This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
On June 18, 2020, Gumzo, a Kenyan tech innovation, took a significant leap forward in the video conferencing space by integrating live recording and broadcasting capabilities on its platform.
This integration comes just two weeks after Gumzo's launch, as the company continues to deploy more servers in Kenya and South Africa to ensure a high-quality experience in audio and video transmission during calls.
Since its launch, Gumzo has been serving over 5,000 minutes per day in meetings, outperforming its international competitors.
According to Jay Shapiro, CEO and Founder of Gumzo, the new capabilities will enable teachers and corporate users to record sessions for future reference or broadcast to a larger audience through YouTube Live.
"Through Gumzo, influencers and educators can now have an interactive conversation with their VIP friends in real-time, broadcast that conversation to millions simultaneously via our YouTube Live API. This is a different experience you will not get from the international competition especially with our local servers across Africa." — Jay Shapiro, CEO and Founder, Gumzo
The recording capabilities on Gumzo also enable teachers to provide education in a non-synchronous manner for students who cannot attend virtual classes in real-time. The files from the recordings are secure and stored in shareable MP4 files that can be played and shared on PC's, Mobile Devices, and via messaging apps like WhatsApp.
As part of its commitment to supporting education during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gumzo has pledged to make its platform available for free to all public school teachers in Kenya for use in their virtual classrooms, private tuitions, and family calls through the end of the year.
Gumzo is also focused on providing a fun and engaging experience for its users, with features that will allow groups to watch shared movies, play games, and enjoy Karaoke nights with friends and loved ones during these tough times.
The company has committed that 50 percent of all fees raised on Gumzo will be donated to COVID-19 response NGOs, including the Pwani Youth Network, Team Pankaj & Mombasa Red Cross.
