US-Based DataCamp Acquires UAE-Born Edtech Optima As Part Of Middle East Expansion

DataCamp has announced its acquisition of Optima, the UAE-born artificial intelligence (AI) native learning startup, marking the US and London-based edtech company’s first expansion into the Middle East.

The deal brings Optima’s adaptive learning technology, which adjusts lessons, pacing, and feedback in real-time, into one of the world’s largest data-skilling platforms. 

Optima was founded in the UAE by Yusuf Saber, who will now serve as DataCamp’s Chief AI Officer. The full Optima team will also join the company, allowing the AI-native learning engine they built to scale more quickly across DataCamp’s catalog. 

Speaking to Inc. Arabia, Saber traced Optima’s origins to his years at some of the region’s most influential tech companies and his interest in the future of education. “Optima was founded in July 2023 following stints at companies like Talabat and Careem, where I had data, machine learning, and AI leadership roles," Saber shared. "I’ve had a passion for education for a long time. Whilst at Careem, I would also run internal data up-skilling programs, which became very popular. This was crucial in building internal technical capabilities.” 

Saber recalled ChatGPT 3.5’s release in late 2022 as a turning point that shifted his idea for Optima from a concept to a company, explaining that it offered a “look at the future of education in a radically different way, one where adaptive and personalized learning could be achieved at scale.” That moment, he shared, shaped Optima’s approach, which is rooted in AI-driven instruction rather than traditional online learning formats. “We launched Optima with the core mission of helping professionals build practical, job-ready skills through adaptive, hands-on learning," Saber said. "By being AI-native from day one, we were able to bring the power of a 1:1 tutor to anyone, at scale. Early on, we were backed by COTU Ventures (Amir Farha wrote our first check), and a number of prominent angel investors.” 

But it wasn’t just COTU Ventures that saw potential in Optima’s vision. Two years later, in a chance encounter with DataCamp co-founder and CEO Jonathan Cornellisen, Optima’s next chapter was written. “While this acquisition wasn’t planned, it was the coming together of a shared vision that learning should be hands-on, adaptive, and personalized," Saber shared. "Jonathan and I met because of a common client. It’s a meeting we reminisce about as it nearly didn’t happen. I had just got out of surgery, and Jonathan had limited time in Dubai.” 

But that meeting set the foundation for what became the acquisition. “I demo’ed the platform to Jonathan, who recognized that our implementation was the strongest execution of AI-native learning he had seen," Saber said. "With DataCamp having achieved global scale through 17 million learners across 18 countries, Optima’s technology made sense for their product to reimagine how online education is delivered. Our shared vision is what we believe we can realize faster together.” 

Saber also highlighted that far from existing in a silo, he sees the acquisition as part of a broader movement within the regional tech landscape. “The acquisition is not just a milestone for the MENA startup ecosystem, but also a recognition of the talent we have here to build innovative products," he explained. "We are excited about our next stage of growth, as we roll out our technology across DataCamp's comprehensive list of courses and products.” 

Critically, that talent will now transition to DataCamp—a significant but “natural” step for the company’s team. “I think it’s truly incredible to go from a one-city operation to a global organization in just two years," Saber noted. "Being a Dubai-born startup, Optima colleagues are used to working in multi-cultural environments... Culturally, both teams value experimentation, data-driven decisions, and a learner-first mindset, making the cultural fit natural.” 

As for Saber, his new role will focus heavily on rethinking how education is delivered through AI, which he explained will require the team to rethink how courses are built from the ground up. “Personally, I’m focused on driving a mindset shift from ‘AI as a feature’ to AI being the core engine that delivers and adapts learning in real time," he said. "With DataCamp’s new AI-native learning experience, the AI will actively deliver lessons and not sit on the side as a chatbot, which requires rethinking how content is created. That’s why we also need to rethink our content creation methodology, which needs to be designed for AI delivery, a major shift from traditional course production, as we seek to personalize the learning experience for millions around the world.” 

But it’s not just people who will integrate into DataCamp. The two companies are also merging their platforms, with Optima’s technology integrating directly into DataCamp’s core platform to power the company’s most popular courses with its adaptive, AI-native learning environment. 

DataCamp currently serves 6,000 enterprise customers and is growing its business-to-business segment at about 30 percent year over year. Its global clients include Google, Uber, Nike, Stanley Black and Decker, Roche, Pfizer, and the four largest US banks. In the Middle East, both DataCamp and Optima work with companies such as Talabat, Careem, and ADQ as organizations push to strengthen internal data and AI capabilities. 

The acquisition also aligns with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which focuses on national upskilling and the development of local talent. As part of its entry into the region, DataCamp will introduce DataCamp Classrooms in the UAE, giving students and educators free access to more than 500 courses. It will also offer its Intro to AI program free of charge for six months to UAE government employees and students. 

With the backing of DataCamp’s global platform, Optima gains access to a level of scale that was previously out of reach. The company can now test and refine its technology across a far larger learner base, apply its AI-native approach to a broader catalog of courses, and rely on a more extensive engineering organization to accelerate product development. 

Optima’s technology will also become far more accessible as it moves onto DataCamp’s global platform in a shift that opens the door to a much broader learner base and richer product feedback cycles. “We can now support millions of learners globally, giving us rich data to rapidly improve the platform," Saber revealed. "Given DataCamp’s global reach, multilingual delivery becomes a priority, and the acquisition accelerates our ability to offer AI-native learning in multiple languages. Of course, this also requires us to ensure that our product delivers a top-quality user experience for learners wherever in the world they might be.” 

This expansion also unlocks new possibilities for companies that want deeper personalization in how their teams learn. Saber highlighted rising enterprise demand for tailored AI tutors and bespoke learning environments shaped around each organization’s tools and workflows. “Additionally, DataCamp’s enterprise footprint unlocks deep customization potential at both the industry and company level," he said. "This includes private deployments for organizations that want AI tutors trained on their internal data, as well as company-specific personalization around tools, workflows, and AI policies, all while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security.” 

Looking forward, Saber expects the next phase of online learning to look very different from today’s pre-recorded courses, in many ways redefining how learners interact with content. “The biggest shift will be the move from static, pre-recorded courses to fully adaptive, AI-delivered learning experiences tailored to each learner," Saber said. "Learning will increasingly resemble a world-class private tutor: personalized, contextual, and responsive in real time. Technical content will no longer stay fixed, with thousands of dynamic variations of the same course available for different roles, industries, and skill levels. The technology will also detect user engagement and interest to adjust pace, explanations, and difficulty, dramatically reducing boredom, frustration, and drop-off.” 

Saber also reflected on how the shifts in the AI landscape are reshaping the future of learning. “The rapid evolution of technical tools means content becomes outdated quickly; learners will expect platforms where content is updated continuously, not every 6-12 months (if ever!)," he said. "Our AI-led approach to content creation will shrink development cycles from months to days, too, with multilingual and multimodal delivery becoming the norm."

Pictured in the lead image is Optima founder Yusuf Saber. Image courtesy Optima.