South African ed-tech incubator Injini has announced the 12 startups selected for the first Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Programme, which offers selected companies access to funding and other types of support.
Founded in 2017, Injini, which is a member of the UVU Africa Group, is a registered non-profit company that exists for the sole purpose of improving educational outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. The only ed-tech specialised accelerator in Africa, its programmes and research via the Injini Think Tank contribute towards its mission to increase the quality, accessibility, and relevance of education in the region.
Disrupt Africa reported last month Injini had partnered the Mastercard Foundation to launch the fellowship programme, which will provide eligible startups with direct grant funding, product quality evaluation and certification, intensive skills development, coaching and mentorship, bespoke market research and market access through Injini’s network of stakeholders across the education innovation landscape.
Twelve startups have now been selected for the inaugural edition of the programme, namely Afrika Tikkun Bambanani, Ambani Africa, BuzzKidz Buzz-in-a-Box, Click Learning, Code4Kids, Digify Africa, FunDza Literacy Trust, Matric Live, Reflective Learning, Resolute Education, Yenza, and Zaio.
“We saw many promising applicants during the selection process for our Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Programme,” said Krista Davidson, executive director of Injini. “It was not easy to narrow down the applicants from hundreds to these 12 fellows, as many impressive ed-tech solutions are operating and making a real difference to learners across the country. We are confident that we will be able to work with each one individually to grow their impact and improve educational outcomes in South Africa.”
