Sign up for the Daily Newsletter, sent exclusively to our Premium subscribers. We break down the big and messy topics of Asia’s tech and startup community. Get the newsletter in your inbox everyday with a Premium subscription.
Hello readers,
I’m guilty of staying in a bubble called Singapore. That’s why I treasure editing the work by my Indonesian colleagues – it’s a portal into a vast world.
Recently, I was surprised to learn that – according to App Annie – one of Indonesia’s top edtech apps is Lingokids. This is presumably because there’s a huge demand for learning English in the country.
It’s an oddly familiar name: This is the app that my older son bugs me for first thing in the morning – and I often groggily relent, just for an extra five minutes of rest.
Anyway, I’ve been impressed by the work of our sterling Indonesian journalists Aditya, Ardi, Budi, Jofie, and Putra. Our coverage of Indonesian tech is probably the best and most comprehensive out there.
I look forward to reading their stories, and I believe you will, too.
— Terence, editor-in-chief
PREMIUM SUMMARY
Ruangguru and Zenius ain’t on top, but they’re playing the long game
You can’t talk about edtech in Indonesia without mentioning Ruangguru and Zenius. The two local players have been making headlines, and many often refer to them as the biggest edtech platforms in the archipelago. But the numbers show a different story.
- Holding the first rank by downloads is Google Classroom, which helps connect teachers and students. The second and third positions went to Brainly and Qanda, homework solutions platforms from Poland and South Korea, respectively. Meanwhile, Ruangguru holds the fifth position, and Zenius has the eighth spot.
- Acing the consumer spending category: While Ruangguru and Zenius might be losing in number of downloads, they outrank competitors in consumer spending. Ruangguru, in particular, saw a 4x revenue increase in 2020 compared to the year before. This may be due to its other revenue streams, such as Kartu Prakerja, a government project where Ruangguru served as a training partner.
- The future is a blend? After trying out online schooling during the pandemic, some parents believe that a blended, online-to-offline (O2O) approach will be optimal. Ruangguru had already prepared for this before the pandemic with its Brain Academy, an O2O tutoring program that currently has 36 centers throughout Indonesia.
Read more: Indonesia’s top edtech apps aren’t the usual suspects
STARTUP SPOTLIGHT
What do CR7 and a Singaporean billionaire have to do with tech?
Partnerships: More than the sum of their parts
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
