooms. Improved pedagogy will lead to better learning outcomes, more productivity for these schools, increased capacity in the system to implement reforms that work on granular data to plan capacity building for teachers and schools at the apex level, and improved social and economic outcomes for the students in the long run.

What is your solution?

About Mindspark

After almost a decade of work in assessments, Ei has gained nuanced insights into student learning and misconceptions. While we have shared these insights with stakeholders in the system to enable reform, we have also seen the potential to create a tool to actively solve the problem. This eventually led to the creation of Mindspark.

The Mindspark platform is interactive and includes continuous student assessment alongside instructional games, and activities from which students learn through explanations and feedback.

It is a personalized adaptive platform based on the principle of "Teaching at the Right Level" (TaRL). The questions get more challenging for the students as they progress in their learning.

This means that it dynamically adjusts the content to the individual needs of the student using it. The back end of the learning software is powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms which correct itself as more students use the platform.

It is available both in English and vernacular local languages like Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu to ensure learning happens at the bottom of the pyramid.

How Mindspark works:

  • Students undertake a screening test that determines their initial learning level in each subject.

  • They are then presented with questions mapped according to their grade level. Based on their response to each question, the software actively adjusts what they will be presented next.

  • It also contains remediation modules that are activated when a student demonstrates a misconception.

  • The software enables remediation through repeated practice, and by providing hints and explanations where needed.

  • The system recognizes each student's uniqueness and presents them with a unique learning path.

  • It understands that two children at the same level may be stuck for different reasons. Mindspark examines patterns of the error to target “differentiated remedial instruction” and then targets activities based on the likely reason for the mistake.

How Mindspark helps students & teachers:

Mindspark generates usage reports that give detailed and actionable insights into both individual and group learning levels. Teachers and school administrators can use these to plan lessons and provide remediation where necessary.

Prior to the pandemic, students used Mindspark in labs set up in their schools. During the Covid-19, Mindspark was made available remotely. Students can now access it via smartphones and similar devices at home, through an interface optimized for mobile usage. 

Mindspark program, is thus, able to improve learning levels of students who are behind grade levels through effective pedagogy & on-ground implementation.

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Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

In the last two decades, children in India have gained access to schools - 98% of students in rural India have a primary school within 3 km of their home, and India’s net primary school enrollment rate is comparable to those of developed countries. 

However, learning outcomes among these groups remain extremely poor and unequal. In India, the learning outcomes are worse for the rural and remote regions, especially for the disadvantaged, tribal communities where the average literacy rate is 30-40% below the national average. The situation for students from marginalized backgrounds has only worsened in the pandemic due to limited access to digital technology and the un-preparedness of the system for remote learning.

The organization aims at solving the next big problem which the policymakers will face in the coming future. Mindspark was created to improve learning outcomes among the students - primarily the underserved children between the ages of 5 and 18. Mindspark directly addresses learning gaps of these students and enables teaching and learning at the right level by tailoring lessons to individual student needs and providing teachers with actionable insights that can be implemented/addressed in classrooms.

Mindspark for Students

The Mindspark provides an intelligent tutoring system for students from a browser on a computer or a tablet. Mindspark had a number of features designed to help students learn. From voiceover support to remedials, the students are able to get ahead in the learning curve. When deployed in after-school centers, the constant usage of Mindspark showed cost-effective gains of 0.37 SD in Math and 0.23 SD in Language. An evaluation by Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) found the relative impact of the program to be much greater for low-achieving students, who otherwise were making no progress in school despite enrolment.

Mindspark enables differentiated instructions by activities that are next to impossible for teachers.

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Mindspark for Teachers

Mindspark teachers are oriented on the following:

  • Use Mindspark as a student to understand how students would experience Mindspark

  • Types of questions on Mindspark

  • Use teacher dashboard to review and analyze teacher reports

  • Use the devices - Keyboard, mouse, syncing on server, etc

Teachers are also provided with a support to use Mindspark and resolve technical difficulties.

Periodically, we also hold district-level teacher trainings, which serve dual purpose - (a) refresher training for teachers, and (b) platform to share best practices and challenges if any.

These training are conducted in line with our philosophy to create a model that the government can carry forward with minimal reliance on us and ensure the sustainability of the project. This is done through a gradual year-on-year shift from a 'high-touch' model to a 'low-touch' model over three years.

School Administrators and District Officials

School administrators & district officials receive dashboards that allow them to track usage of the program across grades in the school. They can showcase this to parents, track teacher usage, and plan specific teacher training program. The dashboard for each class is available at the topmost level which promotes transparency in the education system. This gives them actionable insights into the teaching methodology which further helps in integrating best practices in teaching at all levels.

Research Community

The research community benefits from the rich datasets on student learning & components of tech-based learning programs that work in low-capacity environments. The Mindspark has promoted the practice of impact evaluation. The datasets are available to all our partners who can do effective research on teaching pedagogy. With these evaluations, Mindspark is the only rigorously tested learning software in India. Many research partners request our data to conduct randomized control trial, comparative study and independent baseline and end-line measurement. This has helped the organization to self-assess as well as encourage an ecosystem where the hypothesis of interventions can be tested.

Mindspark: Improving Student Outcomes

Educational Initiatives’ teams have undertaken extensive outreach, engaging with government officials, school administrators, teachers, communities and parents to facilitate this. Numerous training sessions, frequent calls, the establishment of community-based labs have all been done. With further school closures likely due to the pandemic, increased engagement with Mindspark at home can be an effective tool to enable learning remediation and ensure that inequalities in learning outcomes for these groups remain minimal.

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How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?

Our top executives are on the boards of several educational committees for governments at the state and central levels in India. Their insights have been sought for teacher education, implementation of ICT in education, drafting RTE model rules, formulating national assessment strategies, etc. They have also been involved in SSA’s Joint Review Mission, and the NCERT's Advisory Board for Educational Surveys. 

Our CEO, having grown in the organization from an associate to a CEO over the last decade, has also been recognized  by the Schwab Foundation for Corporate Social Intrapreneurship. In the past, senior members from EI have been invited to present papers in prestigious national and international forums such as the World Bank (Washington DC, 2017), Harvard Social Enterprise Conference (Cambridge, 2017), National Council of Educational Measurement (New York, 2008), International Language Testing Association, (Hangzhou, China, 2008) and others.

EI’s teams have liaised with Central & State government entities. EI’s implementation team has therefore been able to conduct assessments and introduce Mindspark in the remotest regions of the country. EI regularly invests in the learning and development of employees and provides platforms for them to engage with the larger educational ecosystem. The organization’s culture makes individuals strive for ownership, efficiency, and collaboration to achieve the vision of “every child learning with understanding

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Enable personalized learning and individualized instruction for learners who are most at risk for disengagement and school drop-out

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Our solution's stage of development:

Scale

How many people does your solution currently serve?

Mindspark has been used by half a million unique students over the past decade. Annually it’s used by about 200,000+ students globally – with the vast majority in India. The low-income students study in 5,000+ public schools in 10 Indian states and use the learning software in 9 languages (English, Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Kannada). By the end of next year with support from the partners, EI expects to reach more than 0.3 million children using Mindspark despite school closures, by providing remote access.

Why are you applying to Solve?

Being part of the MIT Solve community will provide EI with the following:

  1. Building evidence on improvement in learning as a function of usage at home based on large scale evidence from EdTech implementation in remote/ blended/ at-home/ community usage models

  2. Building process discovery through documenting best practices with video and working papers & research material

  3. Access to international networks and partnerships to potentially make Mindspark accessible to more students in countries across the globe.

  4. Access to funders at a global level to take Mindspark at home to more children across the world

Covid-19 has exacerbated learning gaps for students due to prolonged school closures. The Government has responded to this by provisioning online and technology-based learning through their education departments and collaborations with non-governmental partners.

However, these efforts are limited by a lack of access to and use of mobile devices for learning. We are adapting to and planning for the changes caused by the pandemic. Our focus remains the improvement of foundational learning (Math, vernacular language, English) for children from socio-economically marginalized backgrounds in minority areas. To ensure these children have access to adequate learning resources and opportunities, we require grant funding. This will help us reach many more students whose learning has suffered the most during the pandemic.

In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?

Product / Service Distribution (e.g. expanding client base)

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

Ritesh Agarwal (AVP)

More About Your Solution

What makes your solution innovative?

Multiple studies across the world show that Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) is the most effective approach to bridging learning gaps. A growing body of evidence finds that, in capacity-constrained contexts where it is infeasible for a teacher to cater to multiple learning levels, computer-assisted personalized learning may be the most promising approach. The National Education Policy, 2020 aims to use artificial intelligence to make learning more personalized and customized as per the learner’s requirement.

Ei has developed a personalized adaptive learning (PAL) software, MindSpark, that when deployed in after-school centers showed cost-effective gains of 0.37 SD in Math and 0.23 SD in Language. It can be used on any form factor, in both online and offline modes. An evaluation by Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) found the relative impact of the program to be much greater for low-achieving students, who otherwise were making no progress in school despite enrolment. It is the only rigorously tested learning software in India, acting as a catalyst to bring the theory of change in the EdTech market.

Mindspark tailors content to each student’s ability level in Math, Language and English. Teachers can access learning analytics daily and schools can get longitudinal data on each student. There are customized data dashboards for all levels of stakeholders for a comprehensive view of the learning progress, ensuring insights are available for planning teacher support. This data driven approach will ensure higher accountability for learning. Further demonstrating measurable impact will galvanize more buy-in for state level roll-outs.

Mindspark has changed the market dynamics through an innovative approach since its launch:

Based on research: Using pedagogical research and rich data from 20 years of assessments conducted in government and private schools, Mindspark captures specific misconceptions and helps overcome them proactively while enabling learning. 

Assessment for learning: Diagnostic tests in Mindspark detect misconceptions and proficiency in concepts and put students in personalized remedial paths that consist of questions and activities.

Real life examples: To pique interest in learning a new concept taught, Mindspark facilitates learning by creating the need to learn the concept either by showing real life situations and/or posing a problem which is efficiently solved if the targeted concept is understood. 

Intelligent responses: Mindspark has sophisticated and intelligent responses like response-specific feedback & alerts, numeric and non-numeric parsers to interpret various forms of student answers (like 'two' or '2' or '4/2' or '2/1' are the same)

Intelligent feedback: Step By Step solver in Algebra, Exponents, Real numbers and Trigonometry allows Mindspark to provide very specific and contextually relevant feedback messages, at each step. This granular data is further used to develop insights.

Games and enrichment activities: Mindspark has pedagogically oriented games that ensures engagement of children and enrichment activities allows children who have learned a concept to explore beyond typical curriculum.

Teacher interface: It ensures teachers have complete control over what concepts the class needs to learn, and how that can be effectively timed (in sync with classroom teaching). Further, teachers are provided with student and class level insights with recommended action points based on class performance.

What are your impact goals for the next year and the next five years, and how will you achieve them?

In the next year, we intend to create a successful model for the effective implementation of remote learning and ICT-based solutions to improve foundational skills of children in government schools. In the next five years, we aim to partner with multiple state governments to implement Mindspark using government-funded ICT infrastructure at scale, reaching more than 10 million children across India.

In July 2020, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, unveiled the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Among its priorities was the integration of ICT in teaching and learning, with vernacular languages being the medium of instruction. Mindspark is currently made available in 8 Indian languages and English as a Second Language, unmatched by any other EdTech software in India.

Additionally, in 2020, Mindspark was made available as an application, enabling access to it via mobile devices outside school. This offers immense potential for scale and in the coming years, Mindspark aims to reach out to students in currently under-served segments like tribal welfare and social welfare schools across India.

Finally, the team at Educational Initiatives continuously invests in research & development on cost-effective technologies and methods to enhance operational efficiency at the ground level. With this process discovery, a pathway to scale will be created. With an efficient operational model and strong support systems in place, EI has committed to offering this program at INR 125 (< $2) per child per year at scale within the next 5 years.

How are you measuring your progress toward your impact goals?

The success metrics are dependent upon the variety of factors:

  • Number of schools with functional labs (deployment of hardware, software, first set of trainings for teachers, school leader and children)

  • Number of direct beneficiaries, with required disaggregation

  • Number of teachers looking at student data and adapting their lessons plans 

  • Number of education department officials who use student usage as an intelligent way of monitoring and proactively offering support to headmasters where needed

  • Impact of MindSpark usage on student test scores measured by a third party

  • Demonstrated private sector uptake of the personalized adaptive learning (PAL) with disaggregation by source (public, private, or blended) indicated by the number of PAL providers/ MindSpark competitors that work on improving reading and mathematics

  • Demonstrated public sector uptake of the PAL with disaggregation by source (public, private, or blended) indicated by the number of state-sponsored tenders for personalized adaptive learning, i.e., number of tenders that include learning software and addition of field team members (and not just hardware) 

Ei's success parameters are aligned as per the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Our student learning indicators are measured as a function of reach and engagement, and increase in learning outcomes. Ei is measuring the success of the project using the following metrics:

  • Reach is indicated by the number of unique students receiving the intervention

  • Student engagement is indicated by the total number of students actively engaged in the intervention which is composed of:

    • The number of activities/topics covered

    • The average duration of Mindspark usage per month (hours of usage for each student)

    • The average number of ‘Sparkies’ earned per month and the average % accuracy in questions answered per month

    • Improvement in learning outcomes in Language, English and Math

Some other metrics related to market outreach are:

  • Cumulative number of mentions/ citations of implementation challenges and impact - both success and failure studies by national/ global institutions
  • Number of workshops/seminars with public practitioners for the dissemination of learnings

  • Philanthropic/ Government funding mobilized for scaling the project

  • Government funding mobilized for PAL in the states where the proposed implementation is deployed


What is your theory of change?

Ei’s theory of change rests on the principle of radically changing the way school education is realized across the country. Ei seeks to bring a change at the very start of learning of an individual, i.e., in early education and beyond, directly addressing the need for empowering students to achieve a just and sustainable living in the future

Ei’s seeks to leverage technology and innovation to provide a seamless interactive, adaptive & highly researched pedagogy-based teaching to children across income classes, considering important factors such as conceptual learning & the local context. Such kind of backward re-engineering from Ei’s long term goal to establishing prominent pre-conditions should ideally set the course for disruption in the school education space in the years to come.

Ei's customized system of learning involves providing students with choices based on:

  • the speed of learning (self-paced learning)
  • topics that interest children
  • reward system based on the progress
  • preferred language local context

Multiple studies across the world show that Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) is the most effective approach to bridging learning gaps. A growing body of evidence finds that, in capacity constrained contexts where it is infeasible for a teacher to cater to multiple learning levels, computer-assisted personalized learning may be the most promising approach.

Ei has developed a personalized adaptive learning (PAL) software, Mindspark, that when deployed in after-school centers showed cost-effective gains of 0.37 SD in Math and 0.23 SD in Language. It can be used on any form factor, in both online and offline modes. An evaluation by Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) found the relative impact of the program to be much greater for low-achieving students, who otherwise were making no progress in school despite enrolment.

After this efficacy trial with individual randomization for 300 students, the program was iterated by substituting hours of in-school instructional time with tech-based learning for 6000 students. With grant from Global Innovation Fund (GIF), Ei also documented system level insights for effective implementation of personalized adaptive learning (PAL).

The in-school model has shown promising test score impacts of 0.2 SD at 18 months, with larger productivity increase in middle grades. The treatment effect in middle schools is ~80-100% increment in productivity of business-as-usual schooling. This is critical as there is little positive evidence on remediation of learning gaps in middle schools through other traditional interventions.

Mindspark tailors content to each student’s ability level in Math, Language and English. Teachers can access learning analytics daily and schools can get longitudinal data on each student. There are customized data dashboards for all levels of stakeholders for a comprehensive view of the learning progress, ensuring insights are available for planning teacher support. This data driven approach will ensure higher accountability for learning. Further demonstrating measurable impact will galvanize more buy-in for state level roll-outs.

An IPE Triple Line report estimated that each student in the program generated 0.78 additional years of schooling. Using GIF’s conversion of one additional year of schooling as equivalent to a 10% increase in annual income, gives an estimated risk-adjusted impact value of 220,000 Person Years of Income. This translates into a 5-15% improvement in income over a child's lifetime, expected to result in improved socio-economic status and mobility.

The intervention’s impact therefore goes beyond just improved outcomes for direct beneficiaries. It will help exhibiting efficacy at scale as proof-of-concept, with which governments can be convinced to integrate PAL solutions with in-class instruction. Simultaneously, Ei will engage with other ecosystem partners to develop state capability in public procurement process, which is currently lacking. This approach should trickle down throughout the system, with teachers and stakeholders at the last mile able to meaningfully supplement in-person instruction with technological aides.

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Describe the core technology that powers your solution.

Mindspark is a Personalized Adaptive Learning Software that uses AI-based pedagogical research, past learning patterns, and 20 years of assessment data to create a unique learning path for each child. The software adapts to the pace and level of individual students to improve their learning. It enables “teaching at the right level” through technology, by leveraging AI to diagnose misconceptions and remediates them through pedagogically proven ways.

  • Adaptive logic: The level of adaptability in Mindspark adjusts with the subject context and the current learning level of a child. The questions are finely graded, i.e., there are a large number of questions with gradually increasing levels of difficulty. Questions are specially designed to test understanding and to help solve student misconceptions. 

  • Learning paths based on AI: When a student answers a question or combination of questions incorrectly, the system diagnoses the child’s misconceptions/weak areas. The student may further be provided a simple or detailed explanation, or be redirected to questions that strengthen basic conceptual understanding.

  • Usage diagnosis: Mindspark is capable of identifying usage patterns of the child using Mindspark and answering questions by solving them based on the time spent on each question by the child. Through teacher interface, teachers are provided with student and class level insights with recommended action points based on class performance. 

  • Available in Android and web browsers: Application is optimized for low bandwidth usage (needs 3GB data per month) and is available for smartphones and tablets.

Which of the following categories best describes your solution?

A new application of an existing technology

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

  • Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
  • Audiovisual Media
  • Software and Mobile Applications

Which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals does your solution address?

  • 1. No Poverty
  • 4. Quality Education
  • 5. Gender Equality
  • 10. Reduced Inequalities
  • 17. Partnerships for the Goals

In which countries do you currently operate?

  • India
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa

In which countries will you be operating within the next year?

  • India
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • United Arab Emirates
Your Team

What type of organization is your solution team?

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

How many people work on your solution team?

Our team includes 250+ professionals combining depth of pedagogical and assessment expertise with experience from working with schools, government systems and top-tier organizations in education, and leading academic institutions. Our specialized internal teams work on test development, data science, educational research, psychometrics, personalized learning, and IT development.

How long have you been working on your solution?

12+ years

What is your approach to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into your work?

EI’s staff consists of people with varied work experience in the field of education. The team includes teachers with several years of experience in teaching in K-12 and higher education, curriculum developers with expertise in different subjects, and teacher trainers who have worked in several government projects to train teachers. Their hands-on experience of working with stakeholders across the board, from students to governments, has helped EI develop reliable assessment tools. The organization’s IT has developed e-learning tools and program to analyze large volumes of data.

Ei is staffed by a diverse set of people from different states across India. This helps us develop solutions contextualized to the needs of each state. Over 40% of EI’s staff are women, and many are leaders within different teams. The spectrum of EI’s team ranges from alumni of the best universities in India and abroad to professionals with a wealth of experience working on the ground to implement social development projects.

Your Business Model & Funding

What is your business model?

Ei, through Mindspark, caters to government schools that serve children from socio-economically marginalized backgrounds. The stakeholders involved in our programs include:

  • Teachers, who receive training and data on student learning gaps and progress

  • Children, who are provided with access to Mindspark to improve their learning

  • Governments, who provide necessary permissions and access to government schools

  • Funders, who financially support the program

The program involves the following:

  • Developing Mindspark that identifies Misconceptions based on the data gathered and improved year on year - a PAL learning tool, available to government schools

  • Effective on-ground implementation, which requires surveying schools, setting up labs, repair and maintenance, and support through virtual call centers. Resource persons are also deployed here who manage the functioning of the lab

  • Training teachers and students to help them use Mindspark data to supplement their teaching and learning

  • Providing data to drive accountability in the education system, capacity building for teachers, and generating insights to influence education policies

For the current year, the program in government schools is broadly funded through a mix of corporate funding (60%), international grants (33%), and public procurement via government tenders (7%). EI anticipates that short term and medium-term sustainability to be supported by hybrid funding models:

  • Receiving grants from bilateral agencies and international development agencies

  • Winning competitive tenders through public procurements from the state governments/ tribal school departments

  • Philanthropy from high-net-worth individuals and corporate CSR budgets

  • Participating in innovating social financing models such as the Development Impact Bonds

Ei's social business model canvas is summarized below:

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Do you primarily provide products or services directly to individuals, to other organizations, or to the government?

Organizations (B2B)

What is your plan for becoming financially sustainable?

India's K-12 sector in EdTech: A Primer

With the current enrolment of more than 250 million, the K-12 segment is the largest and most attractive segment for digital learning providers in India. In this segment of e-learning, further sub-segments include smart class solutions, online tutoring, online preparation for exams, simulation and virtual reality, STEM learning, AR and robotics, and assessment. Amongst the various prominent Indian players Ei, overtime, has built a reputation as one of the most rigorously evaluated EdTech service providers in the country. Ei is estimated to grow 1.7x in FY21-22 in revenue.

Ei envisions a multi-prolonged strategy to scale Mindspark in the near future and become a leader in the Edtech space through an overarching operating and resource strategy.

  • Ei's operating strategy includes an internal organizational structure that is optimized to achieve our mission for improving learning outcomes for students. As the Government and private sector stakeholders in the education ecosystem see EdTech to improve learning outcomes as a vital component for the growth of the country, Ei is implementing Mindspark as a key technology component in such projects along with currently actively collaborating with multiple stakeholders on various impact & program assessment projects.
  • Ei' resource strategy is one that involves leveraging and refining technology to enable enhancement of learning outcomes complimented with a variety of approaches that involves using the knowledge of our subject matter experts and domain experts to provide assessment services, program evaluation, exam reform & capacity building to acquire busines opportunities in the EdTech space.

Amongst the products & services that Ei offers, revenue is generated through funding from Central and State government entities, high net worth individuals (HNIs), foundations that are involved in education sector, CSR department of organizations who are actively looking to make an impact in the domain.

Ei's work with Government

Ei has been consistently working with government stakeholders to improve education in various states of the country. The Government benefit from the Ei's programs because of its efficacy and operational efficiency, and the transparency and accountability it helps create.

The Ministry of Education has given impetus to such programs through its ICT policy. This prioritizes the integration of technology in teaching and learning. Mindspark’s successful PAL implementations, thus, far have gained political traction. This should enable the allocation of budgets in the coming years and allow Ei to take up further projects.

Ei's Work with International Agencies, Foundations & Grantmakers

Ei has also implemented large scale education projects in partnership with organizations like UNICEF, World Bank, USAID, DfID, MacArthur Foundation, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, McKinsey, Harvard University & the University of Newcastle and looks to expand this customer portfolio segment.

Plan for Investment Capital

Looking back at Ei's rich history of investment capital funding, the team is actively engaging with the venture capital community to see value in Ei and it's products and services, contributing to the overall vision of 'learning with understanding' for every child.

Ei's future to become financially sustainable includes growing their revenue in the above mentioned domains consistently with achieving the overall social aim of 'learning with understanding' for every child.

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Share some examples of how your plan to achieve financial sustainability has been successful so far.

Some examples of our revenue and funding channels include:

Business Generated from Government Projects

The state of Andhra Pradesh has already agreed on a contract to implement PAL in all of its schools and could catalyze further action. Similarly, we have partners with state of Telangana to provide Mindspark online to children in Grade 9 studying in 94 government schools in 9 different districts within the state. With our expertise in the government sector, we hope to grow in the business segment for years to come.

Ei has excelled in providing services related to assessment. It has partnered with CBSE and has a PMU working in its Centre of Excellence for Assessment. Many state governments like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana etc have partnered with Ei for assessment. The revenue generated from these services amount to the total $350k FY21-22.

Business Generated from Corporate CSR & Grants

Our flagship product Mindspark is being used by corporates under their CSR projects. These include PnG Shiksha, Naandi Foundtion, Paul Flowerman (BEI), National Stock Exchange and Bharat EdTech et al. amounting to a top line figure of $2.67 million FY21-22.

Grants by stakeholders such as USAID and Global Investment Fund (GIF) amount to $1.9 million FY 21-22.

Ei Investment Capital Funding

Ei has a rich history of investment capital that has allowed itself to catapult into the EdTech space. With an initial angel funding and seed funding from high net worth individuals (HNIs) such as Navinchandra Patel and Rajeshkumar Patel. Most recently, Ei has raised significant Series A and Series B funding from Gaja Capital recently to the amount of $25.1 million and $4.87 million in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

In addition to the growing revenue Ei has improved its Net Promoter Score (NPS) to greater than 50. This ensures a high renewal rate, customer delight leading to referrals and seamless use of the product. Ei has increased the learning efficacy of it's product by 4x which can be measured relative to a comparison group.

Solution Team

 
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