Seven Women-Led Startups Selected for EdTech Fellowship in Kenya

Seven women-led startups are among the twelve ventures selected for the 2025 Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship cohort, a program run by Nairobi-based incubator iHUB.

Launched in 2023, the Fellowship supports early-stage education technology startups through a combination of equity-free funding, mentorship, and business development support. This marks the first time women founders form the majority of the selected cohort.

“This year’s selection process was more competitive than ever,” said Nissi Madu, Managing Partner at iHUB Kenya. “We intentionally sought ventures that not only have high growth potential but also reflect gender diversity. Our mission remains to equip Africa’s youth with tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.”

The program aims to scale innovative solutions that improve access to quality education for young people, particularly in Kenya and across Africa. The new cohort includes: LeadNow by Dignitas, Cloud School, Elimu Shop, iFunza, Infoney Solutions, M-Lugha, Nyansapo AI, Bigbrainz Solutions Limited, Verb Education, AHAINNOVATE, Zydii, and Digifunzi. These startups address a wide range of learning needs, from primary and postsecondary education to career readiness and after-school learning.

To date, the Fellowship has reached over 470,000 learners and supported the onboarding of more than 1,500 schools onto digital learning platforms. According to iHUB, 95% of those reached are young people.

“The focus now is on accelerating inclusive learning solutions, especially for out-of-school youth,” said Rodwell Mangisi, Acting Director at the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning. “Designing with the end user in mind makes solutions more scalable and impactful.”

Participants will receive up to $100,000 in equity-free funding and continue receiving advisory support for up to a year post-program.