Founded in 2016, Alef Education aims to blend technology, data and teaching into a seamless digital experience. It started with one school and 200 students in 2017, quickly scaling with expansion across public schools in the UAE.

In 2018, Alef entered the US market through a partnership with a leading education institution, earning the Forbes Ai Everything Brave Award in 2019 for its pioneering use of artificial intelligence in education.

Alef has since steadily enhanced teaching across core subjects, including Maths, Science, English, Arabic, Social Studies and Islamic Studies. During the Covid-19 pandemic, its digital platform ensured students in UAE public schools could continue learning from home.

Today, Alef Education supports 401 UAE public schools and many private schools, with 100% coverage across middle and high school grades. Its suite of products including the Alef Platform, Alef Pathways (Math), Arabits (Arabic for non-native speakers) and Abjadiyat (Arabic for young learners) has positioned it as a regional leader in education technology (EdTech) innovation.

Its 65,000-plus teachers now work with 1.5 million registered students. The Alef Platform is used in approximately 14,000 schools across the UAE, US, Indonesia and Morocco. It also has a project pipeline valued at more than AED300 million (U.S.$82 million), according to a recent earnings presentation.

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IPO success
Alef Education Holding successfully completed the bookbuild and subscription process for its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), setting its final offer price at AED1.35 (U.S.$0.37) per share – the top of its range. This gave the company a market capitalisation of AED9.45 billion (U.S.$2.57 billion) and raised AED1.89 billion (U.S.$510 million) in proceeds. Investor demand was exceptionally strong, with total subscriptions exceeding AED74 billion (U.S.$20 billion) and an oversubscription level of 39 times.

The scale of demand highlights both Alef Education’s strong market position and the growth opportunity in regional EdTech. Shares began trading on 12 June 2024. The company has committed to paying a minimum dividend of AED135 million (U.S.$36.8 million) for each of its 2024 and 2025 financial years, equivalent to a 7.1% yield.

Strategic growth drivers

Alef Education is focusing on innovation-led growth, scaling through strategic partnerships and pursuing opportunistic international expansion. It has secured over 33% of UAE private schools and its strong B2B momentum continues. It has also secured new government contracts, and its platform is primed to scale from grades 5 to 12 and kindergarten to 4th grade, unlocking broader market potential.

It is creating and monetising Miqyas Al Dhad, the first universal Arabic language measurement scale. The initiative is currently under development in partnership with several ministries across the Middle East North Africa region. This project has the potential to open sustainable revenue streams in language proficiency and strengthen Alef’s regional growth strategy.

Building on its strong UAE foundation, Alef is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to expand into vocational education, adult education and high-potential international markets. Its AI-driven learning model is designed for scalability, offering the opportunity to accelerate global reach.

Investment outlook
Alef Education operates in a high-growth EdTech market. The K-12 segment, in particular, is seeing fast-paced growth. With a young, tech-savvy population and strong institutional support, the Middle East – especially the UAE – is a powerful catalyst for Alef’s expansion and long-term impact.

The company is also at the forefront of shaping the future of K-12 learning with AI-powered platforms that personalise education at scale in the region. Its solutions deliver measurable value across classrooms and countries, empowering both learners and educators. Strategic partnerships with Microsoft and Core42 provide the advanced AI and cloud infrastructure needed to fuel regional and global growth.

It also offers a compelling income growth model. Results from the first half of 2025 show stable growth in its UAE core business alongside new business-to-government and B2B contracts. Net profit rose 3% year-on-year, supported by a standout 65% net margin and disciplined cost optimisation. Debt-free since inception, Alef maintains a strong balance sheet, low capex requirements and consistent dividend commitments.

Edtech market outlook
The Middle East’s EdTech market was valued at US$11.3 billion in 2024 and is on track to more than double, reaching US$27 billion by 2033 – a projected CAGR of 9.2% between 2025 and 2033. Growth is being fuelled by greater internet penetration, rising demand for personalised learning and strong government initiatives to modernise education. At the same time, the adoption of AI and digital tools, the shift toward remote learning and growing investment in EdTech start-ups are accelerating the sector’s momentum.

Conclusion

Alef Education’s trajectory underscores both the resilience of its model and the scale of opportunity in the EdTech sector. With strong fundamentals and a clear dividend policy, it offers investors the potential for growth as well as income. As it expands internationally and deepens its AI capabilities, Alef is well-positioned to shape the future of education while delivering sustainable returns.

To find out more, visit the company’s page on adx.ae.

To invest, contact one of the ADX brokers now.