Egyptian edtech startup Farid has opened a central operations office in Riyadh, marking its first step outside Egypt as it expands across the Middle East. The move comes ahead of a seed funding round planned for the fourth quarter of 2025, the company said in a press release.
Saudi Arabia becomes the platform’s second market and the first in its regional growth strategy beyond Egypt. The expansion follows the company’s $250,000 pre-seed funding raise last year.
Founded in 2024 by Mahmoud Hussein, Farid Academy delivers personalised learning programmes aimed at children’s well-being and character development. The platform, which it describes as the first of its kind in the MENA region, provides live one-to-one sessions for Arab children aged between 3 and 18, with a focus on mental health and personality growth. It also trains young people and graduates to become certified coaches using Farid’s own methodology.
Alongside its expansion, Farid has signed a three-year partnership with the Amad Association for Human Capacity Development, valued at SAR 4.5 million. The agreement will train and certify 500 Saudi university graduates for careers in coaching and development, while also delivering educational programmes to more than 4,000 children and adolescents.
Mahmoud Hussein Al-Naqeeb, Co-Founder and CEO of Farid Academy, said the deal was a “transformational milestone” in the company’s journey.
Under its “Farid 2030” strategy, the academy aims to certify 10,000 trainers and reach 10 million children and youth across the Arab world with programmes in personality development and mental wellness.
