TED makes first ever investment in SA startup

This is cool. South African media content startup Eduze has become the first around the globe to receive an investment from TED, the organisation behind the renowned global conference series.

Started with the aim of democratising digital content, Eduze is responsible for developing the “Clox”, a localised cloud in a box that’s filled to the brim with rich media content. An HD film can therefore be downloaded within three minutes, and an album within one. No buffering. The device can be installed in hyperlocal areas like your neighbourhood football field or more public areas, from taxi busses and trains to airplanes.

Clox’s design makes it lightweight enough for aircrafts, affordable for schools and can generate revenue for hotels and fast-food franchises.

Using Clox, the company’s goal is to provide all Africans with equal access to reliable, relevant, and uplifting free content that is entertaining, educational and informative.

According to a press release sent to Ventureburn, that struck a serious chord with TED whose own mission is “Ideas worth spreading”.

“Eduze has pioneered something extraordinary—thanks to its technology,” says Deron Triff, TED’s Head of Media Distribution. “For the first time, entire swaths of the global population will have the ability to connect and explore, to discover and learn. It’s exactly this kind of breakthrough in connectivity we seek in our work to spread ideas to the far corners of the world.”

Read more: From taxis to airplanes, Eduze wants to democratise digital content

Eduze has run pilots with Amogaleng Buses, Tshwane University of Technology, Maboneng Precinct and many more. These successful trials have seen dwell times of over twenty minutes per user. With a focus on both education and entertainment content, the company is now launching across schools.

“We share TED’s vision — to provide users a digital experience that is compelling, meaningful and accessible,” says Eduze MD Charlie Beuthin. “Where local book libraries offer cost- and risk-free books, we hope to do the same with digital content. We aim to offer African content producers an innovative and commercially viable new distribution channel. Our first pilots are underway, and we look forward to an exciting and progressive year.”

According to the release curated TED Talks are already a highlight of the offering.

Eduze says it has also lined up agreements with global and African content publishers to provide the “finest range of digital content available to schools”. Careers counselling will be offered as part of Eduze’s refined content offering, all focused on its unique edutainment approach.

“We want to speak to learners in a fresh and inspirational way”, says Beuthin. “Our research and experience shows that learners need new hope and direction; they get told how to pass exams but given no idea why they should try pass the exams – what can come afterwards. It’s obvious that the digital provision of content is key, but it’s more than that. It’s about a compelling content offering, provided in a convenient, affordable, fun manner that feeds from a student’s natural curiosity.”

Eduze says it will have content across the full range of schools subjects with a particular focus on maths and science. As part of its English “immersion” language acquisition programme, Eduze offers schools access to relevant movies, music, animated series and more.

Eduze is presently launching across South Africa – with plans to launch across the continent, with a specific focus on Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania