Educatly, an Egyptian edtech startup specializing in connecting students with higher education opportunities, today announced a $2.5 million funding round led by TLcom Capital and Plus VC. Additional investors include Egypt Venture and Ireland’s HBAN syndicate.

Launched in 2020 by Mohamed ElSonbaty, Abdelrahman Ayman, and Joan Manuel, Educatly aims to democratize access to higher education by providing comprehensive information on universities, programs, and scholarships worldwide. The platform leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLM) to ensure accuracy and help students make informed decisions about their educational futures.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone for Educatly,” said Mohmmed El-Sonbaty, Founder and CEO. “When we first launched, our aim was to bridge the gap between students’ educational needs and the available opportunities. This new investment reaffirms our commitment to working towards our vision and strategic goals.”

The funding will be used to solidify Educatly’s presence in key markets across the Middle East and Africa, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ireland.

“This fund highlights the potential of educational technology in the region,” added Dr. Abdelrahman Ayman, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. “Our business model focuses on helping students choose their fields of study, find the ideal programs and universities, and connect with students and Alumni around the world.”

Educatly’s platform currently features over 1,100 universities in 90 countries and has reached over 3 million students to date. The company aims to increase this number to approximately 7 million by the end of 2024.

This latest funding round follows a $1 million pre-seed round secured in 2021 from Falak Startups, Enterprise Ireland, and other angel investors. Educatly has research and development centers in Cairo and Dubai, with significant investments dedicated to developing its digital platform.