Dubai – Sharikat Mubasher: DataCamp, a global leader in online learning for data and AI, announced the acquisition of Dubai-based Optima, an AI-native learning platform designed to personalize education through real-time adaptation in a $15 million deal.

As part of the deal, Optima’s founder and CEO, Yusuf Saber, will join DataCamp as Chief AI Officer, with the rest of the Optima team integrating into DataCamp, according to the company’s press release.

Optima previously raised $1.1m from COTU Ventures and prominent angel investors including founders and senior executives from Careem, Kitopi, Talabat, and Docebo.

The acquisition aims to enhance DataCamp’s platform by embedding Optima’s adaptive learning technology, which tailors lessons and feedback to each learner’s individual profile.

Optima’s technology is already being used in DataCamp’s core curriculum, offering premium users access to AI-powered courses. Over the next six months, the company plans to expand this integration across its entire platform, further advancing personalized learning experiences.

Upon this collaboration, DataCamp will introduce DataCamp Classrooms in the UAE, providing free access to over 500 courses for educators and students, and will offer its Intro to AI course free for six months to all UAE government employees and students.

Saber said the partnership with DataCamp creates an opportunity to “set a new standard for how people in the country learn online,” emphasizing that Optima was built in the UAE to embed intelligence directly into learning experiences.

Jonathan Cornellisen, co-founder and CEO of DataCamp, said the acquisition marks a shift from static online learning toward “dynamic, human-centered learning” that keeps pace with the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

By combining DataCamp’s global platform with Optima’s AI-native technology, the company aims to empower organizations and learners to stay ahead of the curve in the new AI economy.