From chasing words across Scrabble boards to pioneering a cultural revolution in vocabulary learning, Lancelot Kuria Githinji is reshaping how we think about language, one quiz at a time.

At the heart of every great innovation lies curiosity, and for Lancelot, a final-year Computer Science student at Strathmore University, curiosity began with a dictionary. “By Class 6, I had already read the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary cover to cover,” he shares. That early hunger for knowledge would later evolve into Etymos, an AI-powered tool that’s now sparking conversations in Scrabble circles across East Africa.

But Etymos is no ordinary app. It’s a cultural time machine disguised as a Scrabble assistant, mapping users’ interests, from fashion, food, language, you name it, to daily vocabulary quizzes that not only test your memory but also tell you where words come from, what they mean, and why they matter.

The Wordsmith Behind the Code

Lancelot is no stranger to Scrabble tournaments. His accolades speak for themselves: 1^st place at the Bondo Open 2025, 2^nd at the Nyahururu Open 2024, and 10^th at the East African Championship 2025. His journey has been powered by an academic scholarship, the mentorship of Dr. John Mutisya, and an insatiable drive to merge learning with purpose.

“Scrabble offered a window into the rich, multifaceted origins of language,” says Lancelot. “But I realized players lacked a tool to explore those origins in a meaningful way.”

That insight birthed Etymos.

What Is Etymos?

At its core, Etymos is an AI application that tailors vocabulary learning to personal interests. Think of it as your cultural tour guide through the English language. Are you a food lover? You might get quizzed on kuchen (German gingerbread), ugali (our own maize meal staple), or kielbasa (a spicy sausage from Russia). More into fashion? Expect words like dasheki, bicorne, and weejuns, each with a historical tale to tell.

Etymos uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), an advanced AI framework that combines search with expert data to generate dynamic quizzes. When users log in and select interests like “Hindi culture” or “farming,” Etymos responds with themed vocabulary journeys. It’s not just about words. It’s about stories.

What Makes Etymos Unique

Unlike traditional Scrabble tools that churn out endless anagram lists, Etymos delivers words wrapped in culture. “It turns passive memorization into active discovery,” Lancelot explains. “You don’t just learn the word zanjero. You learn that it’s a Spanish word for an irrigation official, suddenly, you’re walking the canals of Valencia.”

From Code to Community

The first iteration of Etymos was a solo mission, and, in Lancelot’s description, a beautiful mess.” Too many features, too little focus. But that changed when classmates Joyline Wangui and Ruman Hassan joined the team. Together, they stripped down the design, zeroed in on user experience, and brought the tool closer to what it was always meant to be: engaging, accessible, and enriching.

Their dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. Etymos has been showcased at the IEEE YESIST in Egypt, Safaricom innovation pitches, and even earned a spotlight at the Presidential Innovation Challenge by the Kenya Innovation Agency. Most notably, it was a proud sponsor at the East African Scrabble Championship held in Nairobi.

Fueled by Strathmore

Strathmore University has been a vital launchpad for Etymos. From the Ideas Festival, where Etymos was first pitched in 2023 and later became a finalist in 2024, to the unwavering support of faculty members like Daniel Machanje and James Gikera, Lancelot credits the university for equipping him with both technical expertise and entrepreneurial resilience.

Clubs like Strathmore Scrabble and Scrabble Kenya have been instrumental in Etymos’ growth. Their endorsement of the platform as a proudly homegrown innovation has not only validated its relevance but also propelled it onto bigger stages.

“Thanks to their unwavering support, Etymos has taken part in flagship events like the East African Scrabble Championship (ECASA), expanding its reach and impact across the region,” says Lancelot.

What’s Next?

The Etymos roadmap is just beginning. New features are in the pipeline. From smarter AI insights, cultural-themed challenges tied to national days like Madaraka Day, and gamified learning for schools and corporates alike.

“We’re looking to align Etymos with Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), especially in subjects like History, Social Studies, and Languages,” says Lancelot. “Areas that often get overshadowed by STEM.”

Words to the Wise

To fellow Strathmore students with a digital dream, Lancelot offers this solemn advice. “Push for what you believe in. Keep it simple. Move fast while your idea is still hot, because once it cools down, it’s hard to reignite.”

And as for his own guiding principle?

“To succeed, you must sacrifice. The greater the sacrifice, the greater you will be.”

Article written by Stephen Wakhu