Brainster

What Brainster does

Brainster is an education technology company founded in 2015 and operating primarily from North Macedonia, with active markets in Slovenia and Croatia. It delivers practical, cohort-based AI, technology, and marketing training through online live lectures, organized under four sub-brands: the original Brainster training programs, Brainster Next (a higher-education institution emphasizing 100% practical teaching), NU Academy (six-month digital-skills programs for high school students with one international franchise), and AIatWork (practical AI training built around 120+ international experts). Current offerings concentrate on an AI Academy portfolio consisting of a 4-month Practical AI Academy for Professionals (950 EUR), a 4-month Practical AI Academy for Implementers (950 EUR), a 4-month Practical AI Academy for Marketers (950 EUR), and a 1-month Basic AI Skills and AI Literacy course (280 EUR, free for the first 30 applicants), with twice-weekly Tuesday/Thursday sessions and a 7-step online enrollment funnel.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer subscription/cohort model with installment payment plans and a community-led go-to-market motion. Demand generation relies on a partner ecosystem of 250+ local and international companies (including Siemens, Telekom, Booking.com, NLB Banka, Triglav, Alkaloid, Lidl, Cineplexx, and Sparkasse) that act as referral sources and as hiring channels for graduates, reinforced by an 11-year track record, a #1 Ed-Tech Center rating at 4.9/5, 18,000+ training sessions delivered since 2015, 17,000+ European users cumulatively, and 2,400+ graduates placed in new careers. Custom projects with the Parliament of North Macedonia, the State Statistical Office of North Macedonia, Diners Club Macedonia, Johnson Matthey, and Pelister Brewery suggest a secondary corporate/government training and applied-project revenue stream alongside the core consumer subscription offering.

The company appears to be privately held and bootstrapped (no parent company, institutional investors, or funding rounds are disclosed), operates a 51-100 employee headcount, and has no publicly disclosed revenue, ARR, or financial statements. Its growth posture is anchored on AI curriculum repositioning (2024 product launches), regional expansion into Slovenia and Croatia, and deepening of the employer/graduate pipeline rather than on raising outside capital.

Name

Brainster

Legal name

Brainster

Website

https://brainster.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Brainster is a North Macedonia-based ed-tech company, founded in 2015, that delivers cohort-based online AI, technology, and marketing training across the Balkans (Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia) through sub-brands including Brainster Next, NU Academy, and AIatWork, with a 250+ partner employer network that hires its graduates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Professional Education

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

AI & Machine Learning (Foundations & Applied) (EDAMACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

AI/ML Learning Platforms for Students (EDAFANAE)

Keywords

• Online AI training
• Practical AI education
• Career academy programs
• Digital skills training
• AI implementation courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. AI Academy Programs: Revenue generated from paid educational programs including the 4-month Practical AI Academy for Professionals (950 EUR), 1-month AI Fundamentals course (280 EUR), and specialized tracks for implementers and marketers. Additional revenue from installment payment plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Brainster delivers online, cohort-based practical AI training programs through its AI Academy at ai.brainster.co, including a 4-month Practical AI Academy for Professionals (950 EUR), a Practical AI Academy for Implementers, a Practical AI Academy for Marketers, and a 1-month Basic AI Skills and AI Literacy course (280 EUR). The programs are delivered via live virtual lectures twice per week and emphasize hands-on, project-based learning over theoretical certificates. Alongside the AI Academy, Brainster operates sub-brands Brainster Next (a practical higher education institution), NU Academy (6-month digital skills programs for high school students), and AIatWork (practical AI training with 120+ international experts).

Product overview

Brainster is an education technology company operating under the Brainster Group that offers a portfolio of practical AI, technology, and marketing training programs. The core offering is the AI Academy at ai.brainster.co, which provides multiple specialized programs: the 4-month Practical AI Academy for Professionals for becoming AI-native, the Practical AI Academy for Implementers for building 10 real AI projects, the Practical AI Academy for Marketers for marketing automation, and a 1-month Basic AI Skills and AI Literacy introductory course. The company also operates three sub-brands: Brainster Next (a higher education institution with 100% practical education), NU Academy (6-month programs for high school students with 1 international franchise), and AIatWork (practical AI training with 120+ international experts). The portfolio spans from beginner to professional levels across Macedonia, Slovenia, and Croatia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brainster Next: Higher education institution in Macedonia with 100% practical teaching, described as the fastest-growing faculty in the region.
• NU Academy
• AIatWork

Products and services

• Practical AI Academy for Professionals A 4-month online cohort-based AI academy for working professionals who want to use AI daily, automate tasks, and increase workplace productivity. Priced at 950 EUR with a free Basic AI Skills course included for the first 30 applicants.
• Practical AI Academy for Implementers A 4-month online academy for practitioners seeking to build 10 real AI projects and learn how to implement AI in business processes end-to-end. Priced at 950 EUR with online live lectures twice per week.
• Practical AI Academy for Marketers A 4-month online academy for marketers to become AI-native, using AI for content creation, performance optimization, and marketing automation. Priced at 950 EUR with online live lectures twice per week.
• Basic AI Skills and AI Literacy Course A 1-month introductory online course on AI skills and literacy with no prerequisites required. Priced at 280 EUR, and free for the first 30 applicants as a foundational companion to the longer academies.
• Brainster Next A higher education institution in North Macedonia offering 100% practical education across multiple digital disciplines; described as the fastest-growing faculty in the region with full graduate employment outcomes.
• NU Academy Specialized 6-month programs for high school students designed to build strong digital skills and prepare them for high-paying careers. Operates with one international franchise.
• AIatWork Practical AI training program focused on applying AI in real work environments, featuring 120+ international expert instructors delivering content for working professionals and corporate learners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35-50% higher salary for AI specialists compared to peers without AI skills
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Diners Club MacedoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiners Club Macedonia partnered with Brainster Next for student talent pipeline and practical project collaborations. The company values the faculty and students who are continuously involved in practical projects, offering them opportunities to prove themselves and develop their skills.
• Johnson MattheyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohnson Matthey invests in future generations through partnership with Brainster Next faculty to find young enthusiastic talent aligned with their vision for a healthier and cleaner environment.
• Државен Завод за Статистика (State Statistical Office of North Macedonia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe State Statistical Office collaborated with Brainster Next students to develop an AI statistical assistant using artificial intelligence. This project represents a successful partnership between academia, young talent, and public institutions that can contribute to modern digital solutions.
• Прилепска Пиварница (Pelister Brewery / Zlaten Dab)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrainster Next students worked on brand management projects for Pelister Brewery (Zlaten Dab), demonstrating serious approach, thorough brand brief understanding, and strategic thinking with professional-level conceptual clarity.
• Собрание на Р.М. (Parliament of North Macedonia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Parliament of North Macedonia collaborated with Brainster Next students to develop an AI-powered room booking and work organization application for parliamentary operations, streamlining room reservations and work organization without excessive bureaucracy.
• ТАРГЕТ ГРУП (Target Group / Бизнис Мрежа)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerОгнен Огненовски, founder of Business Network and TARGET GROUP, praised Brainster Next students' work as 'fascinating and genuinely unexpected,' indicating a collaborative relationship with the educational institution.
• 250+ Regional and International Companies (logos displayed)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA community of 250+ local and international companies including Alkaloid, Booking.com, DEKRA, Kühne+Nagel, Leoron, NLB Banka, Sava, Siemens, Telekom, Triglav, Lidl, Cineplexx, Sparkasse, Tinex, and others collaborate with and hire Brainster graduates. These companies serve as an ecosystem of employment partners and referral sources.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Codecademy: Interactive platform for coding and AI skill-building with career-oriented learning paths. Comparable for learners seeking practical tech/AI skills, though primarily self-paced rather than live-cohort.
• Udemy: Global marketplace with extensive AI, tech, and marketing course catalog at low price points. Comparable as a competitor for the same learner persona pursuing affordable professional AI upskilling.
• DataCamp: Subscription-based platform focused on data and AI skills with interactive exercises. Comparable as a tech-skills training provider targeting working professionals, though delivered asynchronously rather than cohort-based.
• Udacity: Tech-focused 'nano degree' provider historically strong in AI and data programs. Comparable as a structured, project-based tech-career training provider, though currently repositioning after recent operating changes.
• Faculty AI: Applied AI education and consultancy offering professional AI training programs and corporate upskilling. Comparable because it sells similar practical AI training to both individual professionals and enterprise clients, including government engagements.
• Brainstation: Bootcamp-style provider of AI, data, and tech skills training with strong employer partnerships. Comparable for cohort-based delivery, employer-network-driven demand, and career-outcome positioning.
• DeepLearning.AI: Andrew Ng's AI-education platform offering short courses and specializations on practical AI and machine-learning skills. Highly comparable because it competes directly for the same learner intent: practical, applied AI upskilling for working professionals.
• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering professional AI, data science, and technology specializations. Comparable as a destination for working professionals seeking career-advancement credentials, though at massive global scale rather than Balkan regional focus.
• Maven: Cohort-based live online learning platform for professional skills including AI, product, and engineering. Closely comparable because it shares Brainster's cohort-based live-instructor delivery model targeting working professionals.
• 365 Data Science: Online platform offering structured data and AI career tracks aimed at working professionals and career switchers. Comparable as a subscription-based AI/data upskilling platform targeting similar learner outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brainsterco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brainster-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brainster