Warren Leow from Guru-App gave a presentation on Edtech as a business on 25 June 2014 at LVL.UP KL @ Mindvalley.

1. Edtech business models
within the Malaysian market
Warren Leow

2. What is Guru-App?

3. Non-
profit
Govern
ment
For
profit
Lets talk business….
What did I learn?
How can you try
to succeed?

4. Guru-App assessment
•One stop shop for public references
•30,000 references, 15,000 questions
•Mobile first, Free to use
•Targets localised revision
FAILURE (currently)

5. Why a failure?
• Insufficient critical
mass
• Local market too small
for freemium edtech
• CAC is tough without
visibility of LTV
Market could be ready
in the future.. But when?

6. Malaysian market condition
•Self-renewing market
•Publishers are not in the apps space
•E-books are not yet cool
•IAP industry still messy
•Kids learn differently nowadays
Challenging (for now)

7. Problems in education markets

8. A framework is helpful
Are you a substitute or a
supplement?
Is the addressable market
big enough?
What is the propensity
to pay?
Are you in
education?
Are you in
technology?
Students Parents Government Business Grants
Content Distribution Assessment Hardware

9. Public schooling
system
Publish-
ing
Govt
projects
Where are the Education
revenue pools in Malaysia?
Systems
Mobile
Videos
Private higher
education
Private
schooling
Vocational
training &
certification
Preschool
Private
tuition

10. How to maximise chances of
success?
• Government ties
• Good content
• Distribution
• Non-commoditised tech
• Recognised accreditation
Follow big market
or deep market?
My 2 cents
for big bucks
• High volume, low ARPU
• Low volume, high ARPU
• Unless funded, you need
high LTV products for now

11. Tech is an enabler, not the answer
• Distribution platform/marketplace
• LMS/VLE/B2B servicing business
• Games- especially preschool, primary
• Augmented reality, Machine learning
Most Edtech NOT high tech
NOR revolutionary

12. Local case studies
IP, scale, tech, bricks and mortar

13. 6 magic phrases in Education Tech
Gamification
Adaptive
Learning
Mobile first
Efficacy
Blended
Learning
Flipped
Classroom

15. Please keep in touch
Warren Leow
•CEO- Strategy and product
vision, funding and growth,
recruitment
•Kuala Lumpur, London-based
•jeleow@yahoo.com
•Tel: +60126791203
•Skype: leowje