Abwaab Expands Reach with Acquisition of Apex Education for Top Uni Prep

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 28-01-2026

3 min

Abwaab has acquired Apex Education, expanding beyond online lessons into full academic guidance services.

The deal aims to combine tutoring, test prep, and ‘one-to-one guidance’ under one roof.

Apex is known for helping students reach elite universities like ‘Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford’.

The move strengthens Abwaab’s regional vision, though integrating teams will need careful handling.

If successful, students across MENA could feel ‘better prepared’ for competitive university admissions.

Abwaab, the Jordanian edtech platform known across the MENA region, has snapped up Apex Education, a young company offering personalised counselling for students aiming to get into some of the world’s top universities. It’s a move that feels spot on if you’ve been watching how education startups here are broadening their playbook beyond just online lessons.

The acquisition sits neatly within Abwaab’s wider push into academic guidance, training programmes, test preparation, and international curricula. That said, it’s also about stitching together services that parents and students usually have to chase separately — and honestly, that process can be a bit of a faff.

Apex Education was founded in 2019 by an impressive trio: Leila Hassan, an Oxford graduate; Hussein Al-Khashan from the University of Chicago; and Mohammad Obeid, who studied at Harvard. Their idea was simple but demanding in execution — give students and families hands-on, one-to-one guidance through the often confusing admissions processes of elite global universities. And believe it or not, that focus paid off. Students supported by Apex have gone on to secure offers from institutions such as Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, Columbia, the University of California system, and Imperial College London.

What stands out for me is Apex’s emphasis on starting early, working with students from middle and secondary school all the way through to that big leap into university life. I’ve seen similar journeys up close in the region, where a bit of early direction can change everything. It’s no wonder founders in this space are keen to lock in that kind of long-term relationship with learners.

Hamdi Tabbaa, founder and CEO of Abwaab, said the deal adds real weight to the platform’s vision of empowering students across the region. The plan now is to fold Apex’s university counselling expertise into Abwaab’s existing services, which include private tutoring and preparation for international exams, creating a more integrated education pathway under one roof.

On the flip side, blending two education-focused teams isn’t always plain sailing. Culture, expectations, even how success is measured — it all needs care. Still, I reckon this combination makes sense, especially as families increasingly look for guidance they can trust when university dreams feel just out of reach.

Around Arageek, we often talk about startups that quietly build impact rather than chase hype, and this feels like one of those moments. If Abwaab can pull it off — and I’m definately leaning optimistic here — students across MENA could end up better prepared, better informed, and maybe even chuffed to bits when those acceptance letters finally land.

🚀 Got exciting news to share?

If you're a startup founder, VC, or PR agency with big updates—funding rounds, product launches 📢, or company milestones 🎉 — AraGeek English wants to hear from you!