Injini, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has announced the opening of applications for the 2025 Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, which supports South Africa-based start-ups aiming to improve education through innovation. The Fellowship offers participating start-ups a unique combination of direct grant funding, product evaluation, tailored market research, skills development, mentorship, and market access opportunities.
Through the Fellowship, the businesses, and entrepreneurs of the first two cohorts were empowered with various tools and resources tailored to their specific needs. This included resources to boost sales and profits and secure future funding opportunities. Notably, the program emphasised collaboration and facilitated partnerships with the Mastercard Foundation and other ecosystem players. Fellows were supported in several ways to drive meaningful change in communities, especially among young people, women and girls, persons with disabilities, and rural populations.
Krista Davidson, Executive Director of Injini, expressed her excitement for the upcoming cohort, stating: “The success of our 2024 EdTech Fellowship affirmed our approach to fostering innovation and collaboration in Africa’s education sector. Through our partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, we have supported EdTech businesses in scaling their solutions while addressing critical challenges in education. As we look to 2025, we are eager to build on these achievements and invite another cohort of innovators to join us in shaping the future of learning across the continent.”
The 2025 program will continue to provide:
- Comprehensive support from education innovation, fundraising, impact measurement, and business strategy experts.
- Pedagogical evaluation and certification through collaborations with EdTech Impact and Education Alliance Finland.
- Bespoke market research from Injini’s education innovation researchers.
- Access to “Sponsored Skills,” offering external consultant expertise for specific business needs.
- Networking opportunities and learning exchanges with leading ecosystem contributors and industry experts.
- Access to courses and office hours with Carnegie Mellon University’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute faculty.
- A chance to contribute to the growing evidence base on effective EdTech solutions in Africa.
- Equity-free venture funding exceeding R1,000,000.
Rodwell Mangisi, Acting Director at the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, added: “This is part of our efforts to build demand-driven EdTech innovations that close the gap in access and quality to provide relevant learning for the most underserved. So far, 140 EdTech companies have been accelerated since the Fellowship kicked off in 2020. Through our ongoing partnership with Injini, our hope is that the next iteration will prioritize relevance, access, and sustainability for greater impact. While technology makes life easier for us all, it makes everything possible for those without access and opens pathways for them to learn and prosper.
EdTech entrepreneurs eligible for the Fellowship are encouraged to learn more about the Fellowship and apply here. Applications close on 8 December 2024.
Also Read: Highlights from the Inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference
