Seven female founders are among the twelve innovators selected for the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship.
- •Through a combination of equity-free funding, mentorship, and strategic support, the program empowers EdTech startups to develop scalable, impactful solutions that expand learning opportunities to learners.
- •Collectively, the first two cohorts to the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship have reached over 470,341 new learners — with Cohort 1 accounting for 279,700 learners (59.5%) and Cohort 2 engaging 190,641 learners (40.5%).
- •Beyond reaching learners directly, the Fellowship has also strengthened institutional infrastructure, onboarding 1,537 new schools to innovative learning platforms.
“The solutions of these startups are shaping the future of learning in Africa. This new cohort is actively building a future defined by transformative learning and sustainable prosperity across the continent,”said Nissi Madu, Managing Partner at iHUB Kenya.
The 2025 EdTech Fellowship cohort 3 are:
1. LeadNow by Dignitas, a platform designed to equip teachers and school leaders with the skills they need to drive better learning outcomes for students while combining data-driven insights with individualised, competency-based coaching.
2. Cloud School System a scalable, all-in-one online platform that automates school management, enhances learning outcomes, and simplifies payment processes for educational institutions.
3. Elimu Shop, an education innovation company that develops interactive, game-based learning resources to make math and science fun and interactive for learners.
4. iFunza is an AI education platform tackling educational access and management challenges in Africa with personalized learning, school financing tools, and curriculum support for underserved students, teachers, and parents.
5. Infoney Solutions Limited that blends innovation with education—offering curriculum-aligned digital content, smart devices, and tailored training that transform traditional classrooms into future-ready learning hubs.
6. M-Lugha Technologies, an online and offline multilingual, multicultural and interactive mobile App that helps young, adult and out of school youth acquire basic literacy and numeracy by using their respective indigenous language.
7. Nyansapo AI, a leader in transforming foundational learning in Africa by doubling reading and math outcomes through AI-powered assessments aimed at reaching million children by 2030.
8. Bigbrainz Solutions Limited has developed DigiSkool that streamlines school operations while equipping students with coding and robotics skills through DigiSTEM, bridging efficient school management with future-ready STEM education.
9. Verb Education develops practical digital tools like the CBC App, that simplifies record-keeping and reporting for teachers and school leaders, reducing administrative burdens and enabling data-driven instruction, stronger leadership, and improved learning outcome.
10. AHAINNOVATE focused on bridging the digital divide in underserved communities through delivery of smart, solar-powered offline learning systems equipped with interactive educational content tailored for children aged 5 – 13.
11. Zydii a Business-to-Business SAAS workforce skilling solution providing Tiktok style, bite sized, micro-learning content via WhatsApp, Web and other channels.
12.Digifunzi is equipping schools with everything they need to integrate Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Coding into their curriculum aimed at empowering learners with the skills to thrive in the digital economy.
