Egypt-based edtech platform iSchool has announced its acquisition of the software engineering firm Rubikal, a strategic move designed to accelerate its development of AI-powered educational infrastructure. This transaction marks a significant evolution for iSchool, shifting its focus from being an education provider to a technology-first company owning its entire tech stack. The integration aims to build a comprehensive, full-stack AI system to serve the K-12 learning sector globally.
A Strategic Integration of Talent and Technology
The acquisition will see Rubikal’s entire team, including its leadership and 21 software engineers, fully integrated into iSchool’s technology division. As part of this transition, Rubikal co-founder Mohamed Ibrahim will assume the role of Chief Technology Officer at iSchool. His co-founder, Moustafa Badawy, will join as the new Vice President of Engineering, significantly strengthening the company's technical leadership.
Building on a Foundation of Collaboration
This deal formalizes a successful partnership that has spanned the last three years, during which Rubikal acted as a key engineering partner for iSchool. The two companies worked closely on developing and scaling iSchool’s core technology platform. This deep collaboration revealed a strong operational and cultural alignment, which ultimately led to the decision to merge their teams.
Accelerating the Vision for AI in Education
According to Muhammad Gawish, co-founder and CEO of iSchool, the synergy between the two companies was evident from the start. He explained that Rubikal has long operated as an extension of their own engineering team. This acquisition now allows them to fully align their capabilities and accelerate the mission to build the AI infrastructure that schools will rely on.
Echoing this sentiment, incoming CTO Mohamed Ibrahim highlighted the immense opportunity to transform education with advanced technology. He stated that joining forces enables the combined team to move beyond simply building products to creating a complete AI-powered ecosystem for schools. This vision combines deep technical expertise with a clear educational mission to drive innovation in the sector.
Expanding Global Reach and Capabilities
Rubikal brings a wealth of experience from its work as a global software house, having delivered high-quality solutions for prominent international clients. Its portfolio includes projects for major corporations such as The Walt Disney Company, Discovery Inc, and Vestaboard. This proven track record in developing scalable, high-performance products will be critical to iSchool's next phase of growth.
Founded in 2018, iSchool has already established a significant international presence, with over 150,000 graduates in more than 20 countries. The company continues to expand its footprint across the MENA region and is increasingly focused on large-scale institutional and government partnerships. This acquisition provides the in-house technical power needed to support this ambitious global expansion and product development.
This acquisition represents a pivotal milestone in iSchool’s journey, solidifying its transition into a technology platform focused on proprietary AI systems. By internalizing Rubikal's engineering talent and leadership, iSchool is strategically positioning itself to become a foundational AI infrastructure layer for schools worldwide. The move underscores a commitment to owning its technology stack to deliver more integrated and scalable learning solutions globally.