Nairobi-based incubator iHub has announced the 12 startups selected for the second edition of the Kenyan leg of the first Mastercard Foundation Ed-Tech Fellowship Programme, which offers selected companies access to funding and other types of support.
Disrupt Africa reported in February last year that Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) – which owns iHub – announced a new partnership with the Mastercard Foundation under the Mastercard Foundation Ed-Tech Fellowship Programme to launch a US$15 million ed-tech accelerator initiative in Kenya and Nigeria. Injini is running a similar programme in South Africa.
Twelve startups were selected for the first Kenyan programme, while second editions are already underway in Nigeria and South Africa. iHub has now announced the latest set of 12 ed-tech ventures that will take part in the Mastercard Foundation Ed-Tech Fellowship.
They include Dals Learning, a digital platform providing learners access to interactive, engaging, comprehensive, and approved digital educational content; Fundis, which enables artisans to document their work and portfolios, get assessed and graded, and access continuous upskilling, and get certified/accredited for job-matching; Soma Siri Afrika, which offers an innovative educational product that combines psychology, AI, and analytics to transform learning experiences; and Uptyke, which provides a diverse range of accessible educational digital content for K-12 learners.
Also selected are eKitabu, a digital content solution that develops early-grade reading materials in Kenyan Sign Language (KSL); Kuze.ai, an AI-enabled platform that provides learners with personalised learning experiences; Ultratude Tech, aschool management system; SomaChat, a digital learning platform transforming the learning experience for Kenyan students with its suite of AI-powered educational tools; and NABU, a digital content solution providing culturally relevant mother-tongue and curriculum-aligned learning resources.
Completing the cohort are Esoma Solutions, an online learning platform that provides teachers and learners with digital learning materials to foster Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) through adaptive and personalized learning paths; Kurasa, which enhances the teaching and learning experience in K-12 education through innovative tools; and Recess, which revolutionises school management through personalised educational content, fostering student engagement, and facilitating transparent communication between educators and parents.
“We are enthusiastic about the potential of the selected start-ups to enhance the face of ed-tech in the region. After the success of cohort one in 2023, we are excited about the second cohort’s potential to add to better education outcomes for learners in Kenya,” said Nissi Madu, managing partner at iHub Kenya.
