Industry
Education
Objective
To localize transactions for students across Africa
AltSchool Africa is an edtech platform dedicated to equipping Africans with in-demand skills for the global workforce. Established in 2021 by Adewale Yusuf, Akintunde Sultan, and Opeyemi Awoyemi, AltSchool offers practical, career-focused programs across various fields, including software engineering, data science, product management, business, and the creative economy. Its mission is to provide accessible, flexible, and community-driven learning experiences that empower individuals to thrive in the modern digital economy.
With a learner base spanning over 100 countries, AltSchool Africa has become a leading alternative to traditional education by focusing on hands-on, real-world skills and fostering a vibrant learning community.
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Emmanuel Ogunsola - Head of Product and Engineering
the Challenge
As AltSchool Africa rapidly expanded its reach, it faced a major obstacle: enabling seamless payment experiences for students across over 105 countries. Africa’s payment landscape is deeply fragmented, with each country relying on different local methods and currencies. Students often encountered high transaction fees, currency conversion issues, and unreliable payment experiences—barriers that threatened AltSchool’s mission to make quality education accessible to all.
the Solution
To overcome these challenges, AltSchool partnered with Startbutton, a payment solution built for scale and simplicity. Startbutton allowed the edtech platform to accept local currencies, integrate familiar payment methods, and manage cross-border payments without friction. This integration meant students could pay confidently, in a way that felt native to their region—whether they were in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, or beyond.
the Result
With Startbutton, AltSchool now accepts payments from over 100,000 students in 105+ countries, offering a unified, reliable experience regardless of location. Transaction failures have dropped, and more students can now focus on learning without being hindered by payment issues. The partnership has not only streamlined operations but also reinforced AltSchool’s commitment to removing barriers to education across Africa and beyond.
