In an engaging conversation, Chitranshu Mahant, Co-Founder & CEO of Primebook, shares insights into how the company is redefining educational accessibility in India. With a focus on affordable technology and innovative learning solutions, Primebook is committed to bridging the digital divide. Mahant discusses the challenges and opportunities in the education sector, emphasizing the importance of integrating technology to enhance learning experiences for students across the nation.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: Primebook is a unique player in the tech space, particularly with its Android-based laptops for learners. Could you walk me through what Primebook is, its core offerings, and what sets it apart from other laptops?
Chitranshu: Primebook is a cost-effective Android-based laptop that combines the benefits of the Android app ecosystem and the laptop ergonomics, offering unique learner-friendly features, from 4G cellular connectivity and Type C fast charging to parental controls and an exclusive app to learn and practice coding, called PrimeCoding.
- The first and foremost feature that sets Primebook laptops apart from the competitors is the cost-effectiveness! Primebook doesn’t compromise in the name of cost savings. Instead, it ideally blends durability, performance, and features within a budgeted price range.
- All Primebook laptops are powered by PrimeOS, the made-in-India Android-based operating system! Through PrimeOS, users gain seamless access to the complete Android app ecosystem on a multitasking interface. While some competitors may not offer access to all Android apps, some allow access via browser extension only, the Primebook laptop holds an in-built app store from where users can download, install, and access apps.
- 4G SIM connectivity within the laptop is another key feature that sets us apart from our competitors who typically offer such a feature at a high price.
- Primebook laptops have a unique keymapping feature that users can use to map touch gestures to keyboard keys and touchpad buttons when playing an Android game. This feature enables the users to get a similar experience to that of a phone or tablet’s touchscreen; rather a better navigation to beat the highest scores. None of our competitors have this feature.
- Offline functionality and access to preloaded productivity tools, like MS Word, MS Excel, or MS PowerPoint, is another feature that sets Primebook apart from other industry peers.
- The easy-to-use interface enables users to get accustomed faster to it.
- In terms of design, Primebook resembles exactly like a traditional laptop. This is to minimize the learning curve. There aren’t any changes in the design to give an out-of-the-box feel. Instead, we chose to focus on usability, keeping in mind the needs of an Indian user.
TimesTech: As Primebook expands its product offerings, are there any new features or innovations on the horizon that learners and educators can look forward to?
Chitranshu: We are a full-stack company offering hardware, software, and value-added services. Hence, innovation is certainly a key to our brand’s growth, and we have various innovations lined up for the next few months.
- In terms of hardware, we are working on introducing 2x and 3x faster processors on our laptops and innovating the laptop designs. For example, we are aiming to bring yoga laptops with stylus.
- By the end of December 2024, our Primebook Generation 2.0 laptops would take the stage with a 14-inch display, 6-8 GB RAM, and a more powerful processor.
- Regarding software, we are soon to upgrade PrimeOS with the latest version of Android. We are also working to upgrade our exclusive coding platform, PrimeCoding, and the parental control features of PrimeSecure.
- We are also working to integrate AI tools within PrimeOS, specifically to provide personalized learning experiences to students. This AI integration in our technology would be centred around on-screen awareness and contextual awareness, and not just basic generative functionalities.
- Above all, our laptops would soon come with pre-bundled Windows Cloud PC on a monthly subscription basis, thereby empowering students to seamlessly access all the resource-intensive Windows software on our cost-effective Android-based hardware. This also broadens our user base. While our aim to deliver high-performing cost-effective laptops to all students remain constant, our laptop will also be able to cater to the needs of web and software developers, office professionals, animators, UI/UX designers, and professional gamers. The beta version of Primebook with a pre-bundled Cloud PC will be launched by November 1st, 2024.
TimesTech: With the rising demand for cloud-based solutions, does Primebook have any plans to integrate Windows Cloud PC, or a similar cloud computing option, into its offerings? If so, how would this enhance the learning experience for students?
Chitranshu: Primebook certainly acknowledges that leveraging the power of cloud computing to enhance the daily learning experience and productivity has become the need of the hour. Hence, we are just a month away from launching the beta version of Primebook’s pre-bundled Windows Cloud PC.
This integration would help students and learners to seamlessly access all Windows-based software, like AutoCAD, PhotoShop, and more, on cost-effective hardware, thereby eliminating the need to buy a high-end device for resource-intensive tasks. Those students who are pursuing graphic designing, animation, or web development studies, as well the engineering students can now rely on Primebook for comprehensive learning.
Students can hereby utilize the best of both Worlds – Android and Windows, from a single device, anytime, anywhere, without depending on a fixed internet connection, dongle, or hotspot.
TimesTech: Could you tell us more about the thought process behind choosing Android as the operating system and its advantages for the education landscape?
Chitranshu: First and foremost, the online education system in India is “Android-first”, i.e., the e-learning apps developed in India are Android-based. Therefore, students can’t really achieve seamless access to all such Android-based e-learning apps on a traditional Windows or Linux-based laptop. While designing the laptop with students’ needs in mind, here’s where choosing Android as an operating system became relevant and crucial for us.
Furthermore, the performance of Android on cost-effective hardware is more agile, compared to Windows. Hence, in designing a laptop for students and learners, choosing Android as the operating system came with a high price-to-performance ratio. The thought process was to eliminate students’ need for unnecessary spending on high-end hardware to derive a high computing performance.
TimesTech: Artificial Intelligence is reshaping education globally. Is Primebook leveraging AI to create more personalized and efficient learning experiences for students and vocational learners? How? If not are there any plans?
Chitranshu: Primebook does have plans to integrate AI to create more personalized and efficient learning experiences for students and learners. Our team has already started working on our plan to create an AI layer within the PrimeOS operating system.
Here, our focus is to train the AI in contextual awareness and on-screen awareness, thereby enabling students and vocational learners to get a personalized AI Buddy to understand and provide the niche-specific knowledge they need and to the exact degree of detail. It shall also ease out a student’s online tasks, from responding to a past email or identifying and getting a brief description of what exactly appears on the screen.
TimesTech: Primebook has made significant strides in expanding from B2B to B2C markets. Could you share key milestones in Primebook’s journey, and how it plans to further scale operations, particularly in smaller cities?
Chitranshu: Some of the key milestones of Primebook’s journey are as follows!
- Primebook has experienced significant traction since its launch in February 2023. In the past 12 months, we have made a business of over 50 crores, selling over 40k+ units to students and educational institutions across India and other emerging markets.
- We have established partnerships with major NGOs, like Smile Foundation, CRY, Empowerment Foundation, and Kotak Education Foundation, edTech companies, like TeachMint, Convegenius, Educational Initiatives, and schools like Truth Mission School, Shaheen Group of Institutions, Hyderabad, and United Group of Institutions, Allahabad, to move forward in our mission of bridging the digital divide.
- Our appearance on Shark Tank India Season 2 also significantly boosted our brand awareness and sales. During our very first year of laptop launch, we grabbed a 3% market share in the under $250 category and secured an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 with over 10,000 customer reviews.
- Primebook gained No. 2 position in laptops category under the 20K category on Flipkart during the festive season and received the Editor’s Choice Award from DEVICENEXT for being “The Most Useful Gadget for Students in 2023”.
- In the past few months of 2024, Primebook has started to penetrate into the offline markets across the Tier 2 and 3 cities in India with Redington as our National Distribution Partner. With our products being available offline now at various retail stores, customers can touch and feel the product live before buying them. This is further helping us strengthen our brand trust and authority, subsequently enhancing our sales.
- While we were exclusively available on Flipkart marketplace in 2023, we launched our own D2C platform in January 2024 and expanded to Amazon in July 2024. While the former helped us get closer to our customers and pursue direct communications, the latter increased our exposure to those Indian audiences who prefer buying electronic products from a trustworthy marketplace like Amazon.
- After launching our product on Amazon, we have seen a 2x month-on-month growth in our sales and are expecting to scale this month-on-month rate up to 3x by this quarter. As per the responses on the Prime Day Sale on Amazon, we have been able to derive 4.5 times jump in our total number of orders per day.
In terms of further scaling plans,
- Primebook does have plans for international expansion and the process is already on. While we have started our expansion operations in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Nepal, there are more in the pipeline, such as Taiwan, Pakistan, and so forth. Here, we aim to bring together every developing country to empower their students with equal access to technology (Primebook) and thereby to quality education in the digital era.
- Regarding smaller cities of India, our operation scaling plans include organizing pop-up stalls and interaction booths across various corners of India to increase awareness about our products and engage with the last-mile consumers. We plan to partner with more schools and educational institution based in the smaller cities.
- We also have plans to partner with modern retails and regional retailers like Croma, Reliance, Great Eastern, Vijay Sales, and the likes. We have plans to promote shop-in-shop in various IT hubs and Hi streets. Furthermore, we are aiming to establish service centers across various smaller cities and towns in India.
TimesTech: The EdTech sector is rapidly evolving. How does Primebook stay ahead of technological trends, such as cloud computing and AI, while staying focused on delivering a high-quality learning experience?
Chitranshu: We at Primebook always aim to stay updated on recent technology trends and adapt them as and when they fit our aim of delivering the right form of technology for a high-quality learning experience. Both AI and cloud computing are futuristic trends that can transform the online learning landscape with faster processes and enhanced productivity, and we have already started to incorporate them.
We are about to launch the beta version of Primebook’s pre-bundled Windows Cloud PC, which shall be available on a nominal subscription basis, by November 2024. Our integration of the AI layer within the PrimeOS operating system has been initiated.
TimesTech: Could you reflect on Primebook’s journey since its inception in 2018 and discuss the key challenges you’ve overcome to reach where you are today? How have your initial goals evolved over time?
Chitranshu: We, both the founders of Primebook India, were roommates at IIT Delhi. We already knew each other very well and both of us were a part of the National Social Scheme through our college. While teaching underprivileged students, we realized the potential of computing devices for education and gradually came together to start Primebook with the aim of building the right technology for digital learning.
Primebook was founded to solve the increasing problem of the digital divide in the education sector. While education is a fundamental right for all, we saw a growing rate of inequality in learning and skill development culminating from inadequate access to the right form of technology, especially in India. Through extensive market research, surveys, and direct interactions with students and educators, we identified that students need laptop productivity, value for money, android apps and internet connectivity to enhance their digital learning experience. Herein, we come ahead to ensure that no one misses out on digital education opportunities regardless of their financial background.
The first and the biggest challenge was to optimize Android for a laptop interface. As the online education system in India is typically Android first and laptops hold a better form factor for learning, we ought to ensure that all the existing Android apps run seamlessly on a laptop interface. To overcome this challenge, we made our own Android-based operating system called PrimeOS which allows access to the entire Android app ecosystem with a desktop interface.
Being a new brand in the laptop market amidst giants like HP or Lenovo, we faced another challenge, and that was to derive our brand’s visibility. Our appearance in Shark Tank India Season 2 helped us overcome this challenge.
Additionally, we faced the challenge of providing top-notch customer service through third-party outsourcing. By setting up in-house customer service station hubs and providing free pick-and-drop service across PAN India, we were able to enhance customer support and experience.
While our initial goal was to build and deliver a cost-effective Android-based laptop that caters to the students, after deeply analyzing the unique needs of diverse students in 2024, from those pursuing graphic design and animation courses to engineering students and the ones involved in STEM education, our goal has evolved to providing a cost-effective Android laptop with pre-bundled Windows Cloud PC and AI layer.
