The Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) and the Mastercard Foundation have selected 12 new education technology startups for the fourth cohort of the EdTech Fellowship program. Announced in February 2025, the initiative provides selected ventures with capital, product testing support, and accelerator backing to scale digital learning solutions across African markets.
Cohort Selection and Program Focus
According to program organizers, the latest cohort brings together startups building localized digital learning tools for primary, secondary, and tertiary education sectors. The EdTech Fellowship aims to address foundational learning gaps by integrating software tools into traditional classrooms and alternative learning environments. Each participating startup receives equity-free funding alongside technical assistance in pedagogy, business model scaling, and user acquisition.
Participant Overview and Regional Reach
The selected startups operate across multiple regions, targeting specific curriculum needs and administrative bottlenecks in school systems. Program administrators review applicant metrics around user retention, product-market fit, and technical scalability before finalizing each cohort. The structured support model connects founders with educational researchers and software engineers to refine product safety, data privacy, and instructional design.
Funding and Long-Term Objectives
The partnership between CcHUB and the Mastercard Foundation builds on multi-year commitments to expand venture capital access for early-stage technology companies in Africa. By combining seed financing with mentorship, the fellowship prepares participating organizations for subsequent institutional investment rounds. Organizers track key performance indicators, including active student engagement and teacher adoption rates, to measure the long-term impact of supported platforms on educational outcomes.
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