Audiopi

Idea

Introduction

Education should be a joy for all and the strength of audio is key to this. In every culture up to the 21st Century, the aural tradition was the most powerful source of sharing knowledge.

Audiopi is creating a brand new educational resource utilising the power of audio.

The concept is simple. To create audio tutorials via the medium of podcasts, which are directly aligned to the GCSE and A Level curriculum and a platform where schools, teachers and students can access, create and share their own podcasts.

To succeed the tutorials need to be highly informed and inspirational, adding insight that isn't available in the classroom. Hence, the tutorials are produced by expert teams of teachers, leading academics and exam board examiners and enhanced with sound, quotes and music.

The tutorials are available across smart phone, PC, tablet and laptop, making them accessible whenever anyone wants to listen to them.

The technology enables students and teachers to record and share their own tutorials too.

Intended impact

By creating highly specific tutorials which are directly aligned to the subjects students are learning, our tutorials aim to create an impact across all associated with education.

Students will be able to access all the relevant information they need for both their daily coursework and to prepare them for their exams. As our tutorials are being produced by a combination of academics from leading universities, exam board examiners and specialist teachers, students will be able to listen to the brightest minds who not only know their subjects inside out but also fully understand the specification. In short, the tutorials will:
Boost students knowledge of a subject
Prepare them for classes
Be a resource for essays and homework
Help them revise for exams
Increase their listening skills
Access leading academic insights

Parents will have an easily accessible resource, unlike textbooks, which will enable them to listen and learn with their children - it will get them more involved in their children's education. Listen on the way home, when homework needs to be done.

As the majority of tutorials will have input from an academic, universities will be able to fulfil any obligation of transferring knowledge to secondary education and creating that impact.

Teachers will be able to access a new resource which they can use both inside and outside the classroom, and use for themselves as well.

Schools will have access to another, new resource. By giving them the ability to purchase licences they will be able to allocate that resource to relevant teachers and students alike.

Creating a platform where students, teachers and schools can access, create and share their own recordings we believe will enable collaboration within schools and across school networks. For example, individual teachers can create their own tutorials and can share it with other teachers.

Students suffering from disorders, such as dyslexia and blindness, will have a resource which is suited to their needs.

Substantial accomplishments to date

Audiopi has built the 1st release of its website platform where students, teachers and schools can purchase tutorials.

The first 14 tutorials series are in production, totalling over 146 actual tutorials. These range across English Literature and History GCSE and A Level subjects. You can listen to the first in each of these at www.audiopi.co.uk. We have further series in production.

Our tutors include academics from the Universities of Oxford, London, Exeter, Birmingham and Kent, teachers from state and independent sector, including Dulwich College, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Faversham and Kings Canterbury and examiners from OCR.

We have Heads of Terms with the University of Kent who will help create tutorials as part of their outreach programme.

We are concluding a number of collaborative agreements with an Australian University, a government body which promotes UK education overseas and an exclusive agreement with the Naked Scientists to produce school level Science and Maths tutorials.

Monetisation strategy

The business model follows the following principles:

To sell tutorials, licences and subscriptions via our website platform across multiple devices and via direct sales.

Pricing Structure

Students can buy any number of Modules costing £14.99 directly from the platform.

Teachers can either buy a module or can subscribe for a year across subject/level – e.g. History GCSE. Subscription price goes up in year 3. Subscription prices – Year 1 £24, Year 2 £24, Year 3 £36. Both options will be available via the platform

Schools can buy a yearly licence across subject/level.
Licences increase as more resources made available
Year 1 £360, Year 2 £420, Year 3 £480
They can buy multiple licences across different subject/levels. The licences will be bought direct.

Contributor Fees

All contributors receive 30% of Net Sales.
(We have allocated a provision to purchase content as well)

The pricing structure ensures that the Gross Profit Margin is 69% (1% finance fees).

The profit margin ensures that we have the necessary funds to resource our overheads. These include:
Platform Development
Headcount Costs
Marketing Costs
Running Costs (Rent, Travel etc)

The organisational structure of the business model includes provision for the following headcount:

Business Development/Recruitment of Tutors
Tutorial development - creative responsibility
Content Manager - to manage the tutors
Marketing/Finance/Website
IT - from year Year 2

Third parties include accountants, the marketing agency, development agency and actors.

Use of proceeds

The use of proceeds will enable us to create further product and build a presence within the market.

Marketing

To create brand awareness and a presence in the market. We plan to undertake a marketing programme so that we can build our brand and web presence to schools, teachers, students and parents of students.

Content/Account Management

To increase the production of the tutorials we intend to employ a content manager to ensure proper account management of our tutors.

Commissioning new work

We plan to use the funds to commission new work so that tutorial series can be produced in greater number and more quickly.

Production

To increase the capacity of production by paying actors/sound recordists to help with the creation of tutorials.

Rent

To enable us to rent office space.

Salaries

The money will contribute to salaries.