EdVentures, the corporate venture capital arm of Egypt’s Nahdet Misr Publishing Group, said it will $1.1 million in Jeel start-up, an education and entertainment platform for pre-schoolers in the region.
EdVentures, which was founded in 2017, made the announcement at its summit on the future of EdTech in the Middle East and North Africa region. The event was organised in collaboration with HolonIQ, the US-based platform for impact market intelligence.
“Moving forward, EdVentures is seeking more investments in EdTech start-ups, while expanding globally,” Dalia Ibrahim, chief executive of Nahdet Misr Publishing House and founder of EdVentures, said.
“Driven by the need to transform the EdTech sector locally and regionally, we established EdVentures … and managed to support more than 66 start-ups, and invest in 13 start-ups with a market capitalisation of $75 million, creating 1,400 jobs,” Ms Ibrahim said.
Globally, the EdTech market is booming.
The industry’s market size, valued at $106.5 billion last year, is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5 per cent from 2022 to 2030, according to the US research company Grand View Research.
This industry includes hardware and software technology used to educate students online to improve learning in classrooms and enhance students’ education outcomes.
Egypt, the most populous economy in the Arab world, has the largest share in the growing EdTech ecosystems across the Mena region, according to HolonIQ’s latest data. The country is home to 1,500 EdTech companies, followed by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Established in 1938, Nahdet Misr is one of the pioneers in the fields of education and publishing in the Mena region. It offers integrated services through its eight subsidiaries, including curriculum development, professional development for educators, digital learning, educational software development, vocational education and technical training solutions and publishing solutions.
It launched Mena’s first EdTech VC, EdVentures, in 2017 to provide incubation, acceleration and investment programmes for start-ups operating in the education sector.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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Nationality: Irish
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Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
