iHUB and the Mastercard Foundation have selected 12 early-stage Kenyan startups for an 18-month education technology programme that will provide each company with up to $100,000 in equity-free funding, as the fellowship expands its focus to learners with disabilities and other underserved groups.
The fourth cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship marks a change from previous editions, which ran for eight months and focused on growth-stage companies. The programme will now work with younger startups building products for learners with disabilities, refugees and displaced communities, girls and young women, and people in rural and underserved areas.
The selected companies are DEAFHEALTH, AssistiveMath, Signvrse, Deaf Outreach Program, SmartSteamMinds Edtech, Chipurobo, Neurollect Audread, JUZA AI LTD, Ubuntu Universe Limited, RYEH CBO, Gwiji for Women and Tausi App.
DEAFHEALTH, AssistiveMath, Signvrse, Deaf Outreach Program, SmartSteamMinds Edtech and Chipurobo are developing assistive technologies, learning platforms, digital skills programmes and specialised education products for learners with disabilities.
Neurollect Audread, JUZA AI LTD, Ubuntu Universe Limited and RYEH CBO are working on multilingual, offline and AI-supported learning products aimed at refugees, displaced people and learners in rural and underserved communities. Gwiji for Women and Tausi App focus on entrepreneurial, vocational and digital skills for girls and young women.
