Twelve innovative start-ups have been chosen for the third cohort of iHub Kenya’s Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, a program designed to boost education technology (EdTech) solutions across the country. Launched in 2023, the fellowship offers equity-free funding, mentorship, and strategic support to EdTech ventures, empowering them to create scalable, impactful tools that expand learning opportunities for students.
This year’s cohort stands out with seven female founders among the twelve selected innovators, highlighting a strong commitment to gender diversity. The start-ups represent a wide range of educational solutions. LeadNow by Dignitas focuses on professional development, while Cloud School System automates school management and payment processes. Elimu Shop specializes in game-based learning resources, and iFunza provides personalized learning, school financing, and curriculum support.
Additional ventures include Infoney Solutions, which delivers curriculum-aligned digital content and training; M-Lugha Technologies, an app offering both online and offline access; and Nyansapo AI, which uses artificial intelligence to improve reading and math outcomes. Bigbrainz Solutions Limited’s DigiSkool streamlines school operations and teaches coding and robotics skills. Other innovative players are Verb Education with digital tools like the CBC app, Ahainnovate’s solar-powered offline learning systems, Zydii’s B2B SaaS workforce skilling platform, and Digifunzi, which integrates robotics, AI, and coding into school curricula.
During the six-month acceleration period, these start-ups will refine their products, expand market presence, and increase their impact across Kenya’s education system. Each will receive up to $100,000 (approximately Ksh 12.9 million) in equity-free funding, plus post-program advisory support for up to a year.
Nissi Madu, Managing Partner at iHub Kenya, praised the cohort’s innovative potential and the emphasis on gender diversity. Rodwell Mangisi, Acting Director at the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, stressed the importance of designing solutions that serve marginalized and out-of-school youth to ensure sustainability and scalability.
Since its inception, the fellowship has reached over 470,000 new learners and onboarded more than 1,500 schools to innovative learning platforms, underscoring its transformative role in shaping Africa’s educational future.
