Nexford University, an online university platform based in the United States, has raised $8 million in a Series A round.
New Markets Venture Partners and Learn Capital co-led the round. Bisk Ventures, Global Ventures, Future Africa, AMK Investments, and the Future of Learning Fund participated.
Also, Jason Palmer, General Partner at New Markets Venture Partners, and Greg Mauro, Managing Partner at Learn Capital, will join Nexford’s board of directors.
Nexford University, founded in 2019 by Fadl Al Tarzi, offers a fully online, US-accredited higher education that allows students to study at their own pace.
According to the CEO, its essential markets are underserved English-speaking communities like Nigeria.
Nexford collaborates with local organisations in West Africa to provide learning community spaces that assist students in avoiding infrastructural issues like the Internet and transportation.
The company intends to partner with other organisations to open similar facilities in markets like Kenya and the Philippines.
Nexford plans to complement its degree programmes with several pathway programmes — six-month programmes designed to equip learners with the skills required for specific jobs in five vertical areas, including new courses.
The pathway courses are being integrated into the degree programmes. So, after completing the six-month study, you can either pursue a degree or work for a few months before returning to pursue a degree.