Refocus
Refocus Digital Academy is a Philippines-headquartered ed-tech startup selling 8–9 month online bootcamps in Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Web Development to career changers in the Philippines and Indonesia via the Thinkific platform, with a money-back job guarantee and employer hiring partner network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersMakati, Philippines
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Refocus does
Refocus (Refocus Digital Academy) is a Southeast Asia-focused ed-tech company incorporated in the Philippines in September 2021 as Refocus E-Learning Philippines Corp. and operating from Makati with a regional entity, PT. Digital Edukasi Plus, in Jakarta. It sells online courses in Data Analytics (8 months), Digital Marketing (9 months), and Web Development to career changers and aspiring tech professionals in the Philippines and Indonesia, delivered as pre-recorded video content through the third-party Thinkific learning management system. Each enrollment provides 12 months of course access and includes a Career Center module with mentorship, job search support, employer introductions, and a money-back guarantee contingent on 100% task completion, 300 job applications within 60 days, and 6 months of job search activity.
The business model is direct-to-consumer, with course fees paid in full or via 3–18 month bank installment plans, BillEase Buy Now Pay Later, or DBS promotional financing. Distribution combines self-serve website enrollment (refocus.me/ph and refocus.me/ind) with content marketing, free webinars, and a referral program offering both referrer fees and up to 10% discounts to referred customers. The company employs 251–500 staff, lists three co-founders (CEO Roman Kumar Vyas, Igor Gurovich, Alex Solo) with prior experience at Adidas, Wunderman Thompson, Mastercard, Ford, BMW, Home Credit Bank, and Porsche, and markets a network of employer hiring partners including Clockster, KMC Solutions, Outsource Accelerator, Enshored, Transcosmos, Wild Acorn, Solvento, EESI, The Remote Group, and REurasia.
Refocus has accumulated brand credibility through the 2022 Product Hunt Golden Kitty Award for Best Educational Tool, GSV Cup Elite 200 selection, and a Similarweb ranking as the No. 1 online education website in the Philippines, alongside an articulated ambition to employ 1 million Indonesians and Filipinos by 2027. Operationally, however, the company paused most services in 2023 due to financial challenges, replaced live career sessions with pre-recorded content in August 2023, and announced a revival with mentor and support reinstatement beginning November 10, 2023 — making its current stage one of turnaround rather than scale. One funding round in September 2022 with Yellow Rocks! is recorded with no disclosed amount.
Refocus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Refocus
- Legal name
- Refocus E-Learning Philippines Corp.
- Website
- https://refocus.me
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Refocus Digital Academy is a Philippines-headquartered ed-tech startup selling 8–9 month online bootcamps in Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Web Development to career changers in the Philippines and Indonesia via the Thinkific platform, with a money-back job guarantee and employer hiring partner network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Refocus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Professional Education
- NAICS
- Computer Training (61142), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Professional & Career Skills Tutoring Platforms (Coding, Data, Business) (EDANAGAI)
Keywords
Where Refocus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Makati
- HQ country
- Philippines
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Refocus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Course Tuition Fees: One-time course fees for Data Analytics (8 months) and Digital Marketing (9 months) programs. Fees can be paid in full or through installment plans (3, 6, 9, 12, or 18 monthly installments). Course access provided for up to 12 months from purchase date.
- Installment Payment Processing: Partner bank installment plans with interest rates added depending on the plan selected. Company receives full payment upfront from bank, student pays bank over time.
- Referral Program: Referrers receive Referral Fee when referred customer fully pays for course and remains for 45+ days without requesting refund. Referred customers receive up to 10% discount on courses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Data Analytics Course - 8-month program |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Digital Marketing Course - 9-month program |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Web Development Course |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Refocus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Refocus sells online, video-based training programs in Data Analytics (8 months), Digital Marketing (9 months), and Web Development, delivered through the Thinkific learning platform with 12 months of access from purchase. Each enrollment includes a Career Center module that connects graduates with hiring partner companies for job placement, supported by a money-back guarantee tied to completion requirements.
Product overview
Refocus is an online education platform offering courses in Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Web Development. The core offerings consist of structured video-based courses delivered through the Thinkfic learning platform, with duration ranging from 8-9 months and access available for 12 months. The platform provides interactive video courses with feedback mechanisms, and includes a Career Center add-on module for job placement support. Courses can be purchased outright or through installment payment plans spanning 3-18 months.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Data Analytics Course An 8-month online training program teaching data analytics skills for beginners and career changers in the Philippines and Indonesia; delivered through Thinkific with 12 months of access from purchase and eligible for the job-back money-back guarantee.
- Digital Marketing Course A 9-month online training program covering digital marketing skills including marketing campaign creation, creative testing, data analysis, budget management, and channel management across Facebook, Google, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and marketing partnerships; delivered via Thinkific with 12 months of access and covered by the job-back money-back guarantee.
- Web Development Course An online training program in web development offered to learners in the Philippines, with the same installment payment, 12-month access, and money-back guarantee structure as Refocus's other courses.
Quantifiable outcome
- Money back guarantee upon completing 100% of tasks with 80%+ scores, 300 job applications in 60 days, and 6 months of job search activities
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Refocus
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Refocus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Refocus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ThinkificcoreLearning management system platform hosting all course content, assignments, career materials, and student progress tracking. Students access courses through Thinkific with 12-month access from purchase date.
- Hiring Partner Companies (Employer Partnerships)coreCompanies that hire Refocus graduates including: Clockster, KMC Solutions, Outsource Accelerator, Enshored, Transcosmos, Wild Acorn, Solvento, EESI, The Remote Group, REurasia. Career Center connects graduates with these employers for job placement.
- BillEaseminorBuy Now Pay Later provider offering Study Now, Pay Later option with up to 12 months at 0% interest and no down payment for course enrollment.
- DBS BankminorPromotional partner offering potential discounts or financing options for course enrollment (DBS promo mentioned on website).
- Banks (Installment Partners)minorPartner banks provide installment payment plans (3, 6, 9, 12, or 18 monthly installments) for course fees. Interest rates may apply depending on installment plan selected.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Refocus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hacktiv8: Indonesia-focused coding and data bootcamp offering intensive full-stack and data science programs with career services. Closely comparable in curriculum scope (data + coding) and SEA employer placement model.
- Revou: Indonesia-based online tech upskilling platform offering cohort-based courses in Digital Marketing, Data Analytics, and Web Development with career support. Direct comparable given shared geography, curriculum mix, and career-changer focus.
- Zuitt: Philippines-based coding bootcamp offering web development and data analytics training with job placement support. Direct peer given shared Philippines market, beginner-friendly positioning, and outcome-focused model.
- Kodego: Philippines-based tech bootcamp specializing in full-stack web development and software engineering with career transition support. Direct competitor for the same Filipino career-changer audience.
- MyEduSolve: Indonesia-focused digital skills training platform with multi-vendor course marketplace and career placement programs. Comparable on curriculum breadth (digital marketing, data, IT) and SEA regional focus.
- Generation: Global nonprofit offering free, employment-focused training programs in tech and digital skills with employer hiring commitments. Comparable in the job-guarantee, career-changer value proposition that Refocus markets.
Broad incumbents
- Coursera: Global MOOC platform with professional certificates, career-academy tracks, and employer partnerships. Overlaps with Refocus in Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Web Development course offerings but as a much broader portfolio player.
- Udemy: Global creator-led course marketplace with deep catalogs across data, marketing, and development. Comparable on subscription-style course access but competes via breadth rather than career-guaranteed placement.
- Simplilearn: Professional online bootcamp provider offering career-focused certification programs in data, digital marketing, and development with corporate and individual learners. Comparable on outcome-oriented, instructor-led online bootcamp model.
Emerging players
- DataCamp: Online learning platform focused specifically on data analytics and data science skills with interactive exercises. Comparable on the Data Analytics curriculum line, though narrower in scope and not regionally concentrated in SEA.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Refocus social profiles
Digital presenceRefocus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Refocus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Refocus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Refocus 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 Refocus
What does Refocus do?
Refocus sells online, video-based training programs in Data Analytics (8 months), Digital Marketing (9 months), and Web Development, delivered through the Thinkific learning platform with 12 months of access from purchase. Each enrollment includes a Career Center module that connects graduates with hiring partner companies for job placement, supported by a money-back guarantee tied to completion requirements.
Is Refocus a public or private company?
Refocus is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Refocus founded?
Refocus was founded in 2021. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Refocus based?
Refocus is headquartered in Makati, Philippines, in the Asia region.
How does Refocus make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Course Tuition Fees are the primary driver. The others are installment Payment Processing and referral Program.
Who are Refocus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hacktiv8, Revou, Zuitt, Kodego, MyEduSolve and Generation. Broad incumbents are Coursera, Udemy and Simplilearn. DataCamp is listed as an emerging player.
Does Refocus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Refocus.
What industry is Refocus in?
Refocus's product category is Online Professional Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAGAI, Professional & Career Skills Tutoring Platforms (Coding, Data, Business). Its NAICS code is 61142 and its SIC code is 8200.