GAGA, the Saudi edtech platform offering live, interactive learning for students aged 4 to 18, has raised $2.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by Abu Dhabi-based Phoenix Venture Partners, with participation from family offices and individual investors.
The round, made through Phoenix Venture Partners Innovation Fund (CEIC) Limited, is GAGA's first fully priced institutional raise and brings total funding to $4.2 million. The company will use the capital to expand its educator network, develop its Arabic-language content library, and invest in AI-powered tools designed to personalise learning journeys and identify knowledge gaps.
GAGA was co-founded by Abdullah Al-Khorasani and Eyad Alshabaan, both of whom came through Techstars Riyadh. Al-Khorasani previously co-founded easyuni.com, a university discovery platform operating across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Alshabaan, a former entrepreneur in residence at Saudi Aramco's Wa'ed venture arm, co-founded home services platform B8ak before launching GAGA in 2020.
The platform offers more than 1,000 live programmes across over 200 subjects, combining academic and skill-based learning through real-time teacher-student interaction. Unlike recorded content platforms, GAGA's model centres on live, gamified classes with vetted educators, positioning itself as a complement to traditional schooling and an alternative to private tutoring, which remains one of the largest household education expenses in the Kingdom.
"This round marks an important milestone in our mission to make world-class, interactive Arabic learning accessible to every family in Saudi Arabia," Al-Khorasani said. "With PVP's belief in our vision, we will expand our educator network, strengthen our Arabic content, and accelerate our technology development to empower more students across the Kingdom."
PVP, which is headquartered in the Abu Dhabi Global Market and regulated by the FSRA, also separately announced the completion of its third private placement funding round, bringing in new investors from the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE. The firm's founder and CEO Steve Khayat framed both announcements against the current regional backdrop.
"In moments when global circumstances challenge us, we believe even more strongly in backing founders who create real impact, and our long-term commitment to the GCC, including the Kingdom's rapidly growing tech ecosystem, has never been stronger," Khayat said. "GAGA is reshaping how students engage with learning in the Kingdom and serves as a powerful complement to the traditional schooling system."
Saudi Arabia's edtech market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 13% through 2032. GAGA competes in a market that includes the likes of Noon Education, the STV-backed platform with over 14 million students across six countries, as well as Abwaab, Al-Gooru and a growing number of vertical players targeting K-12 learners in the Kingdom.
