OpenLearning has secured a landmark three-year SaaS and referral agreement with Field Ready, a leading African education-to-employment provider, marking a significant expansion into emerging markets with its AI-powered LMS.
- Three-year SaaS agreement for minimum 20,000 students annually
- Minimum contracted fees of approximately A$372,000 over three years
- Field Ready migrates from incumbent LMS to OpenLearning’s AI-powered platform
- Referral partnership to expand OpenLearning’s reach across African universities
- Innovative multi-sided marketplace model combining SaaS, referrals, and course distribution
A Strategic Leap into Africa’s Education Landscape
OpenLearning Limited (ASX – OLL) has announced a pivotal partnership with Field Ready SSA Ltd, a prominent education-to-employment organisation operating across Southern Africa. This three-year Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) agreement commits OpenLearning’s AI-powered learning management system (LMS) to support at least 20,000 learners annually, with minimum contracted fees of around A$372,000. The deal underscores OpenLearning’s growing footprint in emerging markets and its ability to displace incumbent LMS providers.
Field Ready’s model, which blends digital learning with practical skills training, targets youth employability in countries including Mozambique, Ghana, and Namibia. By migrating from its existing LMS to OpenLearning’s platform, Field Ready gains access to advanced generative AI capabilities, scalability, and flexible course creation tools. This transition is set to enhance Field Ready’s capacity to deliver industry-aligned programs at scale and expand its reach through a new Global Academy initiative.
Building a Multi-Sided Marketplace Ecosystem
Beyond the SaaS contract, the partnership introduces a referral agreement positioning Field Ready as a regional hub to promote OpenLearning’s LMS to African universities. This approach allows OpenLearning to penetrate the African education market without establishing costly local operations. Moreover, Field Ready will act as a distribution channel for university courses, earning commissions on enrolments and creating new revenue streams for both parties.
This integrated model, combining platform licensing, referrals, and course marketplace distribution, is a first for OpenLearning. It exemplifies the company’s strategy to develop a multi-sided global education marketplace where institutions, providers, and learners mutually benefit. As more organisations join the platform, the ecosystem’s value compounds, driving enrolments and expanding course offerings.
Implications for OpenLearning and the Broader Market
While the minimum SaaS fees are modest relative to OpenLearning’s overall revenue, this agreement represents the company’s largest African contract to date and a significant validation of its AI-driven LMS technology. The deal also highlights OpenLearning’s competitive edge in winning enterprise clients from established incumbents across diverse regions and sectors.
Field Ready’s founder, Phil Andrews, emphasised the alignment between OpenLearning’s platform and their mission to equip young Africans with skills for high-demand industries. OpenLearning’s CEO, Adam Brimo, described the partnership as strategically significant, reinforcing the LMS as the foundation of a scalable, global education marketplace.
As OpenLearning supports the migration and onboarding ahead of the March 2026 go-live, the market will be watching how effectively this partnership scales and whether the referral and course marketplace components generate meaningful additional revenue.
Bottom Line?
This landmark deal sets the stage for OpenLearning’s accelerated expansion in Africa, testing its marketplace model’s scalability and revenue potential in emerging education markets.
Questions in the middle?
- How quickly will Field Ready scale learner numbers beyond the minimum 20,000 annually?
- What revenue impact will the referral and course marketplace agreements deliver over time?
- Can OpenLearning replicate this multi-sided marketplace model in other emerging regions?