Our Thinking: Architecting the Future of Learning
Skillx is an inter-disciplinary learning research and product lab dedicated to understanding and building the next generation of educational tools and platforms. We bridge the gap between pedagogical research and practical application, creating dynamic, personalized, and equitable learning ecosystems for all.
Beyond the Classroom
At Skillx, we believe that learning is not a phase of life, but its very foundation. It is the engine of personal growth, the bedrock of a thriving economy, and the cornerstone of a just society.
Our work is driven by a central question: How can we design learning experiences that are not only effective but also inclusive, engaging, and fundamentally aligned with the complexities of the 21st century? We tackle this by:
Conducting Foundational Research: We delve into the intricate landscape of education, from curriculum analysis to the systemic barriers that impede learner success. Our research informs everything we build.
Developing Innovative Products: Through Skillx Studio, our product development arm, we transform research insights into tangible solutions—from AI-powered tutors to comprehensive learning platforms.
Fostering a Multi-Stakeholder Omniverse: We recognize that learning is a collective endeavor. Our platforms are designed to connect learners, educators, parents, policymakers, and industry partners in a vibrant ecosystem dedicated to student success.
Skillx Labs Experiments
ExperimentValuable knowledge is often locked away in unstructured, ephemeral formats. Commons is our experiment in transforming this content into permanent, queryable assets.
Learn more →
ExperimentA creator’s value lies in their community, but today’s platforms obscure this connection. Ask is our experiment in fostering direct, meaningful engagement.
Learn more →Our Core Work
Skillx Research
Unpacking the Complexities of Education
Our research unit is the heart of Skillx. We conduct in-depth analyses of curricula, pedagogical frameworks, and the entire post-school ecosystem to identify critical gaps and opportunities. We provide:
Research Summaries: Accessible insights into the state of education.
Interactive Research Reports: Dynamic reports that allow users to engage directly with data and source documents.
Bespoke Research: Tailored reserach projects for partners and policymakers.
Skillx Studio
From Insight to Impact
Skillx Studio is where research becomes reality. Our dedicated product lab design and builds the tools that power the future of learning, focusing on:
Learner Centric UX/UI: Creating intuitive and engaging interfaces for our learning apps.
Pedagogical Innovation: Integrating diverse and effective teaching methods, from traditional apprenticeships to modern, AI-driven approaches.
Gamification and Engagement: Building motivation and stickiness into the learning process through constructs like streaks and leaderboards.
The Skillx Platform
A Connected Ecosystem for Growth
Our integrated suite of products creates a seamless journey for learners and all who support them.
Skillx LMS: A next-generation Learning Management System offering online and in-person learning experiences. It features innovative microlearning formats like SkillxBits and SkillxBytes, alongside in-depth learning quests and growth pathways.
Journey Mapper & Vision Board: Powerful tools that empower learners to map out their aspirations, set clear goals, and articulate their personal constraints and preferences to create a personalized learning journey.
Skillx Market: A vibrant marketplace connecting learners with tutors, mentors, and coaches, and institutions with partnership opportunities.
Skillx Content
Our Signature Programs & Toolkits
We are developing a suite of signature learning pathways and educator resources designed to bridge critical skills gaps and empower our community. These programs are practical, relevant, and built for the real world.
For Learners
Phanda Nine-9: Designed to guide Grade 9 students through critical subject choices, while engaging with their support network - partners, guardians, teachers and peers.
Slim 12: An innovative approach to supporting Grade 10-12 learners in their journey to post-matric opportunities.
Digital Navigator: Mastering Your Online World - Move beyond basic skills to become a confident and responsible digital citizen. This course covers everything from online safety and data privacy to effective digital communication.
Money Moves: Your Guide to Financial Freedom - Learn the essentials of personal finance, including budgeting, saving, understanding credit, and navigating student loans and bursaries.
Pusha Power: From Side Hustle to Main Gig - Explore the world of entrepreneurship and self-employment. Develop the mindset and practical skills needed to launch and grow your own business or innovative projects.
AI Advantage: Thriving in a Smarter Future - Understand the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the job market and learn how to leverage AI tools ethically and effectively in your studies and future career.
Future-Proof Me: The 21st Century Skills Playbook - Master the essential life skills that employers and universities value most, including critical thinking, creative problem-solving, collaboration, and communication.
For Educators & Administrators
The AI-Powered Classroom: Tools to Transform Teaching. Discover and master a range of AI tools designed for educators. Learn how to save time on administrative tasks, personalize learning, and create more dynamic classroom experiences.
The Empathethic Educator: Leading with EQ - a toolkit focused on enhancing emotional intelligence, managing classroom stress, and building positive, resilient relationships with students and colleagues.
Lead & Inspire: A Management Toolkit for HODs & Administrators - designed for Heads of Department and school administrators, this program provides practical resources for effective team leadership, conflict resolution, and staff development.
Shape the Future: Join Our Closed Beta Program
Be among the first to experience the future of learning. We are launching a closed beta program for our new platform tools and are seeking passionate and critical feedback from a diverse group of stakeholders.
As a beta tester, you will gain early access to our innovative learning solutions, have a direct impact on our product development, and play a crucial role in building a more effective and equitable educational ecosystem. If you are a learner, parent, educator, school administrator, or policymaker interested in helping us test, refine, and shape our tools, we invite you to register your interest.
Our Commitment to Safeguarding Learners
In a world of data, trust is our most important currency. We are deeply committed to creating a safe, secure, and ethical learning environment. Our platforms are built upon a comprehensive compliance framework that adheres to the highest standards of data protection and online safety.
Robust Data Privacy: Our systems are architected in strict accordance with data protection legislation such as the South African Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Age Appropriate Design: We implement a dual-track consent strategy to differentiate between minors and young adults, employing verifiable parental consent for users under 18 to ensure their protection.
Proactive Safety Measures: We utilize a multi-layered content moderation system and proactive measures to mitigate online harms like cyberbullying and grooming, in line with the South African Cybercrimes Act.
Privacy by Design: Privacy is not an afterthought; it is embedded in our design process. We default to the highest privacy settings and provide users with transparent, granular control over their data.
Our Experience
Our multidisciplinary team brings together decades of experience at the intersection of technology, education, social impact, and strategic innovation. We combine deep technical expertise with on-the-ground insights globally and from across the African continent in particular to build solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also pedagogically sound and contextually relevant.
Our core competencies include, education and social development, technology and product strategy, Human-Centered Design (HCD), data science and analytics, software engineering and AI/ML engineering, media and EdTech strategy.
Partner with us
The future of learning is a collaborative endeavor. Whether you are an educator seeking to empower your students, a policymaker aiming to bridge systemic gaps, or a corporate partner invested in building the next generation of talent and give back to society through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, there is a place for you in the Skillx omniverse.
For Educators & Tutors: Maximize your own professional potential. Add to your skillset by embracing emerging tools along with teaching approches and learner support. Enhance your professional development and transform your engagement with other key stakeholders, including parent/guardians and administrators.
For Administrators & Educational Institutions: Collaborate with us to bring innovative tools and research-backed pedagogy to your institutions.
For Policymakers: Work with Skillx Research to drive systemic change for learners who need it most. Measure and understand the longitundial impact of policies and interventions.
For Partners & Sponsors: Partner with Skillx Studio to fund courses and pathways for learners resulting in measureable impact. Access dashboads and reports via your own self-service portal to gain insights and understand your ROI.
Join our team
We are a team of researchers, designers, engineers, and educators united by a passion for transforming learning. We thrive on complex challenges and foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and impact. We offer flexible hybrid and remote opportunities for those who want to build the future of education.
Current Opportunities:
Instructional Designer: Design dynamic, evidence-based learning paths and engaging educational content for our platforms.
Research Lead: Conduct foundational research into pedagogy, curricula, learning frameworks, and educational systems to drive our product strategy.
Senior Software Engineer (Mobile/Web): Build and scale our suite of learning applications using modern technologies like Flutter, NextJS, and Supabase.
Senior AI/ML Engineer: Develop, optimize and deploy opensource models, LearnML, recommendation engines and intelligent features that power our personalized AI tutors and learning tools using MCP, RAG, RLHF, HITL and other approaches.
UX/UI Designer: Create intuitive, accessible, and delightful user experiences for learners, educators, and parents across our digital ecosystem.
Learning Community Manager: Foster a safe, supportive, and vibrant peer-to-peer learning environment within our platforms.
Business Development & Partnerships Lead: Forge strategic alliances with educational institutions, technology partners, and corporate sponsors to expand our ecosystem and impact.
Growth Marketer: Drive our go-to-market strategy and 10X our growth, lead user acquisition campaigns, and create compelling content that tells the Skillx story.