MEST Africa has today announced the selection of 12 innovative companies for the inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Ghana.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is designed to support promising African EdTech companies with critical business and financial support, along with insight into the science of learning, preparing them for scale, sustainability, and impact.
The 12 selected companies represent a range of innovative solutions poised to make a significant impact in education across Ghana. Programme Manager at MEST Africa, Angela Duho, expressed her enthusiasm about the selected companies, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome these visionary companies into the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship at MEST Africa.
Their innovative solutions hold the promise of transforming education in Ghana, and we are excited to support their growth and impact.”
Director of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, Joseph Nsengimana, also stated that, “Through our partnership with MEST Africa, we are working to increase access to quality and relevant learning for Ghana and Africa’s underserved learners through locally developed technology-enabled solutions.
In 2023, the solutions by the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship cohorts in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya reached 2.6 million learners. We look forward to an even greater impact this year.”
The Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, gave his remarks at the launch, stating that his Ministry is poised for the transformation of education to meet the demands of the 21st century. Therefore, it will provide the necessary support to the EdTech program. He noted the pressing need to work harder to achieve better educational outcomes in Ghana, and the government is committed to enhancing educational infrastructure to create a conducive learning environment for all children, including those in public schools.
Among the notable companies selected for the EdTech Fellowship Programme are Perbi Cubs, focusing on literacy improvement through engaging digital tools for Ghanaian and African children, and Inspiring Teachers Ghana, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing learning outcomes by leveraging teacher training expertise.
Dext Technology Limited stands out for its innovative tools in STEM education, while Loozeele Excellence Academy pioneers STEM-focused early childhood education in the Upper East region. Ayaprep introduces an educational app teaching math in local languages for enhanced inclusivity, and Qknow Edtech democratizes education with personalized tutoring and accessible resources.
Wonderspaced offers an interactive content platform promoting critical thinking and creativity, while DeafCanTalk revolutionizes accessibility for Deaf students. Firefly IO leads in hands-on STEAM and Robotics education, Coral Reef Innovation Hub prepares students for the future workforce with AI solutions, and eCampus facilitates smarter studying for global learners.
Lastly, Alpha Virtual Academy provides a comprehensive digital learning platform for K-9 schools in Ghana, enhancing education quality and accessibility.
Through the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, the cohort will embark on a transformative journey of mentorship with support from specialists in education innovation, sustainability, impact, and scale. They will also gain access to courses on the science of learning and receive equity-free grants with the aim of scaling their impact and contributing to the advancement of education in Ghana.
About the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration program designed to support promising African EdTech companies. 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.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship was launched in 2019 by the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning and supported 12 African EdTech companies from seven countries in its first year, reaching over 800,000 learners. The goal of the Centre is to partner with 12 Tech Hubs to support over 250 EdTech companies and reach at least 1.8 million young people by 2025.
