iHUB Kenya Launches Cohort 3 of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship
Seven inspiring female founders are among the twelve innovators selected for the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, announced by iHUB Kenya.
This is the first time this milestone has been achieved since the Fellowship was kicked off by iHUB in 2023, demonstrating the fellowship’s intentionality regarding gender inclusion.
Through a combination of equity-free funding, mentorship, and strategic support, the program has empowered EdTech startups to develop scalable, impactful solutions that expand learning opportunities to learners, especially young people in Kenya and beyond.
“Welcoming our third cohort is a proud moment for us. The innovative solutions of these startups are shaping the future of learning in Africa. This year’s selection process was more competitive than ever, as we intentionally sought ventures with not only strong potential but also embraced gender diversity,” Nissi Madu, Managing Partner at iHUB Kenya said.
”Our mission remains unchanged: to equip young people with the mindset and tools they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. This new cohort is actively building a future defined by transformative learning and sustainable prosperity across the continent.”
Leveraging its expertise in product development, learning science, branding and marketing, and investment readiness, iHUB has helped build a robust foundation for Kenya’s and African EdTech growth. Collectively, the first two cohorts to the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship have reached over 470,341 new learners with Cohort 1 accounting for 279,700 learners (59.5%) and Cohort 2 engaging 190,641 learners (40.5%). Notably, 95% of the learners impacted are young people, highlighting the Fellowship’s focus on shaping Africa’s next generation through technology-enabled education.
Beyond reaching learners directly, the Fellowship has also strengthened institutional infrastructure, onboarding 1,537 new schools to innovative learning platforms. Of these, 1,171 schools (76.2%) were engaged by Cohort 1, while 366 schools (23.8%) joined through Cohort 2, signaling growing trust among educational institutions in tech-enabled learning models.
Building on the momentum of previous cohorts, iHUB will support the third cohort of twelve fellows, providing solutions ranging from K-12 education, postsecondary education, career readiness, and after-school learning programs which are all critical areas for Kenya’s learning ecosystem.
The 2025 Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship cohort 3 at iHUB are: LeadNow by Dignitas, Cloud School ,Elimu Shop, iFunza , nfoney Solutions, M-Lugha and Nyansapo AI.
Others are Bigbrainz Solutions Limited , Verb Education, AHAINNOVATE, Zydii and Digifunzi.
Rodwell Mangisi, the Acting Director at the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, emphasised the need to “accelerate solutions that serve even those out-of-school young people who are constantly left out of the education ecosystem”, adding that “it is when we design with the end user in mind that the business case for the solution is more scalable, sustainable and impactful.”
Over the six-month acceleration period, EdTech companies will work to strengthen their products, grow their market presence, and deepen their impact across Kenya’s education systems. In addition, they will receive up to USD 100,000 in equity-free funding and post-program advisory support for up to 12 months, ensuring sustained growth beyond the Fellowship’s core programming.
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