YouScribe, winnner of the Digital Africa Challenge
— Startup successes — 2 minutes read
The contest organised by the AFD, the French Tech and Bpifrance has chosen to reward the knowledge sharing app: YouScribe, a mobile library for French-speakers.
After raising €162,300 through 2 campaigns on our platform in 2013 and 2014, YouScribe made great progress and has become the biggest streaming library in France.
With still many French-speaking countries facing limited access to culture, quality education and books, YouScribe innovated by offering a digital solution: a portable library accessible to all - enabling self-fulfillment and opening the minds of the French-speaking world.
We are honored that the AFD, BPI and the French Tech decided to reward YouScribe’s ambition. Reading is a basic necessity so the question was: how could we contribute to the development of literacy In Africa? By giving every mobile device the power to become an easily accessible library that we can bring with us everywhere, without the need of an internet connection – Juan Pirlot de Corbion, founder of YouScribe
This library, constantly filled by its users, allows the publication of free documents and books on the platform. Educational and professional resources, comic books, case studies, … many different types of publications can be found on the library thanks to partnerships with ministries, schools, universities, local distributors or big companies that have decided to join in on the development of the French language, the intellectual heritage and the e-inclusion.
A version destined for the French-speaking countries of Africa and the Maghreb offers hundreds of thousands of publications, easily accessible through any screen (tablet, smartphone, PC). Thanks to this version, YouScribe wishes to contribute to the spread of universal values.
Laurent, second-year master student in Dakar says: “I had to go all the way to the university library or to the Dakar library to simply browse a book. This was very time consuming and exhausting. YouScribe helps me access books that I never could have accessed before. To be able to read all these publications with my smartphone or computer is a real timesaver.”
In 2018, YouScribe will soon include audiobooks and local press (newspapers and magazines). Audiobooks will be produced with local actors to ensure bibliodiversity. By doing this, YouScribe will explore the development of economic activities in the main countries of the region and will also commit to its cultural development.
MyMicroInvest is proud to see one of its #FundedFamily members receive such an award which truly highlights all the efforts made by the team behind this young start-up.
