Ihub Announces Call for Applications for Third Cohort of Mastercard Foundation Edtech Fellowship in Kenya Following Success of Second Cohort

November 28, 2024. Nairobi, Kenya: iHUB, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is calling for applications for the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Kenya after the successful completion of the second entrepreneurship acceleration program.

The EdTech Fellowship is transforming education in Kenyan and African communities by fostering the development and accessibility of educational technologies. Designed to provide growth-stage companies with business development support, financial support, and the latest insights into the science of learning help them scale their products to drive inclusive access to education, the 2024 cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Kenya collectively reached 63,571 new learners, 91 percent of whom are young people. This aligns with the EdTech Fellowship’s goal of providing young people with access to quality educational resources.

Following this success, iHUB has opened applications for its third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship for 2025. High-potential EdTech ventures across Kenya are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to revolutionize the education landscape.

The new call for applications comes alongside a milestone Demo Day event in Nairobi on November 28. The founding entrepreneurs highlighted their innovative solutions and remarkable progress in developing innovative educational technologies and growing impact on the country’s learning outcomes. The event also fostered connections between potential investors, partners, and ecosystem stakeholders.

“Over the past six months, these start-ups have dedicated themselves to refining their solutions with a clear focus on enhancing learning experiences and driving improved learning outcomes. Through active engagement with key stakeholders–from government officials and educators to students, young people, parents, and schools–they’ve gathered invaluable feedback to fine-tune their offerings. We are thrilled to see them present their upgraded solutions during Demo Day and are confident in the transformative impact these innovations will have in the months and years ahead. We are excited to see how various stakeholders will collaborate with these companies to scale these impactful solutions, ultimately reaching millions of learners across Kenya,” said Nissi Madu, Managing Partner, Co-creation, HUB/iHUB.

These are some testimonials from the 2024 cohort:

“The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship has been very timely as we are now set for scaling up our product, Kurasa. We have benefited immensely from product development, distribution, and investment sessions all in a bid to align our go-to-market strategy. So blessed to have been part of the cohort,” said William Nguru, CEO of Kurasa Africa.

“The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship catalyzed our journey. It has helped us supercharge our product development, accelerate business growth, and open doors to unimaginable possibilities for the future of foundational learning in the country,” said Julius Njuguna Irungu, Co-founder and CEO, Esoma Solutions.

Speaking about the Fellowship, Rodwell Mangisi, Acting Director of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, said, “The testimonies by the Fellows are the reason why we are intentional about supporting the development of demand-driven EdTech innovations that close the gap in access and quality to education and 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 iHUB, our hope is that the next iteration will prioritize relevance and access to education, 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.”

Participants of the Fellowship receive:

Exposure to a vibrant network of investors. Coaching and mentoring by successful founders and experts. Expert advisory across learning science, product development, marketing, sales, and talent management. Access to a community of practice to test out products. Network opportunities with other founders building innovative solutions in EdTech. Access to up to a USD100,000 non-equity grant.

Interested applicants for the third cohort can apply by visiting futureoflearning.ihub.co.ke before the application deadline of 30 January 2025.

For media inquiries, contact:

Joy Doreen Biira

Communications

Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning

[email protected]

About iHUB

iHUB is an innovation hub and tech community center based in Nairobi, Kenya. iHUB serves as a nexus point for technologists, entrepreneurs, investors, and tech companies in East Africa. It provides a platform for networking, collaboration, and the development of innovative solutions to local and global challenges.

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