Belgian-founded online learning platform DataCamp has acquired Dubai-based AI start-up Optima for around 15 million dollars in cash and shares. The deal brings about ten AI specialists on board and marks DataCamp’s first major acquisition since its founding in 2013.
Optima has developed technology that tailors course content to each learner’s individual profile, adjusting the pace, explanations, and feedback in real time. The integration will make DataCamp’s data and AI courses more interactive and personalized, with the potential to expand content into more languages.
“AI allows us to take interactivity and personalization to the next level”, says Martijn Theuwissen, DataCamp co-founder. “It also helps us make our learning materials more accessible across the globe.”
Founded in Leuven and now headquartered in New York, DataCamp has over 18 million learners and more than 6,000 corporate clients, including major names in tech, finance, and pharmaceuticals. The company is cashflow positive and expects to surpass 100 million dollars in annual recurring revenue by 2026.
With this acquisition, DataCamp strengthens its position as a global leader in AI-driven education and takes another step toward creating what it calls “the AI learning engine of the future.”
