Funding of half a million two hundred dollars by Dubai's Geek Express for offering STEAM education to kids across the MENA region.
In the vibrant tech scene of the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), Geek Express, a Dubai and Beirut-based edtech company, has secured $520,000 in a pre-Series A round. This investment will accelerate the development of Geek Express's platform and help secure content partnerships, aiming to broaden its reach across the region.
The round was led by Saudi-based National Talents, Lebanon's IM Capital, DHV Partners, and an angel investor. This latest funding comes on the heels of a preschool financing round last month, which saw investments from Wamda Capital, GGV Capital, and BECO Capital.
Geek Express, founded in 2017 by Manal Hakim and Rayan Najdi, offers STEAM education to children in the MENA region. The education provided includes online and offline camps, live online courses, and DIY educational kits with video lessons. The mobile apps for iOS and Android enable parents to enroll their children in courses and order the DIY kits.
The teachers on the platform are supported by a team of community managers and developers at Geek Express. With a 60-40 female to male ratio in their team and student body, Geek Express is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment.
Rayan Najdi, the co-founder and COO of Geek Express, expressed his excitement about the future of the company, stating, "Geek Express sets the foundation of a futuristic school whereby thousands of MENA students will have access to STEAM skills from the comfort of their homes."
Currently, Geek Express boasts over 1,800 active students across the MENA region, learning from over 200 teachers on the platform. The company's apps offer a gamified experience for children to learn STEAM skills and earn badges and points.
Zubair Naeem Paracha, the author of this article, is a tech and startup enthusiast based in Lahore, Pakistan, and the founder of xA tech. He can be reached on LinkedIn, Twitter, or at zubair [at] our website [dot] com.
This article was published in Beirut, Lebanon, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is recommended for readers interested in tech news in the MENA region. In addition to this article, Zubair Naeem Paracha's latest posts include "E&'s big bold bet on tech", "Ameer Sherif appoints a new CEO for Wuzzuf and Forasna, moves on to focus on VC, public policy", and "Marham raises $1 million seed to grow into a healthcare superapp for Pakistan".
