Rwaq
Rwaq (رواق) is a Saudi Arabia-based Arabic-language MOOC platform founded in 2013, offering over 1,000 free academic courses across 11 disciplines to Arab-world learners, supplemented by institutional partnerships with universities, government bodies, and NGOs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersJeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Rwaq does
Rwaq (رواق), founded in 2013 and headquartered in Saudi Arabia, operates the first Arabic-language Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform. The platform delivers over 1,003 free academic courses spanning 11 disciplines — including Law, Engineering, Medicine, Science and Technology, Economics and Management, Culture and Art, and Religion — taught by distinguished Arab academics. Core product features include professionally edited video lectures published as short segments, interactive exercises with immediate feedback, weekly graded assignments, live sessions with instructors, discussion threads and course walls, completion certificates (both auto-issued and accredited), and native mobile applications for iOS and Android. Self-serve enrollment is free via email or social login (Facebook/Twitter).
The business model combines freemium individual access with a managed-services institutional partnership tier. Most courses are free to learners, while selected courses carry one-time fees (e.g., 230 SAR for the Scratch programming course, 34.5 SAR for the future skills course). Institutional customers — universities, government bodies, and NGOs such as University of Jeddah, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), the Ministry of Health (MOH), Monshaat, Al-Mawaddah Association for Family Development, and the Arab Institute for Sustainable Professional Development — receive branded partner pages with full LMS control for course publishing, student enrollment, and certification. Customer reach spans Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, and Kuwait, with global accessibility to Arabic speakers. The company is supported by a volunteer Ambassador Program that recruits student representatives from Arab universities for outreach, instructor recruitment, and event representation. Revenue figures and capital structure beyond a $540,000 funding round in April 2013 and an undisclosed 2017 round are not publicly disclosed.
Rwaq firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rwaq
- Legal name
- Rwaq
- Website
- https://rwaq.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rwaq (رواق) is a Saudi Arabia-based Arabic-language MOOC platform founded in 2013, offering over 1,000 free academic courses across 11 disciplines to Arab-world learners, supplemented by institutional partnerships with universities, government bodies, and NGOs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rwaq industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Education / E-Learning Platform
- NAICS
- Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- MOOC & Open Course Platforms (EDAFAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW) (EDAGAJAB)
Keywords
Where Rwaq is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jeddah
- HQ country
- Saudi Arabia
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rwaq business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Free Course Access: The majority of Rwaq courses are free for students. Students enroll at no cost and receive free completion certificates for eligible courses. This creates a large user base that attracts partnerships and institutional enrollment.
- Paid Courses: Some courses have a fee. For example, 'برمجة الألعاب والقصص الرقمية Scratch' is priced at 230 SAR, and 'مهارات المستقبل لطلبة الجامعات' is priced at 34.5 SAR. Discount campaigns (e.g., 25% off for Eid al-Fitr) are also offered.
- Academic Partnerships and Institutional Agreements: Rwaq provides academic partners (universities, colleges, government bodies, NGOs) with dedicated partner accounts, branded pages, and full control over their e-learning environment. Partnerships with organizations like Jeddah University, SFDA, and Al-Mawaddah drive institutional enrollment and content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free courses with optional paid upgrades |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 25% Eid al-Fitr discount on select paid courses |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Rwaq product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rwaq operates an Arabic-language Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform delivering free academic courses in Arabic across 11 disciplines, taught by distinguished Arab academics through professionally edited video lectures, interactive exercises, weekly assignments, live instructor sessions, and discussion forums. The platform serves individual learners via a self-serve web and mobile experience, and provides institutional clients (universities, government bodies, NGOs) with branded partner pages and full learning management control under an Academic Partnership Program.
Product overview
Rwaq is an Arabic open education platform (MOOC) offering free academic courses in diverse disciplines taught by distinguished Arab academics. The platform provides a web-based learning environment alongside dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications, enabling students to access video lectures, interactive exercises, assignments, live sessions, discussion forums, and completion certificates. The platform supports course enrollment, community engagement through its Ambassador Program, and institutional partnerships via its Academic Partnership Program. The Rwaq Help Center complements the offering by providing self-service support and documentation for students, instructors, and institutional partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rwaq MOOC Platform (Web) Free web-based MOOC platform delivering Arabic-language academic courses with video lectures, interactive exercises, weekly assignments, live sessions, discussion forums, and completion certificates for individual learners across the Arab world.
- Rwaq Mobile Application (iOS)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,003 courses available and 250,000+ students enrolled from the Arab world
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Rwaq
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rwaq technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Rwaq partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- University of Jeddah (جامعة جدة)coreAn academic partnership was signed between University of Jeddah and Rwaq. The university publishes courses and accredited certificates through Rwaq's platform, and collaborates on launching educational innovations. The partnership aligns shared humanistic and strategic goals by integrating entrepreneurship culture into university curricula.
- Al-Mawaddah Association for Family Development (جمعية المودة)coreRwaq signed an academic partnership with Al-Mawaddah to publish training courses for young families (newly married/couples) via the platform, targeting 1 million young families in the Arab world and Saudi Arabia. The goal is to build an aware family culture with good family skills.
- Saudi Food and Drug Authority (الهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء)coreRwaq signed an academic partnership agreement with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) — the first government entity to publish materials on the platform. SFDA published 14 courses covering medical devices and products, with more planned.
- Arab Institute for Sustainable Professional Development (معتمد)coreAn academic partnership between Rwaq and the Arab Institute (معتمد), affiliated with the Arab Doctors Union, to enhance open education (MOOC) in healthcare and disseminate it in the Arab world. Five courses on patient safety, medical errors, communication skills, ECG reading, and healthcare strategy were planned for Q1 2016.
- Al-Noghair (النغير)minorRwaq signed an academic partnership with Al-Noghair, an online community focused on early childhood education and positive parenting, to produce educational series for parents. Al-Noghair was selected by MITEF for Arab entrepreneurship and ranked among top 10 startups in the Arab world.
- Jerusalem Studies Center / Isra (مجمع دراسات بيت المقدس - إسراء)minorRwaq partnered with the Jerusalem Studies Center (Isra) in the UK to teach the 'Diploma in Jerusalem Studies' on the Rwaq platform, starting with a free introductory course and building toward the full diploma. This is the first Arabic-language diploma in Jerusalem Studies.
- Silatech and Microsoft (Ta3mal Platform)majorRwaq partnered with Silatech (a Qatar Foundation initiative) and Microsoft to integrate with the Ta3mal employment platform. Goals include promoting entrepreneurship and employment among Arab youth, enhancing skills through Arabic e-training, single sign-on between Rwaq and Ta3mal, and cross-promotion of educational content.
- Us to U.S. OrganizationminorRwaq partnered with Us to U.S., an organization under the Saudi Cultural Attaché in America, to produce academic courses through Rwaq and training courses via the Mahara platform, delivered by Saudi students in the U.S. to Arab audiences.
- MicrosoftmajorMicrosoft is listed as a partner on Rwaq's homepage. The partnership includes integration with Microsoft's Ta3mal platform via Silatech, as well as Microsoft education applications featured as courses on the platform (e.g., Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert program).
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rwaq competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rwaq social profiles
Digital presenceRwaq financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rwaq leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Rwaq funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rwaq M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rwaq
What does Rwaq do?
Rwaq operates an Arabic-language Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform delivering free academic courses in Arabic across 11 disciplines, taught by distinguished Arab academics through professionally edited video lectures, interactive exercises, weekly assignments, live instructor sessions, and discussion forums. The platform serves individual learners via a self-serve web and mobile experience, and provides institutional clients (universities, government bodies, NGOs) with branded partner pages and full learning management control under an Academic Partnership Program.
Is Rwaq a public or private company?
Rwaq is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rwaq founded?
Rwaq was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rwaq based?
Rwaq is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.
How does Rwaq make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Free Course Access are the primary driver. The others are paid Courses and academic Partnerships and Institutional Agreements.
Does Rwaq have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rwaq.
What industry is Rwaq in?
Rwaq's product category is Online Education / E-Learning Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAIAA, MOOC & Open Course Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAGAJAB, Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW). Its NAICS code is 6116 and its SIC code is 8200.