KOMPANIONS of transforming education through technology

Indian education system has often been criticized for being too theoretical and bookish to impart any true learning. But with education emerging as the new frontier for the entrepreneurial India, a spate of new edtech startups has changed the face of India education sector in the past couple of years.

The new technology revolution has transformed our chalk and board classrooms into convenient and interactive learning hubs enabled by virtual graphics, customization and personalization of learning, and access to study material from across the world.

Amongst such names there is one called KOMPANIONS (Knowledge Companions), a Gurgaon-based ed-tech-

startup that is using advanced gamification modules, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), mixed reality, skill remediation, assessment architecture, and brain booster technologies for enhanced learning experiences and outcome.

According to Yuvraj Krishan Sharma, Co-founder KOMPANIONS, their “apple falling” moment came through one of their young nephew, who like many, never really had a liking for Mathematics. This kid had a mathematics test in class and he was supposed to perform division for a 5 marks question. The question was to divide 15 by 3 and this kid wrote 4 at the quotient’s place and 3 as a remainder. But actually got a zero for his attempt! His question, when he came back home was simple, that though he agreed that he didn’t quite do his tables thoroughly, but he had over-heard his elder sibling saying that Dividend = Divisor X Quotient + Remainder, so by that logic it was 15 = 3 X 4 + 3 (and what he did, certainly satisfies the equation that he had heard), so may be the teacher could have deducted a few marks for not remembering tables properly. But since the process that he followed was right, he should have gotten atleast 2 – 3 marks for his attempt!

The sole motive that drives KOMPANIONS is “to bring back the ‘joy’ in learning, to make learning both fun and relatable, and of course enriching for one and all.” And for this, they have hired an eclectic team of 25 members that combines the best in academics, technology, design and creativity.

The key products from KOMPANIONS are categorized within different age groups and work on neuroplasticity by deploying brain workouts. Neuroplasticity, is the process of brain development which is at its most absorbing stage during childhood:

KUBE is a 3D educational gamebox for ages 3–12 years, building a child’s scholastic and co-scholastic skills through brain training.

K-LAB is a 3D knowledge laboratory for schools, equipped with elements of VR, AR, and gamification.

KLASS is a solution that uses Augmented Reality as an enabler to make learning fun and meaningful.

KOMPASS is a diagnostic assessment architecture that predicts and provides remedial solutions.

KANVAS is a movie-making project for schools, showcasing cinematic representation of themes related to children and learners.

KAMP is a series of knowledge sessions such as VR workshops, brain training summer camps, and after-school classes with the student, school, and parent community.

As for the future challenges Yuvraj says that “the pace of innovation is extremely critical. As an organisation our biggest challenge is to keep coming up with newer and innovative products/ideas to suit the learning styles and needs of tomorrow’s learners and to do so, we also need to continuously build and grow an eclectic, creative and a thinking team!”

In a nutshell we can say that as digital technology penetrates deeper into the social fabric of India, the edtech startups have a huge responsibility and opportunity to fill up the gaps in learning system and provide a proper framework to the current unstructured approach towards learning.