Strategy and efficiency enthusiast Sifiso Danisa and experienced and passionate media professional Sphumelele Sibeko, joined forces to create a platform where they provide African content for African children and families to enjoy.
Many African parents can relate to the struggle of finding content for their children to consume that is in vernacular language and that is enjoyable for their young ones, Danisa was also that parent.
She and her business partner Sibeko decided to take a chance and start working on LimuLab as an ed-tech platform for indigenous language learning with the key aim of making language learning fun for children of ages of two up to 11.
LimuLab was derived from the Nguni word “ulimi” meaning tongue and in this instance, it is referred to as the mother tongue, which is at the heart of what LimuLab does.
Through the MultiChoice Innovation Fund Danisa and Sibeko were able to get their business going. LimuLab is a language learning app that aims to help provide learning of Indigenous languages through storytelling, animation, music, e-books, and games.
The content development of LimuLab has included educators and language experts and is in line with the CAPS in terms of the Department of Education.
“We're not a school, we're a supplement to what you're learning at school, and we're making it fun. And even if you're not learning from school, just as families, you know, you want to be able to, your child to be able to learn to converse simply in whichever language they choose.”
LimuLab is not only limited to African children wanting to learn their mother tongue but also people from other countries hoping to learn African languages.
The journey of creating LimuLab has been a huge learning curve for Danisa, who describes herself as not a tech person but admits that she has learnt so much about how animation is not as simple as it appears.
Creating characters that children can relate to was something that was important to Danisa and Sibeko, which birthed characters Kina and Zani. “We want children to also reference Kino and Zani because they look like the black child.
“We've created characters that look like them, and we want to build that through not only the app but through streaming and entertainment programs. We are all about mixing entertainment and learning.”
At first, Danisa and Sibeko were rejected by the MultiChoice Innovation Fund, but they preserved and kept on applying until they were allowed to present their business.
“We thought there were a lot of synergies in our story and in what MultiChoice stands for. We also thought Multichoice would be interested in supporting a company led by women and the content is created by Africans for Africans.”
Danisa explains that they’re strong belief in LimuLab pushed them to keep knocking on the MultiChoice Innovation Fund doors until they heard them out. “We strongly believed in the partnership.”
LimuLab is a young business registered in 2020. They approached the Multichoice Innovation Fund after they had built their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) - which showed the direction they wanted to take their business and the funding required to take it to the next level.
“The Innovation Fund has helped us to build what we wanted to make. From our own money and bootstrapping, we put together MVP but it wasn't good enough. It just wasn't what we wanted but it was good enough to show where we want to go.
“That then helped us to get the funding we needed to build the app, create the content and finally allow us to launch. We launched the final product this year late in January. It's been good; just over a year and a half of developing and creating content.”
Not only did the MultiChoice Innovation Fund, assist LimuLab to make strides financially but has also supported them with leadership coaching and business development - people to go out there and sell the product and help LimuLab to get more customers.
At the current stage, the business only has two full-time employees Danisa and Sibeko. The business works with other individuals on a project basis as they are not yet at a stage where they can afford to employ people full-time.
“I'm hoping that the business development support will help us a great deal and also take off some of the load because we do everything.”
LimuLab is still a young, start-up business, which is unknown and at the moment they are working hard on building their brand, creating more awareness of who they are and what they do while generating revenue.
Danisa encourages anyone interested in applying for the Innovation Fund to be persistent “Don't give up on the first try but also you've got to understand your business well and be able to show that you can monetize it."
“I think it's all good, we all have brilliant ideas but the block always comes as how am I going to make money from that?"
“That's got to be clear in your presentation, this is the problem that we've discovered and this is the solution that we've developed and this is how we're going to make money from it. Be able to answer those three questions simply and clearly.”
Through the Innovation Fund, LimuLab has been able to access a whole new market, allowing them to make their vision a reality, generate revenue and become sustainable.