The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship has expanded to Egypt following earlier programmes in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.
Launched in 2019, the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration programme that supports promising African ed-tech ventures. It provides critical business, financial, and educational support to help ed-tech companies scale, achieve sustainability, and increase impact.
The fellowship has already supported dozens of companies in countries like Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, and has now expanded to Egypt in partnership with EdVentures, the investment arm of Nahdet Misr Group and a leading ed-tech venture capital firm in the MENA region.
Twelve startups have been chosen for the initial eight-month programme, comprising specialised training, mentorship, workshops, networking, and access to courses. Each startup will receive US$60,000 in equity-free funding. Over the next three years, the fellowship will support a total of 36 ed-tech startups, driving positive change in the education sector.
“We are honoured to collaborate with Mastercard Foundation, a testament of our impact in Egypt’s ed-tech sector,” said Dalia Ibrahim, founder and CEO of EdVentures. “This collaboration is pivotal for the ed-tech industry, aligning with our mission to foster innovation and empower young entrepreneurs. Together, we will continue to shape a robust ed-tech ecosystem in Egypt, redefining learning experiences. We eagerly anticipate the forthcoming cycles, each contributing to our shared vision of a brighter future for education.”
The inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship cohort are 5 Quarters, a dental student learning application; Armstrong, an interactive STEM e-learning platform; Business بالعربي, an Arabic self-development and business skills podcast; Career 180, career development and job placement solutions for youth; Deaf Gain, consulting services for the deaf and hard of hearing; and Fednee, a platform for networking, career development, mentoring, and collaboration.
The cohort is completed by iSchool, which is teaching AI and coding for kids ages 6-17; Mharet Tefl: a speech therapy programme for children; Nafham by Tayro, an online learning application; OTO Courses, an online one-on-one English and other courses; Science Street, which promotes science literacy; and Bayt Alkhyata, which fosters social development for women and their communities.
