Google-backed EdTech platform Cuemath expands to Saudi Arabia

The personalised maths learning platform recently launched in the UAE and Qatar

The EdTech sector in the Middle East and Africa is booming and is forecast to grow to $7.07bn by 2027, a study by Report Linker found. AFP

Google-backed Indian educational technology platform Cuemath is expanding into Saudi Arabia as it seeks to tap the kingdom’s burgeoning EdTech market.

The move comes after the company, a one-on-one personalised maths learning platform, launched operations in the UAE in June 2021 and in Qatar earlier this month, Cuemath said on Tuesday.

Its subscriber base in the Emirates has grown to 180,000 since its launch, primarily driven by “word of mouth” marketing, the company said.

“We are growing rapidly in the Middle East ...The kingdom has a young population, increased digital connectivity, and education is a high public policy priority,” said Vivek Sunder, chief executive of Cuemath.

“We look forward to preparing the kingdom’s children for future maths-related jobs in a digitised economy and equipping them with the problem-solving skills they need.”

Saudi Arabia’s EdTech market is expected to record a compound annual growth rate of 21 per cent between 2020 and 2025, figures compiled by Ken Research show. This is being driven by public policy, with digitalisation of education prioritised in the country’s ‘Vision 2030’ strategy.

The EdTech sector in the wider Middle East and Africa is also booming and is forecast to grow to Dh26 billion ($7.07bn) by 2027 as the shift to digital education accelerates due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a Report Linker study found. The widespread adoption of smartphones, interactive displays and other digital learning tools will drive this growth.

Several regional EdTech companies received funding in 2021, including UAE-based almentor.net, Saudi Arabia’s Jeel Platform and Jordan-based start-ups Edunation and Abwaab.

Cuemath was founded in 2013 and has a presence in more than 50 countries, including the UK, the US, Singapore, Canada, Egypt, Nigeria, India and Thailand. Its math curriculum covers grades K-10 and is aligned with more than 50 global curriculums including Common Core, and Cambridge International Standards. The programme is anchored by more than 10,000 teachers.

The company has received investment from Manta Ray Ventures, Aspada, Sequoia Capital and Alphabet’s independent growth fund CapitalG. It partnered with Google for Education in June last year.