Studii’s Story: From Lecture Halls
to a National Mission
Before Studii was a concept, a model, or a platform — it was a lived experience.
It began in 2016, when three students started their university journeys, unaware that the very pressures they were experiencing would one day shape a solution for thousands of others.
This is the story of how Studii came to life.
2016 — Where It All Started
In 2016, Marco Booyse, Jacques Fourie, and Benjamin van Heerden began their studies like so many others — with ambition, excitement, and the quiet pressure to succeed.
University brought growth, but it also brought a conversation students know well:
- “What if I fail this module?”
- “How will I afford to repeat it?”
- “I can’t let this go wrong.”
Failure wasn’t rare. It was part of learning. Yet financially, it felt like a crisis. At the time, we didn’t know we were witnessing the early signs of a much bigger problem.
2020 — Final Year, Bigger Questions
By 2020, we were in our final year. We had seen peers struggle — not because they lacked ability, but because one academic setback carried heavy financial consequences.
That’s when a question turned into a mission: What if students had a financial safety net for academic setbacks?
2020 — National Recognition
We entered the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity, representing the University of Pretoria. We presented the concept that would become Studii.
We went on to win the national prize for Best Innovative New Business Idea. That moment validated that the issue we saw daily was real, widespread, and worth solving.
2020 — The Data That Changed Everything
Belief wasn’t enough. We needed evidence. In 2020, we gained access to over 70,000 anonymous student academic records to understand the true scale of module failure.
What we found was staggering. Academic setbacks were not rare — they were part of the real university experience across faculties and year groups.
Studii stopped being an idea we liked and became a responsibility we felt compelled to pursue.
🧮 From Empathy to Feasibility
Using this dataset, we built pricing and risk models to test if Studii could be affordable, financially responsible, and sustainable. The answer gave us confidence: Studii wasn’t just meaningful — it was viable.
2021 — Entering the Regulatory World
To make Studii real, we had to move into the regulatory space. In 2021, we engaged with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and structured Studii within South Africa’s financial services framework.
- ✔ Navigated regulatory requirements
- ✔ Built the compliant structure
- ✔ Obtained our Financial Services Provider (FSP) licence
- ✔ Received the regulatory go-ahead from the FSCA
Studii became more than a concept — it became a regulated solution.
2022–2024 — Building the Foundation
These years focused on strengthening the model. We refined structures, explored partnerships, and ensured Studii could operate responsibly and sustainably. The work wasn’t visible — but it was critical.
2025 — Taking Studii to Students
In 2025, Studii stepped into the real world. We visited universities. We spoke to students face-to-face. We handed out flyers. We listened.
We shared Studii’s vision on the ground — in the very environments where the problem exists. Students didn’t just understand the idea; they recognised themselves in it.
Studii’s message also reached beyond campuses. With major billboard placements in Hatfield and Menlyn Maine, the conversation around academic setbacks and financial support moved into the public space.
This was the year Studii stopped being something we were building for students and became something we were building with them.
📌 Today — Where We Stand
We are building more than a product. We are building a safety net for second chances. Because failure is part of learning. And students deserve support, not fear.
The Heart of Studii
Studii was not built in a boardroom. It was built in lecture halls, study sessions, and conversations between students trying to navigate real pressure.
It was built by students, for students.
And this is only the beginning.