Injini Think Tank releases its first African EdTech Insights Report
- This evidence-based report encapsulates key market research insights on thematic areas of research within the EdTech sector, generated through market research partnerships.
- Its objective is to highlight the progress and challenges of EdTech in Africa, as well as to provide insights on the way forward for EdTech on the continent.
- The report was produced in collaboration with Business France, EdTech France, and Afinef, and includes research insights from Northern and Francophone African countries.
September 6, 2023, CAPE TOWN: The Injini Think Tank is pleased to announce the release of its first African EdTech Insights report. A clear understanding of the EdTech landscape is essential to advance EdTech innovation on the continent. With this report, the Injini Think Tank aims to shed light on the evolution of EdTech in Africa. It highlights the significant progress that has been made thus far, as well as the challenges faced by both EdTech entrepreneurs and the beneficiaries of their solutions. By presenting an overview of the African EdTech ecosystem, it also offers insights into the way forward.
"With this first report, the Injini Think Tank wants to circulate interesting insights that we have distilled from our recent work, especially since publicly launching in April 2022,” says Krista Davidson, Executive Director at Injini. “As an organisation, we want to promote knowledge exchange across the African education innovation ecosystem, and intend to lead by example.”
Davidson goes on to explain that some of the key outcomes of this report includes sharing collected knowledge about the broad African education innovation ecosystem, aggregating current and future opportunities for EdTech start-ups throughout the continent, identifying risk factors that may affect the growth and sustainability of EdTech in the region and, importantly, strengthening the value proposition of EdTech in Africa.
Injini recognises that by making research findings more widely accessible to innovators and other stakeholders, we are likely to see more evidence-driven decision-making in the education sector, especially when it comes to education innovation in Africa. Additionally, by partnering with Business France, EdTech France, and Afinef, we were given the opportunity to gain insights from Francophone Africa, making this report more representative of the diversity that can be found across the continent.
The report showcases some of the work that the Injini Think Tank has conducted with various African EdTech companies, as the only specialised entity dedicated to EdTech research in Africa. Through this collaborative approach, the Injini Think Tank was able to identify key findings that demonstrate the substantial growth of EdTech in Africa over the last few years. Although the sector is said to be in its infancy, funded start-ups grew from 210 EdTech solutions in 2020 to 419 in 2022, alone, on the continent.
The report also highlights how the education landscape has changed following COVID-19 and how teachers, schools, and learners across the continent adapted to ensure minimal disruption to learning.
Notable trends identified in the report include:
- Increased adoption of online learning
- Steady growth of EdTech companies across the continent
- Greater incorporation of AI and gamification in learning tools
- Expansion of mobile learning
- Increase in partnerships between EdTech start-ups, traditional education providers, and governments
The report also outlines the key challenges facing EdTech companies in Africa, including:
- English-centric EdTech solutions and associated language barriers
- Limited access to digital tools and internet connectivity
- Limited funding opportunities for EdTech start-ups
- Challenges related to working with governments and educational institutions
While the African EdTech Insights Report: Volume 1 does not provide a complete snapshot of the entire EdTech landscape in Africa, it is a substantial step towards understanding the state of EdTech innovation, investment, and growth on the continent.
Davidson concludes, "EdTech is still in its infancy, and there is no denying that COVID-19 accelerated its growth. However, there is still ample room for improvement and advancement. The research and this report show that Africa has its unique set of challenges, and we cannot rely solely on data or solutions from the global north to address them and ensure progress."
About the Injini Think Tank
The Injini Think Tank was launched in 2022. Its goal is to deliver research and advisory support on all things African education innovation. The Injini Think Tank aims to steer and house localised industry research through data-led publications, bespoke market research for EdTech entrepreneurs, open discussion platforms, community building strategic initiatives and engagement on education policy.
For more information, please visit https://www.injini.africa/injinithinktank
About Injini
Injini is a registered Non-Profit Company that exists for the sole purpose of improving educational outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. The company was founded in 2017 and remains the only EdTech specialised accelerator in Africa. Injini’s various programmes and research, via the Injini Think Tank, all contribute towards its mission to increase the quality, accessibility, and relevance of education in the region. Injini is a member of the UVU Africa Group.
For more information on Injini, please visit https://www.injini.africa/
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