MENA’s Education Disruptors: 8 Funded Startups Reshaping How the Region Learns

Wherever innovation meets necessity, disruption follows—and nowhere else is this sentiment more alive than in the educational sector of the rapidly transforming MENA region. Traditionally characterized by rigid curricula and conventional teaching methods, MENA's educational systems are evolving rapidly, fueled by startups committed to reshaping traditional paradigms toward digital, inclusive, and personalized education.

The last two to three years witnessed an unprecedented wave of new educational players deploying innovative EdTech solutions, garnering massive interest from global investors. According to Arageek’s insights, investor funding towards EdTech in Middle Eastern and North African countries has reached exceptional heights, facilitating significant transformations across the region.

Are you curious who these movers and shakers in education are? Here are 8 exciting MENA-based education startups, founded only recently, that secured big funding and are now setting a new trajectory, redefining education for a generation.

Orcas, an Egyptian EdTech startup founded in 2019, tackles the prevalent issue of quality tutoring and affordable learning opportunities. With digital tools connecting thousands of vetted tutors to students, Orcas revolutionizes personalized education through online tutoring, tailored lesson plans, and engaging educational content. The startup successfully secured $2.1 million in seed funding earlier this year, enabling expansion into Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and broadening their user base across the region.

Established in 2020, Jordanian-based Abwaab offers students an immersive distance learning platform filled with engaging quizzes, interactive video lessons, and personalized academic assessments. Recognizing the traditional education structure's limitations, Abwaab combines engaging content with actionable analytics for both students and parents. In just two years, it attracted strategic attention and managed to raise a total of $20 million in a successful Series A round. The funding targets enhancing video-based courses, introducing more subjects, and expanding across other MENA countries.

Launched in Lebanon amid economic turbulence and educational disruptions, Ostaz has carved out a distinctive niche by matching certified tutors with K-12 and higher education students in the MENA region. Formerly known as “Synkers,” this innovative startup's rebranding came with an impressive seed investment of approximately $1.8 million. Ostaz differentiates itself through a highly personalized matchmaking system, passionate educators, and impressive student-tutor interactions, deeming traditional tutoring obsolete.

Saudi-based Noon Academy, founded in 2019, introduced a unique EdTech concept: turning the typically solitary activity of online learning into a vibrant, collaborative space. The platform skillfully mixes enjoyable gamification with interactive live classrooms, fostering peer-to-peer learning and community building. Noon received considerable attention from investors thanks to its innovative model, securing a remarkable $13 million Series A funding to expand Arabic-language educational content across various subjects and enter new regional markets.

English proficiency is undoubtedly a core necessity to succeed professionally worldwide, rarely accessible to many MENA individuals due to costs or limited access. UAE-based Englease broke the barrier by offering affordable, flexible, and user-friendly online English courses through live group classes taught by professional instructors. Founded in 2020, the startup secured $3.4 million in seed capital recently. The sizable funding allows Englease to broaden accessibility, particularly for underserved youth eager to unlock new career opportunities requiring language skills.

Deeply rooted in tech-driven learning approaches, Egyptian startup iSchool, founded in 2021, aims to prepare young Arab students for the digital economy by teaching coding, robotics, and entrepreneurial skills in an interactive and exciting manner. The startup leverages hands-on coding bootcamps and virtual classrooms and has garnered significant attention from regional VCs. They recently raised $160,000 in seed funding to rapidly launch their programs across Egypt, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, indicating strong growth interest in the burgeoning education technology sector.

United Arab Emirates-based School of Humanity, launched in 2021, stands apart with its ambitious aim to replace traditional high-school frameworks with personalized, competency-driven online education. Emphasizing skills like creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability, the startup's unique approach resonated with global EdTech investors, capturing $500,000 in a pre-seed funding round. School of Humanity plans to further their personalized, global curriculum, promising to radically challenge outdated norms in educational systems throughout the MENA region.

Though slightly older yet continually innovative, Egyptian startup Almentor deserves mention thanks to its widespread recent influence. Established in 2019, Almentor provides on-demand digital courses, catering specifically to Arabic-speaking audiences. Covering subjects like business, self-development, arts, and technology, the platform prides itself on delivering easily digestible and culturally relevant content—something clearly resonating with regional users. Almentor succeeded in securing $6.5 million Series B investment earlier this year, which allows scaling their expert-crafted Arabic curricula into more countries, further extending their footprint across the MENA region.

Education in MENA stands at a remarkable crossroads, undergoing paradigm shifts driven primarily by daring, disruptive, and digitally adept startups. The unprecedented inflow of venture capital funding signals widespread recognition that traditional models have limitations and that innovation must be prioritized to prepare young generations for tomorrow’s world.

From virtual classrooms to personalized tutoring, gamified collaborative education, language democratization, and tech-centric ed-programs—regional startups lead the way, ensuring a broader, deeper, and more equitable educational future. Investors clearly anticipate substantial returns from these EdTech startups, betting eagerly on their growth potential.

As we stand witness to transformative shifts brought forth by MENA’s bright, driven entrepreneurs, it begs the question: Could startups like these ultimately redefine education on a global scale? Only time will tell—but one thing is evident: innovation has already reshaped education across MENA, and the revolution has begun.

Which among these impressive EdTech startups excites you the most? Tell us your thoughts on how education in your community has changed through technology in recent years. Let’s keep the conversation going!