Alexandra Lutz’s Journey Student by Day, CEO by Night

Alexandra Lutz

Alexandra Lutz, a first-year data science student at Stellenbosch University (SU), is not just another undergraduate. By day, she is dedicated to her studies, but beyond her academic commitments, she embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship as the CEO and founder of Milani Education, an online learning platform she started in high school.

Milani Education has grown under Alexandra’s visionary leadership. The startup, now comprising three directors and a content manager, was recently selected as one of seven from SU to compete in the regional round of the EDHE (Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education) Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024 competition. This competition highlights top student entrepreneurs from 26 public universities across South Africa.

Impacting Communities

Milani Education’s influence extends beyond university recognition. The platform has partnered with the Pebbles Project in Stellenbosch, allowing children from surrounding farming communities to access educational resources at Pebbles’ learning centres. This collaboration enables these children to use Milani’s free online materials for homework and revision, bridging educational gaps in underserved communities.

From Pandemic to Platform

The journey of Milani Education began in 2020 during the pandemic when Alexandra, then a Grade 9 learner at St. John’s Diocesan School for Girls (D.S.G.) in Pietermaritzburg, noticed disparities in access to digital learning materials among her peers.

With her headmaster’s support, she started sharing digital resources with learners from the Imbeleko Foundation in rural KwaZulu-Natal. What began with three eager students soon grew into a broader mission to create an accessible online learning platform.

Inspired by positive feedback from weekly surveys, Alexandra and her team continued to develop the platform, securing seed funding and launching Milani Education in 2023. They collaborated with schools like Maritzburg College, St John’s D.S.G., and SIMI Math to source online math content. A dedicated group of Grade 11 learners, known as the “Milani army,” helped edit and upload the materials.

Educational Reach

Milani Education now serves about 800 learners, offering over 1,000 videos in Mathematics, English Home Language, and English First Additional Language. Expansion plans include adding more school subjects, translating content into Afrikaans, isiZulu, and isiXhosa, and optimizing data efficiency.

Future Aspirations

Alexandra’s vision extends beyond digital resources. She aims to establish a  for the Embo community in KwaZulu-Natal, providing a safe and supportive environment for students regardless of their background.

Her determination to democratize education is driven by a belief that every student deserves access to world-class education.

Balancing her roles as a student and an entrepreneur is challenging, but Alexandra’s “stubborn determination” and strategic time management keep her motivated.
As she continues her entrepreneurial pursuits, she envisions a future where Milani Education thrives under a dedicated team, allowing her to explore new ventures while always cherishing her first startup, her “baby.”