Global digital learning platform HowNow, which lets users learn anything from anywhere in the world over live interactive video, has secured GBP1.2 million in investment from a number of private investors and investment fund Fuel.Ventures.
HowNow is a global marketplace that connects experts and learners from around the world over live interactive video classes.
The London-based tech start-up has secured GBP1.2 million in investment to expand its marketplace of online experts and develop products for teachers and learners using its platform. With the investment the startup will also be rolling out the augmented online learning technology they have been testing since the start of the year.
HowNow enables anyone with expertise to share and monetise their knowledge, while empowering everyone, including those who may not have previously had access to high-quality teaching, to learn anything from anywhere. The start-up aims to tap into the smart education-technology market that was worth GBP84 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow to GBP358 billion by 2020.
From learning to play the guitar to speaking Spanish, learners can learn a range of subjects including many underserved niche topics directly with an expert from the comfort of their home, in either a one-to-one or group class. In every class the teacher can see the learner, the learner can see the teacher and, in the live group classes, the learners can see and interact with each other in a virtual classroom. Learners normally retain 30 per cent of what they learn in class.
Experts are able to automate scheduling, accept payments and teach over live video in-browser with HowNow's own virtual classroom. HowNow also offers a booking widget that experts can add to their own website to convert their site into an online school. HowNow, now has more than 400 experts teaching in 33 countries, with double-digit month-on-month growth and on average, experts earning GBP2,000 per month through teaching part-time on the platform. There is no set-up cost, all that is required is a laptop, webcam and internet connection.
HowNow was founded by Nelson Sivalingam, a serial entrepreneur who also founded video tech company One Minute City and lifestyle subscription service, Wonderush.
Nelson says: "Through the right kind of education, I strongly believe every human being, no matter how impoverished or illiterate, can develop a new awareness of self. There are millions of people with expertise around the world that could be teaching but don’t because of lack resources and there are millions more who do not have access to high quality teaching just because of where they are based.
“In the Internet era, lack of resources and geography should not be barriers to teaching and learning. We started HowNow to change the way the world learns by enabling anyone with expertise to teach and by empowering people to learn from each other. With the investment we have raised, I’m confident that HowNow will be the go to platform very soon for anyone who wants to learn a new skill or teach what they love.”
