Mastercard Foundation/Meltwater EdTech Fellowship

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration program designed to support promising, African EdTech ventures. Implemented in partnership with innovation hubs and EdTech accelerators across Africa, the Fellowship provides select EdTech companies with critical business and financial support, as well as insight into the science of learning, preparing them for scale, sustainability, and impact.

By fostering collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship, this accelerator is dedicated to catalyzing positive change in education by equipping the next generation of learners with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

What the Fellowship Offers

1. $60,000 USD (equity-free) capital to boost your EdTech business
2. A structured acceleration curriculum focused on education innovation, business scaling, and the science of learning
3. Mentorship from EdTech experts and seasoned founders
4. Support to access new markets and partnerships within education ecosystems
5. Opportunities to connect with investors, ecosystem players, and education sector leaders

Who Can Apply (Eligibility)

To be eligible:

1. Your organization must be a registered startup, SME or NGO based in select African markets (or as defined by the programme)
2. You should have a tech or tech-enabled solution targeting K-12, tertiary or vocational education
3. Your business must be in a growth stage, with a working product and active users or customers
4. You should have been in operation for at least 3 years (per Meltwater’s criteria)
5. Inclusive teams and solutions that target underserved communities (e.g., rural, low-income, youth) are especially encouraged