South Africa - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

The Nimble Future Skills program aims to give young children and teenagers skills-based exposure to essential industry skills of the future such as Robotics, Algorithmics, Agriculture and Financial Literacy. The future belongs to those who are prepared!

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Nimble Playful Learning Institute was established in January 2023 with the vision of contributing value to finding solutions for the gaps in the education system in South Africa. Our mandate is to add value by offering skills based exposure programs for young children aged 6-12 years old and teenagers aged 13-16 years old. We believe that the human brain is more pliable during younger ages, and early exposure and development is more advantageous. The program runs for 10 weeks spread across the academic year. It is designed to supplement formal academics while enhancing the educational experiences and learning scope for students in preparation for the future. Our program covers Robotics, Algorithmics, Agriculture and Financial Literacy. Through this initiative we aim to equip young people so they grow to be active contributors to finding innovative solutions for local issues and in the long run, mitigate poverty, unemployment and be proactive in bridging the skills gaps in our country.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

The problem is that our education system is not most effective to produce citizens that are equipped to find solutions for the essential industries. South Africa has an alarming junior level school drop out rate, 40% of students do not make from Grade 1 to Matric. Discouragement and dire socio-economic issues amongst other issues are contributors to this outcome. The current curriculum doesn't really mirror the needs of our economy and is indirectly affecting the employability of school leavers which affects the unemployment rate. There is an over saturation of non-essential skills for example in Entertainment and Digital Marketing, with a shortage of essential skills for example in the Agricultural sector. Through the Nimble Future Skills program we aim to be proactive in creating a new generation workforce that specifically targets the country's economic needs. Our commitment is long term, children today that are intentionally developed will be value-contributing adults tomorrow.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

Nimble Playful Learning Institute is a fairly young organization, not only because it was established in 2023, but also because it was established by young leaders. The advantages of using our services is global standard skills program that will ensure children's competitive advantage in the market place. Versatile competencies allow for one to have options whether they choose formal employment or an entrepreneurial path. Our direct value proposition is skills training, early competence screening, aptitude test for teenagers and development counselling. Our indirect value proposition is networking and early access to junior upskilling opportunities with industry partners that collaborate with us in simulating close to real life practical learning experiences for the students. On a personal level, value to be derived is self-awareness and confidence. Knowledgeable and experienced people tend to be more assertive and competent to lead and add value.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

The Nimble Future Skills Program is designed with children aged 6-12 years old as well as teenagers aged 13-16 years old. Our target market are parents who want to add an educational supplement for their children to be better equipped, schools keen on facilitating extra-curricular skills-based programs, and industry leaders who desire to proactively prepare a workforce to absorb as the economy grows, for example in Agriculture food scientist. Our program has multiple touch-points of impact when it comes to beneficiaries: Schools will enhance their offering and create an opportunity for research and development towards improving the overall curriculum. Parents will invest in equipping their children with future skills that will give them a competitive advantage in the market place. Children will have an headstart to skills-based development that will broaden their options of economic participation whether they get a job or start a business. Industry leaders will make a difference.

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-01-25

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

3

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

2

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

The Nimble Playful Learning Institute is made up of a board of 3 Directors. Gomolemo Nkosi: An early child development educator with over 5 years experience in a project management, project coordination and administrative capacity across the education, entertainment, construction and consulting industries.(Executive director) Nkosinathi Nkosi: A project coordinator with over 7 years experience in administrative roles across the following industries: Insurance, telecommunications and legal industry. (Executive director) Glory Nkosi: Retired retail manager with over 30 years retail experience across different departments over the years. (Non-executive director)

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091999007334

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Educational Products and Services

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

5

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

We moderately agree that the Nimble Future Skills program directly makes efforts to end poverty. We believe that quality education is a contributing factor to poverty alleviation. Although it is a long term approach it has seemed to be more sustainable than charity kind of aid such as grants and food parcels.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

The Nimble Future Skills program aims to ensure that the future generation is well equipped to manage the shared resources well. One of the modules in the program called "Plant-a-buddy" is an Agricultural education aimed at transferring knowledge about substance farming in a practical way. Through this module the students learn the basics of food production from seed to harvest gamified in a form of a story the life story of a veggie or fruit buddy. We believe our program proactively contributes to food security through knowledge and skills empowerment,

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

3

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

Not directly applicable to The Nimble Future Skills progam

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

This SGD Goal is the heart beat of the Nimble Future Skills Program initiative. At the core of all we do is to improve the quality of education, using digital innovations to make it more accessible and affordable as well as promote life long learning while taking advantage of early child developmental years.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

The Nimble Future skills program aims to provide equal opportunities to all that need empowerment

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

Our program doesn't contribute this SGD Goal.

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

Our program doesn't contribute this SGD Goal.

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

More than Knowledge education we believe that skills empowerment improves the opportunities of decent work which eventually leads to economic growth.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

5

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

2

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Our program doesn't contribute this SGD Goal.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

Our program doesn't contribute this SGD Goal.

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

Our program doesn't significantly contribute this SGD Goal.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

3

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

Our program doesn't significantly contribute this SGD Goal.

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

The backbone of the Nimble Future Skills program is partnership with schools, with parents, with community leaders, with industry players. Through this we believe we are fostering an impact network that allows for multiple beneficiaries with different stakeholders both directly and indirectly.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

2

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

3

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

4

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

4

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

5

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

4

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

5

06.08 Justification for my startup

The Nimble Future Skills Program is innovative, because it is a hybrid of theory and skills training, empowering students with critical knowledge and practical application of the skills as well as simulated opportunities to grasp techniques and principles.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Schools, Online programs that offer similar solutions and government initiatives.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?