Interview With Kimard Studio Founder Arnaud Mukenge On His New Static City Math App
KIMARD STUDIO is a local based startup working on educational games for learners. They recently launched Static City Math App with the aim for it to be used as an additional learning tool to assist children and schools, to upskill where the user may find difficulty.
The app is set to promote the user, to enhance their mathematical skills, how to strategize to attain assets/properties, and tutorial videos where the user may not have the knowledge or the know how to complete an equation. We recently had a chat with the founder , check out the interview below.
1. How did you get into the Information Technology Industry?
I have been interested in making things come to life from when I was little. I always wanted to create my own anime movies or cartoons. However coming from an area where acquiring that knowledge wasn’t easy at such a young age, 9 years old, I couldn’t get to that, and the internet was not accessible. Then I used to go to my dad’s office, sometimes, and he had a computer in there and I discovered “Paint”, from that time onwards, I was so interested in drawing in paint with the mouse and I always wanted to learn how to type fast on the computer. That defined how I got interested in starting that journey.
2. What inspired the idea for the Static City Math App?
Static City Math was inspired by the need to give an opportunity to build a product that can benefit young people especially primary learners. I have always been interested in a world where games and education are well integrated and seamless to teach and play at the same time. When the pandemic happened, it just fueled me to build it faster and release the first version because it felt just like the right time to do it.
3. What problem would you say the app will help to solve?
The app solves the problem the country, specifically, is facing. When international surveys indicate that we have a serious problem in basic mathematic in the country from learners in grade 5 upwards, with a rate of 6 out of 10 learners showing poor or no basic mathematical skills. Static City Math gives you the opportunity to monitor your child or student in their growth. It is a platform that is highly gamified to bridge the gap between education and games which young people already like. On top of the gamefulness of it, we have prepared more than 25 video lessons on mathematical terminologies and definitions to assist learners in the game. All lessons and game follow the CAPS and were consulted by a teacher.
4. Was the app specifically developed for learners or anyone can use it?
The game is developed for everyone to play. For a younger age group, it is educationally beneficial. For an older generation it is brain training and keeping your brain active. Everyone definitely benefits from the application.
5. What else does Kimard Studios develop besides this educational app?
Kimard Studio is an interactive design company. We render services in interactive design, User Interface and Experience, we provide workshop within those areas and gamification. Internally, we build products for education and entertainment.
6. Where do you see the company in the next 5 years?
We will be highly positively contributing in a better society, country, content, and world through our products. The company is highly focusing on its growth and we are already planning e-sport competitions for learners through Static City Math. The game is set up to be used for our e-sport tournament that we are planning to start. This is how we see ourselves contributing in the growth of our education system and rewarding learners from a young age to work harder. In return we are going to grow as well with million users finding benefits in our product.
7. What impact are you hoping to achieve with the Static City app?
I am hoping we become a reason, in the next 2 to 5 years, for the pass rate to be brought up a bit higher than the current one because we will create a competitive environment amongst our students which will be wanting to aim for higher grades and status.
We are going to be impacting the gaming economy and e-sport by providing tournaments within categories that are beyond entertainment, like we see with Fortnite for example.
8. What are some of the challenges you have faced since the start of your business?
Some of the challenges are around having to educate the local market to see the value of gamifications in product or mobile games, especially for the sake of education. We also see this issue interfering with how we grow and also how one gets investment.
9. How has the app been received so far since its launch?
We are so far doing fairly well for our start a week ago. We have our schedule for a marketing campaign which is set to start on the 15 of February.
10. Besides math, what other subjects do your educational apps assist learners with?
Currently we are only providing mathematics.
11. What is the vision or goal of the company with regards to the fourth industrial revolution?
We are just looking forward to contributing into getting minds ready to have more distributors in the future whose minds are ready for technology. At the state we find ourselves in, we would like to not create everything, but through our product, to build mindsets early, for next creators. However, Artificial intelligence is an area we are highly focusing on for the future so contribute in determining learners strengths through the product.
12. Has the Covid-19 Pandemic had any effect on your business since the Static City Math app was launch recently?
Covid 19 boost me to complete the game and push it. Trying to get into the right timing for it. It is mainly impacting me us negatively with regards to our marking campaign approach and having access learners to start tournaments earlier as planned.
The App is found on IOS :https://apps.apple.com/za/app/static-city-math/id1547228021 and android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.KimardStudio.StaticCityMath.
