The MENA EdTech 50 is HolonIQ's annual list of the most promising EdTech startups from the region.
The Middle East & North Africa EdTech 50 is focused on identifying young, fast growing and innovative learning, teaching and up-skilling startups from the Middle East and North Africa region. Powered by data and insights from our Impact Intelligence Platform together with qualitative assessments by HolonIQ’s Intelligence Unit, and local market experts, organizations are evaluated and scored based on our eligibility and assessment criteria, which excludes EdTech's founded over 10 years ago, or those which have exited (listed, acquired or controlled by another organisation).
The MENA EdTech 50 is aligned to the Global Learning Landscape, an Open-Source Taxonomy that maps the education and talent market
The 2024 MENA EdTech 50 highlights a region in rapid transformation, with workforce upskilling and K-12 digitization at the forefront of educational innovation. Upskilling organizations make up 24% of this year’s cohort, reflecting the region’s commitment to closing workforce skill gaps and driving economic growth. Established platforms like ITWORX are expanding their reach across Arabic-speaking markets with strategic partnerships, while management systems, which also make nearly a quarter of the cohort, exemplified by companies like Educore, are modernizing education infrastructure, reinforcing the region’s focus on digital readiness in schools.
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Exhibit 3
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UAE and Saudi make up 40% of the cohort, while Egypt leads innovation with 32%
Geographically, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt anchor the edtech ecosystem, driven by sweeping reforms like Saudi Vision 2030, strategic investments, and large-scale demand. Saudi Arabia and the UAE lead innovation making up 40% of this year’s cohort, while Egypt’s population size and emerging innovation ecosystem sustain its influence—and emerges again as the leader of the EdTech 50 with representation at 32%. Growing markets like Jordan and Kuwait are also making waves, with regional pioneers such as Edraak and MyU demonstrating presence beyond their borders.
Exhibit 4
B2B models gain share as formal education systems digitize their operations.
Business models in MENA reflect a sector balancing direct-to-consumer (D2C) and institutional (B2B) demand. While D2C platforms targeting learners and parents dominate with 62% share, the rise of B2B solutions in 2024 to 36% of the group could reflect increasing technology adoption by schools and corporations in the region. A recent funding round by iSchool, a K-12 coding platform, underscores this trend toward confidence in growing institutional partnerships.
Exhibit 5
Half of the cohort are growth stage startups, with early stage companies struggling in a tight funding environment.
The 2024 cohort skews toward maturity, with a growing presence of companies aged 4-6 years. This trend reflects a maturing market focused on scalability over early-stage innovation. Notable incumbents like PraxiLabs, developer of virtual science labs, and Aanaab, learning platform for Arabic teachers, retain their relevance, while some such as Masterminds Early Learning tech-forward solutions. Backed by recent funding rounds and rising regional interest, MENA’s edtech ecosystem continues to deliver quality educational solutions for the future.
Exhibit 6
Track the 2024 Cohort
HolonIQ customers can track the data for the most promising EdTech startups in the region on the HolonIQ Intelligence Platform. Look for the 2024 Middle East & North Africa EdTech 50 list and double click into the data behind the charts. Request a Demo if you are not a customer and would like to learn more.
Deep Dive the List
Customers can deep dive the open-source list on the platform. Request a demo to learn more.
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