- Baims, a Middle Eastern edtech startup, has acquired Orcas Tutoring, an Egyptian company, in a 100% deal to grow into one-on-one tutoring and broaden its offerings.
- Baims and Orcas have also raised $11 million, backed by over six prominent investors, including Access Bridge Ventures, Algebra Ventures, NFX Ventures, and AK Holding.
- Baims has also announced that it’ll launch a specialised AI-based test preparation tool to reach more students in the Gulf countries (GCC).
Founded in 2017 by Yousef AlHusaini and Bader AlRasheed, Baims is an online platform that hosts instructors who provide recorded and live instructional videos to university students in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
Conversely, Hossam Taher and Amira El Gharib founded Orcas in 2019, enabling users to locate tutors online and offering individualised one-on-one tutoring to students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade (K12).
Interestingly, Baims and Orcas rank among the top 10 edtech startups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Following the acquisition, the CEO of Baims, Yousef AlHusaini, mentioned that the consolidation would enable Baims to offer a comprehensive learning experience by combining its online recorded courses with Orcas Tutoring’s personalised one-to-one tutoring platform.
Additionally, Baims sees the acquisition of Orcas Tutoring as a step towards its objectives in the Middle East and North Africa, which include redefining the region’s edtech landscape.
As part of its expansion plans, Baim also intends to grow its business in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh recognised as the region’s future hub for startups.
Along with addressing issues faced by students in the area, Baims also hopes to capitalise on the MENA region’s $100 billion education market. Specifically, statistics show that the MENA edtech market is expected to surge from ~$3 million in 2023 to almost $6 million by 2028, making a %14.2 CAGR (Compound annual growth rate).
Baims is seeking to expand its employment opportunities in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (KSA), and Egypt. Additionally, Yousef AlHusaini stated that the company focuses on assisting educators in having a “meaningful impact” and increasing their income.
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Additionally, the co-founders of Orcas Tutoring will join Baims as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operations Officer, respectively.
