Zain, the pioneer of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East, has announced a strategic partnership with Baims, a leading Kuwait-based digital e-learning platform that offers virtual courses to high school and university students in 5 MENA countries. The cooperation aims at empowering the digitalization of the local education sector, expanding the youth’s digital upskilling and literacy, and providing students with the academic content and competencies essential to today’s market.
The partnership was sealed at the Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC) in the company’s headquarters in Shuwaikh, attended by Chief Corporate Affairs and Relations Officer Waleed Al-Khashti, Baims co-founder and CEO Yousef Al-Hussaini, and Zain’s Marketing and Innovation & Entrepreneurship teams.
Founded by Bader Al-Rasheed and Yousef Al-Husaini in 2017, Baims allows top instructors to teach and students to study anytime and anywhere at a fraction of today’s cost, making high-quality education accessible to everyone. The company is one of the top success stories of the Zain Great Idea tech startup accelerator program, and today’s announcement reflects Zain’s belief in the ability of local startups to compete in the market and contribute to the national economy.
The collaboration, combined with Baims’ virtual courses and comprehensive education services, is set to contribute to elevating the digital academic tools available to students across Kuwait. It is also set to feature exclusive offers and special discounts to Zain customers on virtual courses and other services offered by Baims via specially tailored packages for the youth.
As a part of the partnership, Zain will also offer exclusive academic content on Baims covering topics related to innovation and entrepreneurship. Baims operates in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, and Turkey. It aims to digitize the offline tutoring experience by allowing students to learn independently with video lectures, notes, live sessions, and quizzes on the web and mobile devices.
Zain follows several strategic objectives to consistently exceed customer expectations and maintain its leadership position by offering products, services, and promotions that meet their needs and aspirations. The company is committed to providing world-class services through its digital and traditional channels, including zBot, an AI-based interactive chatbot, and more. As a main partner of the community, the company is keen on delivering its Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility strategy by investing in and launching several sustainable initiatives that cater to education, health, the environment, youth, sports, and other essential sectors.
Last year, the startup recorded 30 million views, with 150,000+ active monthly users and 150,000+ recorded video courses on its huge library of academic content. Baims boasts 500 exclusive content creators and tutors and is considered one of the top 50 e-learning companies in the MENA region. The conference presented an invaluable opportunity for Baims and other ZGI participants to learn new ideas, build partnerships, and connect with innovators and investors worldwide. Zain saw the need and ambition of Kuwait-based startups to expand into the MENA region and has selected this global event for its program’s second destination due to the Saudi market being one of the biggest and most vital of the region’s needs.
Saudi Arabia also presents a unique quality, sharing a close geographical proximity, culture, demographics, and target audience with Kuwait. This presented a great opportunity for ZGI participants to learn from the vast number of workshops, conferences, and shared experiences in LEAP, paving the way for them to prepare their regional expansion plans.
In May this year, Baims raised $4 million in its Series A round led by AK Holding with participation from Al-Wazzan Educational Group, Rasameel Investment House and other investors.
