Jordanian EdTech start-up Abwaab raises $20m in funding to expand across MENA and Pakistan

Abwaab, a Jordan-based online learning platform, has acquired $20 million in Series A funding (after a $5 million seed round in March of this year), making it one of the most funded edtech businesses in the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan (MENAP), a region with 160 million students.

Existing investor BECO Capital (UAE) led the round, which was joined by 4DX Ventures (USA), GSV Ventures (USA), Watar Partners (KSA), and others. Since its inception in late 2019, the startup has expanded from Jordan to Egypt and Pakistan.

Founders Hamdi Tabbaa, Sabri Hakim, and Hussein AlSarabi target secondary school students with their platform, offering content adapted to local curricula, filling gaps in online educational resources, and addressing the region's strong reliance on offline tutoring.

Students participate in lessons, receive feedback, and participate in discussion boards via online and native apps.

During the pandemic-induced lockdown, when children were unable to attend regular school, Abwaab experienced rapid development.

In Jordan, where a freemium subscription model is in place, students pay a one-time fee to have access to the site for the whole academic year.

It claims to have increased the number of active users by tenfold during the 2020/21 school year. It earlier bought Edmatrix, a Pakistani edtech startup.

"Our objective since origin has been to make learning more accessible, inexpensive, and exciting, by establishing a full ecosystem that improves the way students learn, while also equipping them with the tools needed to move ahead in life," stated Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO of Abwaab.

"Abwaab is on a clear path to establishing themselves as market leaders within the region," said Abdulaziz Shikh Al Sagha of BECO Capital. "We are delighted to have had the opportunity to further strengthen our cooperation with Hamdi, Sabri, Hussein, and the entire Abwaab team."

"We believe very much in Abwaab's aim to make high quality, outcome-driven education more cheap and accessible, and we feel that they are poised to become the dominating in the MENAP region," said Peter Orth, Managing Partner at 4DX Ventures.

Additionally, it competes with offline tutoring centers as well as Noon Academy (a Saudi-based social learning platform); EdKasa (a Pakistan-based test prep app); and Ashtar (an Egypt-based learning app).

According to Abwaab, it competes by providing micro-lessons in bite sizes that correspond to each country's national curriculum; assessments for test prep; chat or video tutoring; and a low annual US $15 subscription, which compares to the cost of one hour of tuition.