Egyptian Edtech Orcas raises $2.1 million
Cairo-based live learning Edtech startup, Orcas, has raised $2.1m in a pre-series A funding round from CIRA’s NFX Ventures and Access Bridge Ventures. Algebra Ventures, Launch Africa Ventures, Cairo Angels Syndicate Fund, and Seedstars International also participated in the round.
Co-founded by Hossam Taher and Amira El Gharib in 2019, Orcas is a mobile application, the startup is focused on connecting parents and students with nearby tutors or online courses, video tutorials and practice questions.
Orcas aims to unlock digital live learning capabilities for schools and teachers both offline and online in Egypt, KSA, and Pakistan (MENAP), and now looks to start their operations in Lahore, Pakistan in early 2022 to help the students in the 5th largest country in the world find high-quality tutors and personalized learning plans.
Orcas offers users a hybrid learning experience, equipping them with personalized learning plans, learning style assessments, and practice assignments for each learner to guarantee the most tailored learning experience possible while empowering tutors to provide high-quality learning sessions.
Alongside offering study guidance, tutors also complete learning style assessments about each learner to determine the best practices for each student. These are then used to create personalized learning plans tailored to the students’ needs for the entire academic year.
“Our investment in Orcas encompasses everything we’ve built CASF for. The fund was designed to double down and invest in our best-performing startups and to continue supporting amazing founders like Hossam and Amira to build great businesses. We are very proud of Orcas’ performance so far and we are confident that with this latest investment they will continue to be market leaders within the space and will now be able to add more exciting educational solutions using cutting edge technology and to bring these products to new markets,” said Aly El Shalakany, CEO of the Cairo Angels Syndicate Fund.
“Access Bridge Ventures continues to build on its deep global expertise in the education sector and Orcas is our second investment since our launch in 2021 in Edtech. We invest in innovative ideas, marketplaces, and technologies that will disrupt the traditional education model and create easier, better, and cheaper education access for kids globally. The team from Orcas is a perfect example of a strong team with strong technology that is looking to address a key emerging market problem.”, said Issa Aghabi, Managing Director at Access Bridge Ventures.
Orcas will use the new money to continue developing its technology offering, attract more talent, and expand to other areas in MENAP, as it prepares to launch operations in Lahore, Pakistan, in early 2022.