In 2024, we have witnessed 5 edtech startups to look out for in Southeast Asia and it was predicted that the market will reach about USD 2.06 billion in 2024. By 2029, the figure will have grown to around USD 2.52 billion.
There is no doubt that the Southeast Asian edtech sector has long been dominated by platforms with the sole focus on standardised curriculum support, tutoring and test preparation. All of these models, while they are definitely effective in some contexts, are starting to feel crowded and commoditised.
How edtech is helping improve the quality and accessibility of education in Southeast Asia
In reaction to that, we also saw a new wave of startups pushing into an underexplored segment, which is premium experiential learning. This is where they focus on combining physical, hands-on activities with tech-enabled scalability. Without relying only on delivering lessons through textbooks and screens, they move to a more sustainable approach.
The question is, how relevant is this new approach? And can it successfully scale in the region?
Well, experiential learning is not new in global education circles, but its rise in Southeast Asia somewhat reflects a unique blend of cultural and economic shifts. For example, urban middle-class and affluent families are spending more on extracurricular activities and viewing them as crucial investments in their children’s future.
So, as digitalisation grows beyond the region, it’s important to note that there is also a growing recognition that skills such as problem-solving, adaptability and creativity cannot be learned from textbooks alone. The majority can agree that this is where experiential learning platforms are positioning themselves by offering both engaging and tangible experiences.
The offline-first, tech-enabled advantage
There is a clear distinction between experiential learning and pure-play online edtech platforms. Experiential learning startups are inherently rooted in offline interaction. For example, coding workshops and a collaborative design sprint are much more effective when learners are physically present in the classroom or workshops, able to experiment, make mistakes and receive immediate feedback on the spot.
Great examples we see in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are that several young companies have already adopted what can be described as an “offline-first, tech-enabled” model. This means that they operate physical centres or pop-up events but also provide them with digital scheduling systems, performance tracking dashboards, parent communication apps and in some cases, AI-assisted curriculum personalisation.
This hybrid approach improves two things: operational efficiency and a more scalable business model. Key aspects such as franchising, cross-border licensing and multi-centre expansion become much more manageable when every centre runs on the same tech backbone.
From the parents’ perspective, this integration means a richer and more transparent learning journey for their children. In addition to being able to keep track of their child’s progress in real time and receive personalised recommendations for additional activities, the experiences of learning are much more flexible and they can reinforce skills learned in person. For the startups, this approach helps create a steady stream of data that they can use to research and refine content and improve instructor training so that they can demonstrate clear outcomes to investors.
A market ready for transformation
Let’s look at Southeast Asia’s rising household spending on enrichment education. In urban centres like Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Manila, after-school activities have somewhat evolved from optional extras to expected components of a child’s development.
So, the increasing competitiveness of global higher education and job markets has only heightened the perceived value of early exposure to STEAM fields, especially in Malaysia and entrepreneurship and creative problem-solving.
The important thing is that this demand is not limited to children. While corporate learning teams are also showing interest in the younger children, they are also at the same time pushing for experiential formats for adult learners, for example, in areas such as leadership simulations, technical skills bootcamps and innovation workshops.
On top of that, investors are starting to pay attention to this shift. It’s not that they haven’t been paying attention, but in recent months, pre-Series A and seed rounds have flowed into niche experiential learning players that demonstrate strong local traction and a clear plan for multi-centre expansion. This is a good thing for startups with proprietary curriculum, a hybrid online-offline delivery model and protected intellectual property. These qualities will also allow them to expand beyond their locations through franchising or IP licensing, while at the same time maintaining brand consistency and content quality.
Scaling through innovation and resilience
Now we’ve seen that the potential for regional growth is clear, however, it is not without challenges. The challenges around regulation in education still remain fragmented across Southeast Asia. This can be divided into many aspects, including varying licensing requirements, operational restrictions and curriculum approvals.
What startups can do is they must navigate these while ensuring consistency in their offerings. Well, yes, there is also a talent bottleneck in curriculum design. Creating high-quality and hands-on learning content does require a mix of subject expertise, creative execution and pedagogy. So, balancing educational integrity with commercial viability is always a constant challenge, especially when expansion pressure is high.
Despite all of that, the advantages of experiential learning remain compelling. Startups that are able to create learning environments that are engaging, easily adaptable and at the same time measurable in different markets, can tap into unmet needs that go beyond just traditional tutoring.
So, as Southeast Asia’s middle class continues to grow and as education spending expands in both the K–12 and adult learning segments, experiential edtech platforms are poised to redefine what premium education looks like in the region. Those that can master the balance between offline impact and online scalability may well become the sector’s next breakout stories.