Kuwaiti’s Baims, which specializes in providing online tailored recorded courses for university students in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan has acquired 100% of Orcas to consolidate its hold on the edtech market in the MENA region.
With the acquisition, Baims will provide comprehensive education solutions that encompass both synchronous and asynchronous formats (live and recorded). The deal also gives Baims a dominant player position in the market with a distinctive offering, addressing the profound challenges that students encounter in the region.
“By acquiring Orcas Tutoring, we are not just expanding our reach; we are redefining the EdTech landscape in MENA,” says Yousef AlHusaini, CEO of Baims. “This consolidation enables us to offer a comprehensive learning experience, combining our online tailored recorded courses with Orcas Tutoring’s personalized one-to-one tutoring platform.”
Baims was founded by Yousef AlHusaini and Bader AlRasheed while Orcas was founded by Hossam Taher and Amira El Gharib. Orcas and Baims have raised over $11 million, backed by prominent investors including Access Bridge Ventures, Algebra Ventures, NFX Ventures, AlWazzan Educational Group, Rasameel Investment Company, Seedstars International Ventures, and AK Holding, establishing the new consolidated company as the number one EdTech player to watch in the MENA region.
The 100% acquisition deal of Orcas signifies a strategic move to further enhance their offerings by incorporating Orcas’ personalized tutoring services into their platform, creating a well-rounded and adaptable educational experience for students across the MENA region.
“Our aim is to establish product and market synergies by introducing personalized K12 tutoring services in the GCC and subsequently expanding our portfolio to cater to the diverse needs of university students.” – Hossam Taher, CEO of Orcas Tutoring.
With the deal, Baims will expand in the GCC region with the Saudi Arabian market as a priority. The newly consolidated company aims to realize its product, market expansion, and regional dominance objectives through the efficient integration of both teams. Joining the Baims team alongside Hossam Taher as Chief Strategy Officer and Amira El Gharib as Chief Operations Officer are Shams Adly, Orcas’s Chief Marketing Officer, and Mohammed Khalaf, Orcas’s Chief Technology Officer. Their inclusion in Baims’ leadership is set to drive further advancements in the venture.
“Today marks a monumental day for Edtech in the Middle East and the globe. The acquisition of Orcas by Baims proves once again that Edtech is fast growing in the region and further positions Baims as one of the premier companies in the entire ME region. With this strategic expansion, adding Orcas’ outstanding one to one tutoring, Baims will offer more comprehensive educational tools for hundreds of thousands of students across Kuwait, Saudi, Jordan and now expanding to the large Egyptian market.” added Abdullateef AlThuwaini from AK Holding, a prominent investor in the EdTech sector.
Hossam Taher and Amira El Gharib founded Orcas in 2019, addressing the private tutoring problem in Egypt by offering a personalized learning experience to K12 students in International Schools, this acquisition is a welcome move for the Egyptian startup ecosystem.