Ex-Googler Launches Platform To Bring the Fun Back To Learning

Almost a day after launching Loomn.it, the ultra simple sharing tool, Nagi Salloum launches a learning platform called Loomni (pronounced loomnee).

Loomni’s states they attempt to transform learning and make it enjoyable, accessible and affordable to everyone. Utilizing the founder’s rich understanding of the regional market from working with P&G and Google, they tackle such topics as  “Using Social Media for brand building” and “Search Like a Professional on Google” which don’t require long periods yet have a high impact on both individuals and companies alike.

When you’re the Regional Marketing Manager for Google Middle East and North Africa, it’s highly unlikely you’ll get offered a job that would tempt you to quit. Salloum agrees, so he started his own business to change the world instead, well at least the education world for that.

It took us a while to understand where he was going with all this, so we spoke to him instead and here is what we came up with:

TNW: Tell us why you came up with this?
Salloum: “I noticed a sudden drop in learning after university. This is mainly due to the fact that what is currently offered after universities, are training institutions that offer expensive, long training courses, and mostly limited choices. This format enables almost exclusively senior managers in mid-sized companies to afford these courses, disregarding all else. And that is wrong.”

He added: “I decided that for the gap to be filled, the courses, all delivered in venues, need to be much much cheaper, ie: 50$ instead of the $1000 or even $5000 price tag you see in the market. The day long courses should be delivered in 90mins and focusing on practical content, cutting out all BS,  theoretical stuff, and silly stats from around the world.”

TNW: How would this be better for learners?
Salloum: “For learners, now they can connect with experts in various fields, learn, practical courses in various topics, at very very affordable prices, around $40-$60.”

TNW: Give us an example:
Salloum:
“- Small businesses can now send all their staff (20 employees at a price for $50 as opposed to 1 employee at $1000) meaning more productivity for the company, making them more money.
– University students can get equipped with the right practical skills before entering the workplace
– Ordinary People can now diversify their skills easily and discover new topics.”

TNW: We read something about vouchers, what are those about?
Salloum: “Loomni vouchers are prepaid codes charged with a certain monetary value (typically 200 AED, average price of a course). This allows businesses to provide the Loomni courses to their staff by purchasing these vouchers and distributing them to their employees.

Employees would then book courses on Loomni without any cash transaction. With this, companies can now fund education as part of their corporate social responsibility in a new way, by purchasing Loomni vouchers and distributing them to non-profits to educate disadvantaged people, governments can now easily support their nationals’ continuous education by providing them with Loomni vouchers”.

TNW: Why not just provide online courses?
Salloum: “We like to maintain the social aspect and quality of the courses by providing physical contact between the instructor and the learners. Allowing people of similar interests to gather and meet adding more value to the experience.”

TNW: Finally, what’s with the name Loomni? What does it mean?
Salloum: “Loomni is a blend between illumination (illuminate people’s minds) and alumni (I used to pronounce it Alumnee). I wanted a simple fun easy to spell/pronounce word, and available as a domain name.”

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The timing for launching this business couldn’t get any better, that with school out and Summer on the doors, it’s considered the best time to start a business in the learning industry.

The company currently only covers Dubai, and has provided a treat during the entire duration of the World Cup, with every Loomni course, learners will get free access to the World Cup tent in Dubai Media City, to watch any game on 12 large screens, with free food and drinks.

Last but not least, Loomni has provided 10 vouchers with %20 discounts to our readers, just send us an email to ahmad@me.thenextweb.com with the title LOOMNI! The first ten will get it, so get to it now.