Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship for Growth-Stage African EdTech Ventures ( Up to $70,000 USD Equity free Funding)

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Applications are open for Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship. Through the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, implemented by Hive Colab in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, they support growth stage EdTech ventures that have traction and are ready to scale responsibly. We are prioritizing inclusive solutions serving underserved learners, including low income communities, refugees, and learners with disabilities.

Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program Overview

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration program designed to support promising African EdTech ventures. Implemented in partnership with innovation hubs and accelerators across Africa, the Fellowship equips ventures with critical business, financial, and learning science support.

Hive Colab, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, will implement the EdTech Fellowship in Uganda over the next five years, focusing on responsible scale that expands access to quality learning for underserved communities.

Inclusive product and delivery design
Evidence-driven learning impact
Partnership readiness with schools and systems actors
Sustainable and affordable business models

Why This Fellowship Matters

Uganda’s education ecosystem needs solutions that work in real classrooms and real communities. The Fellowship prioritizes ventures that design for constraints such as low connectivity, under-resourced schools, and displacement settings.

Overcrowded classrooms and limited resources
Teacher support and training gaps
Skills pathways and school-to-work transitions
Unequal access for refugees and learners with disabilities

Ventures addressing these challenges are strongly encouraged to apply.

Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Benefits

What Fellows Receive

Catalytic funding support
- Equity free funding up to 70K USD designed to accelerate inclusive scale and delivery readiness.
Structured fellowship curriculum
- A practical program built for growth stage execution, learning impact, and sustainability.
One-on-One Mentorship
- Direct support from experts who understand education delivery and venture scale.
Partnership and market access support
- Connections to relevant institutions and ecosystem actors where appropriate.
Learning science and impact support
- Guidance to measure outcomes and strengthen evidence of what works.
Investor readiness and strategic advisory
- Support to strengthen governance, storytelling, metrics, and long term capital pathways.

Eligibility Criteria

They are looking for locally founded and locally led, growth stage EdTech ventures delivering inclusive solutions in Uganda.
Locally founded and locally led venture with leadership and decision making rooted in Uganda
A growth stage venture has a working product with demonstrated traction and is ready to scale delivery and impact in a sustainable way.
Women led ventures and diverse founding teams are strongly encouraged to apply.