OURS: The Startup Making "No Internet" No Longer an Excuse for Missing Out on Education, Backed by R5.9 Million in Funding

IMAGE CAPTION: An image of Sanelisiwe, co-founder of Ours Image: Supplied / Ours

AfricArena's Mandilakhe Somdle sat down with the founders of OURS to discuss the digital divide, the future of offline-first learning, and how technology can unlock access to education for millions of learners across underserved communities.

In a world where education is increasingly digital, millions of learners are still being left behind for one simple reason: internet access. For many schools across Africa, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities, the challenge isn't a lack of talent, ambition, or willingness to learn. It's expensive data, unreliable connectivity, and infrastructure that simply doesn't reach everyone.

That's the problem South African startup OURS is tackling head-on. Founded in 2018 by Sanelisiwe Njobe, Albert Ojo-Aromokudu, and Mbongisani Dube, OURS is building offline-first digital infrastructure that allows learners and educators to access high-quality educational content without requiring internet access. All three founders come from families of educators, and that background shaped the mission directly: they'd seen firsthand how access to learning can change a life, and how fast that future narrows when the resources aren't there. In a continent where connectivity can often determine opportunity, that mission couldn't be more important.

OURSpace: A Classroom Without Data Costs

The team's answer is OURSpace, a portable remote-learning device designed specifically for environments where connectivity cannot be guaranteed. Think of it as a digital learning hub in a box. Rather than relying on mobile data or external internet connections, OURSpace creates its own local Wi-Fi network, allowing teachers and learners within a 50-metre radius to access educational content completely offline. No expensive data bundles. No unreliable signal. No buffering wheels spinning endlessly during a lesson. Just access.

Inside the platform, educators can access teaching aids and curriculum resources, multimedia learning content, digitised teacher training, lesson planning tools, and interactive educational materials. The result is a richer learning experience that works regardless of location or connectivity challenges. In short, the classroom comes to the learner instead of the learner needing to chase connectivity.

That vision has attracted real backing. OURS raised R2.7 million in angel and pre-seed funding from e-squared through its Pathways programme, alongside R3.2 million in non-dilutive funding from Pearson South Africa, Maskew Miller Learning, Innovation Edge, and Injini. The capital has fueled both product development and the recognition that's followed: OURS has won AfricArena's Best Deep Tech Startup award at the Johannesburg Summit, featured in the AlphaCode Top Women in Tech programme, been recognised by WomHub Top Women in Tech, made the finals of the Ford Philanthropy Fellowship and the G20 South Africa Tech Challenge, and joined the Injini & Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship.

Impact Measured in Access

For OURS, success isn't measured solely by downloads, users, or software metrics. It's measured by access. Every school that gains access to quality digital resources. Every teacher who can deliver better lessons without worrying about connectivity. Every learner who can participate fully in a digital learning environment regardless of where they live. Their hardware-as-a-service model, starting from just R500 per device per month, allows schools to adopt the technology without significant upfront costs, making digital learning infrastructure far more accessible than traditional alternatives.

Want to Join the AfricArena Ecosystem?

OURS is one of many startups using the AfricArena platform to showcase groundbreaking African innovation to investors, corporates, ecosystem partners, and global stakeholders. If you're a founder building a high-growth startup and looking to connect with investors, strategic partners, and funding opportunities, consider applying to the AfricArise programme and joining the AfricArena network. And if you'd like to experience Africa's innovation ecosystem firsthand, join us at the next AfricArena Grand Summit in Cape Town, where the continent's most ambitious founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders come together to shape the future.

In the AfricArena network, one connection can change everything.

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