Nigerian edtech startup AltSchool Africa is taking a significant leap in its growth journey by expanding to Europe. The startup, which trains Africans in in-demand tech skills, is launching its first operations in Malta, following a growth accelerator sponsored by the Malta government. This move marks a strategic step towards diversifying its revenue streams and accelerating growth.

AltSchool Africa's expansion into Europe comes on the heels of its successful launch in Kenya in January 2024. Since its inception in 2021, the startup has seen growing interest in its services beyond Nigeria, with a presence now in the US and Rwanda, where it opened an office at the Norrsken Hub in 2023. Europe is the startup's third-largest market, with learners from over 12 European countries, according to AltSchool CEO Adewale Yusuf.

The company, known for its extensive curriculum covering business, data, engineering, media, and the creative economy, will offer the same curriculum in Europe alongside AI and data analytics modules. AltSchool plans to take its first cohort of learners in Malta by 2025. Yusuf claims the startup is approaching profitability, and the fresh expansion will aid its revenue growth.

In a significant departure from its Africa-focused online learning model, AltSchool will set up campuses in Malta, introducing a hybrid approach that combines in-person learning sessions with tutors. "Because we're an alternative school, there are some elements of the actual traditional school that work, and we want to take the best of both sides," explained Rachael Onoja, the startup's head of innovation and market expansion.

AltSchool is also exploring a B2B model alongside its B2C model in Europe, partnering with organizations to curate tailored training courses for their employees and assisting them with content development and learning infrastructure. The startup is close to closing one of those deals, according to Onaja. "We noticed that in Africa and even some parts of other parts of the world, some companies have been reaching out to us, asking for support for workforce development. So we want to see how we can scale that to offer enterprise licensing to businesses looking to upskill employees," Onaja told TechCabal.

AltSchool will face competition from startups like Bloomtech in Europe, but Yusuf is confident that the startup will differentiate itself through community and personalized learning. The edtech will use the same subscription model for Europe but will charge different price points. With over 100,000 learners supported across eight African countries and twelve European countries, AltSchool is poised to make a significant impact in the European edtech landscape.

As AltSchool Africa expands its footprint in Europe, it is partnering with local universities, organizations, companies, and governments to implement its implementation plan. "Right now, we are partnering with local universities on ground, and also partnering with organizations, companies, and even the government to implement some attributes of our implementation plan, because it takes a village," said Yusuf.

With its European expansion, AltSchool Africa is not only diversifying its revenue streams but also accelerating its growth trajectory. As the startup continues to innovate and adapt to the changing edtech landscape, it will be interesting to see how it navigates the European market and leverages its unique strengths to make a lasting impact.