KneoMedia Ltd made strong progress this financial year in deploying its core KneoWorld platform in the New York public school system and other US markets.
Success was achieved primarily through the ‘Connect All Kids’ educational initiative being rolled out in conjunction with the National Assosciation for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and Dell Technologies.
KNeoMedia is a Software as a Service (SaaS) education publishing company delivering world-class digital learning programs and assessment tools to global education markets via an innovative story-based learning portal called KneoWorld.
The ‘Connect All Kids’ educational initiative is a New York City Councillors project that has already committed US$5 million to education programs within New York City. Three deployments were confirmed during the year:
- US$1 million, KNM’s share is US$260,000
- US$1 million, KNM’s share is US$260,000
- US$3 million committed, KNM’s share is US$780,000
The three deployments will allow for a combined 8,400 Dell Chromebooks pre-loaded with KneoWorld technology to be deployed into New York City public schools. 3,500 Dell Chromebooks have been supplied to date, with both funding and the roll-out itself expected to ramp up as in-person teaching resumes.
New York foothold justifies strategy
“Our expanding sales and marketing channels are very encouraging with prestigious and world class organisations such as NAACP and Dell Technologies partnering with KneoWorld to broaden and diversify the distribution of our educational content across the United States,” executive chairman James Kellett said.
“Running in conjunction with the Connect All Kids initiative, it positions us well for the coming year to build sales in both the school and home school sectors.
“Gaining a foothold into New York State justifies the expansion efforts and growth strategy set out at the beginning of the year. As well as being the largest public education market, New York is the bellwether for the rest of America so the fact that KneoWorld is now being progressively delivered here bodes well for us.
“Our near-term objective is simple – achieve greater scale in New York, broaden our presence in New York State, and then continue the roll-out across the United States. We are confident that the sales momentum will continue.”
Additional sales and marketing channels
KNM pursued the broadening and diversifying of KneoWorld distribution through several new market channels and partnerships:
- KneoWorld’s Career Technology Education (CTE) program being approved for Phase I deployment in Albany School district in New York State. The first 100 Seat Licences in the district follow a three-month pilot program undertaken across five schools in Florida where the technology was comprehensively assessed.
- First Inspires (FIRST), a universally recognised not-for-profit Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education program for kids. A collaboration on a STEM project that will see KneoWorld promoted through FIRST’s extensive network of 50,000 educators, 276,000 parents and 51 partnered school districts is being undertaken.
- Reseller agreement between KneoMedia and the prestigious US headquartered Homeschool Buyers Co-op (HBCO). KneoWorld was accepted by HBCO after an extensive six-month review of the platform to validate the technology’s teaching and learning attributes.
- EdTech business development brand accelerator EEV will aim to grow sales of KneoWorld across key US markets. EEV will provide KneoMedia with strategies to elevate brand messaging to a market-leading position within the K12 (NYSE:LRN) and early childhood verticals. KneoMedia and EEV will work together to leverage EEV’s network of key connectors and influencers within the US education market.
KNM says that each new partnership is an excellent vote of confidence in KneoWorld and further validates the core technology. The approval of first Seat Licences into Albany will allow the company to access a market of 731 public school districts across the state. The first licences will act as a catalyst for sales into the state’s other schooling districts as well as Phase II direct Seat Licence sales.