Pakistani startup AIDE AI has been accepted into Antler MENAP’s residency programme in Riyadh, marking the next stage in its expansion into the Saudi Arabian market. Co-founders Taimoor Zia and Ansar Moughis Ud Din built the foundation for this milestone at LEAP, where AIDE AI first showcased its AI powered assessment platform to the regional tech ecosystem. The visibility and connections built at that event ultimately opened the door to the Antler residency, a programme widely regarded as one of the most selective early stage venture opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Antler is a global early stage venture capital firm whose portfolio includes companies such as Airalo and Lovable, and its MENAP programme reports a founder acceptance rate below one percent. Being selected for the Riyadh residency places AIDE AI among a small group of founders given direct access to the firm’s network, mentorship, and capital in the region. For a Pakistani startup, the acceptance represents a significant validation of its product and growth trajectory as it looks beyond its home market.
AIDE AI operates as an Assessment as a Service platform, using artificial intelligence to grade both handwritten and digital student work against marking schemes before delivering detailed feedback to teachers and students. The system has already processed more than eight million paid pages and serves over three hundred paying teachers, with more than seventeen thousand student profiles on the platform. By automating manual marking, the platform saves educators hours of work while giving students clearer guidance on where to improve and allowing schools to maintain consistent, scalable assessment standards.
With its Riyadh residency now confirmed, AIDE AI plans to focus on meeting educators, building regional partnerships, and developing its presence in the Saudi market. The startup credited the Ministry of IT and Telecom, along with Ignite and NASTP, for creating pathways that allow Pakistani founders to reach global platforms and create meaningful socio economic impact abroad. Educators, school leaders, or organisations with connections in Saudi education are encouraged to reach the AIDE AI team directly at hello@learningaide.ai.
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