OpenLearning Limited - Field Ready Partnership: AI-Powered LMS Enters Southern Africa via Usage-Based SaaS and Marketplace Model
- Noel Ong
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
Announcement
Field Ready Signs $372k SaaS LMS and Partnership Agreement 24 November 2025 (click here to view the announcement)
OpenLearning Limited (ASX: OLL) has announced a three-year Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and referral partnership with Field Ready SSA Ltd, a specialist education-to-employment provider delivering large-scale employability programs in Mozambique, Ghana, and, from 2026, Namibia.
The agreement positions OpenLearning’s AI-powered learning management system (LMS) as the digital backbone for Field Ready’s programs, while also opening a pathway for OpenLearning’s university partners to reach new learners across Southern Africa via a course marketplace and referral structure.
For investors, this is an expansion move into an emerging region using a capital-light, partner-driven model. The minimum contracted fees are modest in absolute terms, but the structure is designed to test whether OpenLearning’s marketplace thesis can scale outside its core Asia–Pacific footprint.
The Business of the OpenLearning: Focus – Projects
OpenLearning is an AI-powered learning management system providing tools for online learning, course creation, and delivery to education institutions, corporations, and government.
The platform supports blended learning, competency-based training, and complex employability pathways – all relevant to vocational and skills-based programs.
More than 250 education providers have delivered tens of thousands of courses to over 3 million learners on the platform.
The company holds a strong position in Australian and Malaysian higher education, with a growing presence in the Philippines, Indonesia, and India.
The Field Ready partnership sits within OpenLearning’s strategy to use its LMS as the foundation for a multi-sided marketplace – a model where institutions, industry partners, and learners interact on a shared platform, with each participant potentially generating revenue for the others.
Highlights – Anchoring an African Marketplace Hub
The Company has drawn out several key points in the ASX announcement:
Three-year usage-based SaaS LMS contract
Field Ready will use OpenLearning’s LMS for a minimum of 20,000 students per year across three years.
Minimum contracted SaaS fees total approximately A$372,000 (US$240,000) over three years, with upside if usage exceeds the minimum student numbers.
Migration from an incumbent LMS
Field Ready is moving off its existing LMS provider and onto OpenLearning, citing generative AI capabilities, scalability, and flexibility as key reasons for the switch.
Regional education-to-employment partner
Field Ready is described as a leading education-to-employment provider in Africa, partnering with governments, universities, and multinational mining and resources companies.
It already supports major projects, including serving as a workforce development partner to Africa’s largest energy project, the US$30 billion Rovuma Area 4 operation in northern Mozambique.
Referral agreement with African universities
A referral partner agreement empowers Field Ready to introduce OpenLearning’s LMS to universities across Africa, effectively providing distribution into a new geography without OpenLearning needing local staff.
Course marketplace and revenue-sharing
Field Ready will also promote short courses, micro-credentials, and pathway programs from global university partners on the OpenLearning platform, earning commissions on enrolments.
Multi-sided marketplace in practice
This is the first time OpenLearning has combined a SaaS LMS contract, a referral agreement, and a course distribution partnership in one structure, explicitly designed to create a “flywheel effect” as more partners and courses are added.
The announcement notes that, while minimum annual fees are not financially material at the group level, this is OpenLearning’s largest contract to date in Africa and its first referral partnership of this type on the continent.
Leadership Commentary
Field Ready Founder, Phil Andrews, commented:
“We are excited to partner with OpenLearning as we scale our employability programs across Africa and globally. Their AI-driven approach and flexible platform align perfectly with our mission to create ‘Candidate Lifetime Value’ by equipping young people with the skills they need for employment in high-demand industries. OpenLearning provides not only a powerful LMS but also access to a global ecosystem of universities and programs that will help us expand opportunities for our learners.”
OpenLearning CEO, Adam Brimo, commented:
“Field Ready is delivering critical skills training that supports economic development across Africa. We are proud that they have selected OpenLearning as their long-term partner and chosen to migrate from their existing LMS to our AI-powered platform. This agreement is strategically significant because it demonstrates how our LMS forms the foundation of a global education marketplace. By combining platform licensing with course distribution and referrals, we are creating a scalable model through which partners like Field Ready can expand their impact while enabling our university partners to reach entirely new regions. This reinforces OpenLearning’s global competitiveness and validates our marketplace strategy.”
About the Project – Field Ready Partnership Structure
At its core, the project brings together three elements in Southern Africa:
SaaS LMS deployment
Field Ready’s core employability programs in Mozambique, Ghana, and future Namibian cohorts will be delivered via OpenLearning’s AI-powered LMS.
OpenLearning will support migration and onboarding, targeting a go-live date of 1 March 2026.
Migration from an incumbent provider
The decision to switch platforms is based on generative AI tools, scalability, flexibility, and the ability to support blended learning and competency-based pathways.
Integration with Microsoft Power BI is expected to strengthen reporting and analytics for partners and governments.
Marketplace and referrals
Field Ready will act as a regional hub within OpenLearning’s global ecosystem: it can introduce the LMS to African universities and promote existing courses from university partners to its own student base.
A new Global Academy will make selected employability programs available beyond Africa, further testing the marketplace model.
Near-Term Milestones to Watch
From a project execution perspective, the key steps appear to be:
Completion of the course and data migration from Field Ready’s incumbent LMS to OpenLearning.
Successful onboarding of at least 20,000 learners per year onto the platform from March 2026 onwards.
Launch and initial performance of the Field Ready Global Academy, including early enrolment trends.
First African universities adopting OpenLearning’s LMS through the referral channel. Evidence of marketplace activity – i.e., Field Ready learners enrolling in university-hosted courses, generating commissions.
Any replication of this “regional hub” model in other geographies, using the Field Ready structure as a template.
None of these milestones is guaranteed, and timing will depend on both parties’ execution capacity and the operating environment across the African markets in which Field Ready works.
How Samso Understands the Investment Memo for the Company
From an investor’s point of view, this announcement is more about strategic validation than near-term revenue uplift. The minimum annual SaaS fees are explicitly described as not financially material, but the agreement is still the largest African contract to date and the first of its kind in terms of combining SaaS, referrals, and course distribution.
Key points Samso reads into this:
Use-case validation for AI-powered LMS – A specialist employability provider is willing to migrate from an existing LMS to OpenLearning, suggesting that the platform’s AI and flexibility features are competitive in real-world, large-cohort environments.
Capital-light geographic expansion – OpenLearning gains exposure to Southern Africa without establishing a physical presence, containing execution and fixed-cost risk while it tests demand.
Early test of the marketplace “flywheel” – Success will depend on whether the marketplace genuinely drives incremental enrolments and revenue for both Field Ready and OpenLearning, rather than simply rebadging existing activity.
Contract quality and risk profile – The fees are usage-based with a fixed minimum learner count; upside is possible if usage grows, but downside exists if real student numbers track close to the minimum or if the program is disrupted.
This is not, on the numbers provided, a step-change revenue event. Instead, it is a small but notable data point in understanding how OpenLearning is trying to build a durable, partner-driven marketplace over time.
Samso Concluding Comments
OpenLearning has always pitched itself as more than just an LMS – it wants to be the infrastructure underpinning a multi-sided education marketplace. This Field Ready partnership is a clear demonstration of that idea outside its core Asia–Pacific base. It connects an AI-enabled platform, a regional skills provider, and a network of university content into a single commercial structure, with incentives aligned around learner outcomes and enrolments.
However, investors should have realistic expectations as the contract is time-bound, usage-based, and modest in dollar terms. Optimistically, there is the potential of a growing flow of learners, additional African universities, and meaningful marketplace commissions. There is no doubt that this will take time to prove and depends on factors largely outside OpenLearning’s direct control, including regional economic conditions, government priorities, and the operational performance of Field Ready.
The fact is that the partnership is an option for future growth rather than a guaranteed pathway. It does give OpenLearning a foothold in Southern Africa, a chance to show university partners that the platform can reach new markets, and a concrete example of how SaaS, referrals, and marketplace distribution can be packaged together. It will require patient capital and a tolerance for execution risk in emerging markets.
Over the medium term, what will matter is evidence that this model can be repeated – perhaps with other partners in different regions – and that the cumulative effect of many such agreements builds a meaningful revenue base. Until then, this announcement sits in the category of strategically interesting but still early-stage: worth watching, but not yet a reason on its own to re-rate the company.
The Samso Way – Seek the Research
As always, treat this as a starting point only: read the full ASX announcement, understand the contract terms and risks in detail, and build your own view before making any investment decision.
Our mission is simple: cut through the noise and spotlight what matters—genuine stories, grounded insights, and real opportunity.
Our content is well-researched and is only created if the team sees merit in discussing the company or concept. Investors can explore our three core platforms:
There may be numerous paths to success in investing, but the common thread among successful individuals is that they remain committed to making informed decisions. Equip yourself with the right knowledge and tools, and you will be well on your way to achieving your financial goals.
Most importantly, investors need to be absolutely diligent in understanding their own risk-reward tolerance and capabilities. Never bite off more than you can chew. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the Great Wall stood because it took centuries to complete.
The Samso Philosophy:
Stay curious. Stay sharp. And remember—digging deeper always uncovers the real value.
In Life, there is no such thing as a Free Lunch.
Happy Investing, and the only four-letter word you need to know is DYOR.
To support our independent nature of our work, please head over to our Support Page and give us a helping hand in any of the ways listed. This is a new initiate for the Samso Platform, and it was always the concept of Samso when we started this journey in 2018.
Disclaimer
The information or opinions provided herein do not constitute investment advice, an offer or solicitation to subscribe for, purchase or sell the investment product(s) mentioned herein. It does not take into consideration, nor have any regard to your specific investment objectives, financial situation, risk profile, tax position and particular, or unique needs and constraints.
Share to Grow: Your Bonus
Samso has just released an eBook: How to Add Value to your Share Portfolio
A lesson on geological models sought by mining companies that gives insight and an understanding of which portfolios are better - and potentially more lucrative – investments. Click here to download this eBook.
If you find this article informative and useful, please help me share the information. I try and write about topics that are interesting and have the potential to be of investment value. It is not easy to find stories that fit those parameters. If you or your organisation see the benefit of what Samso is trying to achieve and have a need to share your journey, please contact me at noel.ong@samso.com.au.
Samso is a trusted platform that equips dedicated investors with up-to-date industry knowledge and insights from top CEOs and thought leaders. By staying informed on business advancements and market trends, investors can enhance their financial decisions through a combination of expert guidance and their own research.