The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship has unveiled its third cohort of 12 African innovators. Out of these, seven female-led startups stand out among the changemakers. The fellowship is delivered in partnership with iHUB Kenya and is designed to accelerate scalable, inclusive learning solutions that are reshaping education across the continent.
The program provides support through equity-free funding, mentorship, and strategic support. It helps these EdTech startups to break barriers in education access and performance. Since its inception, the initiative has reached over 470,000 learners, while also transforming school infrastructure by onboarding 1,537 schools onto digital 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.
Meet the 2025 Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellows
- LeadNow by Dignitas – A platform that equips teachers and school leaders with data-driven tools and personalized coaching to improve student learning outcomes.
- Cloud School System – This is a school management platform that automates administration as well as simplifying payments and improves learning efficiency.
- Elimu Shop – Specializing in game-based, interactive content that makes math and science engaging and accessible for learners.
- iFunza – This is an AI-powered education platform that offers personalized learning, school financing tools. It also offers curriculum support focusing on underserved communities.
- Infoney Solutions Limited – Offers curriculum-aligned digital content, smart devices, and training whose aim transform classrooms into modern and future-ready learning spaces.
- M-Lugha Technologies – Delivers basic literacy and numeracy education in indigenous languages. It can be accessed both online and offline.
- Nyansapo AI – Uses AI-driven assessments to improve foundational learning.
- Bigbrainz Solutions (DigiSkool) – Combines school management tools with STEM training, offering coding and robotics through its DigiSTEM initiative.
- Verb Education – Creators of the CBC App, which streamlines administrative tasks for educators and also enables data-driven instruction and leadership.
- AHAINNOVATE – Offers solar-powered offline learning solutions for children between 5-13 years in underserved areas.
- Zydii – A B2B workforce upskilling platform delivering micro-learning content in a TikTok-style format via WhatsApp, Web, and other channels.
- 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.
