Gamified STEM learning platform Supernova raises $1.1M in pre-seed funding round led by Lumikai
We are thrilled to announce our investment in Supernova, an ed-tech platform that focuses on ‘learning by doing’ experiences for today’s GenZ kids.
Today’s kids are born into a world of smartphones & highly engaging digital experiences. They seek the same level of engagement from their learning experiences.
Gone are the days of traditional teaching methods that can often be monotonous and unengaging. The current model of STEM-based digital learning in India is overly focused on tuitions, with an increased focus on exam-prep learning.
The model traditionally followed by early learning companies is characterised by the following:
- 1:1 live STEM subject tutorials
- Expensive offerings catered to a more affluent user (average prices of often over $1,500 for one complete course)
- A sales-driven approach to distribution which includes aggressive telemarketing
While this model saw early signs of success, it ran into problems at scale due to some key challenges. The primary one being little to no differentiation in the quality of courses and tutors.
Considering that most players target a similar type of user and have very little differentiation, distribution has become a challenge. Most companies in the space use a sales-based approach to market and distribute products, which is proving costly.
Another key challenge at scale has been sourcing and maintaining high-quality tutors. These factors, along with a rising CAC, have kept course fees high and accessible to only a few.
This has ultimately affected learning outcomes and provided a poor experience for the end user.
The team at Supernova believes that interactive media & systems of play have the potential to disrupt this massive industry.
Supernova seeks to develop a more cohesive, engaging, and effective offering in the ed-tech space. This will be mobile-first, and more affordable targeting a much larger audience base and delivering high-quality, impactful learning.
Supernova is targeted towards kids aged 4–12, offering them experiential forms of learning by providing them with engaging bite-sized lessons. The platform currently offers live quizzes and interactive worksheets for Math, Science and English.
To be clear, Supernova is not looking to be a replacement for tuitions. Instead, they are looking to offer quick-concept, focused interactive content, which can help children consume educational content while having a fun experience.
Worksheets and quizzes are an existing exercise in schools. Supernova has built a next-generation interactive version of worksheets, quizzes and practice books. They aim to turbocharge this proven experience by bringing live social & gamification to the worksheet & quizzing use case.
The founders Anirudh, Rishi, and Nawin, grew up in small towns and credit the betterment of their lives brought about through early education, before going on to some of India’s premier technology institutes.
Having been ex-entrepreneurs and operators, the founders have demonstrated sheer grit and brilliance throughout their professional careers. Two of the founders, Anirudh and Rishi, have been part of the company-building journey before, from inception to exit at $15M ARR. Nawin has been part of the early-stage ecosystem in India as a product manager at successful start-ups such as Swiggy, and ed tech giant Vedantu.
We at Lumikai are excited to be partnering with Kae Capital, All in Capital, Goodwater Capital, Nandan Reddy, Phani Kishan and Kunal Khattar in this journey to support Supernova.
Find out more at the Supernova website here: https://gosupernova.live/
