Ulo — Gamified Learning & Rewards for African Students
Ulo is an AI-powered, gamified learning and rewards platform by VerionX, designed to transform how African students and youths engage with education. By combining fun gameplay mechanics, intuitive design, and real-life rewards, Ulo makes learning as addictive and exciting as popular mobile games while driving meaningful skill acquisition.
Lagos, Nigeria
2025
EdTech
Problem Statement
Traditional e-learning platforms struggle with low engagement and poor retention. Students often see digital learning as transactional rather than enjoyable, leading to reduced consistency and motivation. A major gap exists for platforms that make education fun, competitive, and rewarding—especially within the African youth demographic.
Solution
Ulo delivers a mobile-first experience that unifies gamified trivia, AI-powered learning, and real-world rewards into a seamless app. Inspired by the smoothness of Temple Run, the clarity of Cowrywise, and the fluidity of Stripe, the design emphasizes simplicity, accessibility, and interactivity. Students compete in trivia, earn points, and redeem them for airtime, vouchers, and other tangible incentives—turning learning into both play and value.
50%
Increased Engagement
70%
Higher Retention
4.5*
User Satisfaction
Design Process
Research & Discovery – Studied existing learning apps, student engagement patterns, and reward ecosystems.
Problem Definition – Identified disengagement, lack of fun, and low reward feedback as core challenges.
User Experience Design – Applied inspiration from Cowrywise, Stripe, and Temple Run to design clear, engaging flows.
Feature Prototyping – Built high-fidelity prototypes for wallet, trivia gameplay, leaderboard, and marketplace.
Iteration – Integrated feedback loops and refined gamification mechanics for maximum retention.
Conclusion
Ulo transforms learning into a fun, competitive, and rewarding experience for African youths. By blending gamification, AI personalization, and real-life incentives, it redefines digital education as something students want to return to daily. The platform shows how thoughtful design and playful interaction can bridge the gap between education and entertainment, driving real impact at scale.