Kenyan EdTech Fellowship Boosts Inclusive Learning with AI and Assistive Technologies

iHUB, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, has announced the selection of 12 Kenyan EdTech startups for the fourth cohort of its EdTech Fellowship. This cohort marks a strategic shift, prioritizing founders who are developing solutions to address the educational needs of learners traditionally excluded from technology-enabled learning environments. The selected startups focus on critical areas such as supporting learners with disabilities, refugees, displaced and underserved communities, and empowering girls and young women.

The chosen ventures are tackling persistent barriers to equitable education through innovative approaches. Several startups, including Neurollect Audread and JUZA AI LTD, are leveraging AI to expand access to quality education, offering multilingual and offline learning solutions for various underserved populations. Others are enhancing accessibility through assistive technologies, inclusive learning platforms, and specialized educational content.

Over the next 18 months, the 12 selected startups will receive up to USD $100,000 in equity-free funding, along with tailored technical assistance. This support encompasses product development, business strategy, communications, and evidence generation. The fellowship aims to help these early-stage companies test, refine, and scale their solutions, contributing to more inclusive education systems and fostering long-term prosperity across Africa.

Since its inception in 2023, the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Kenya has supported 36 EdTech companies, collectively impacting over 700,000 learners and empowering more than 11,000 educators. The program exemplifies a commitment to investing in local innovators who are creating solutions specifically tailored to Africa's unique educational challenges, emphasizing that effective EdTech should redistribute opportunity rather than merely digitize existing structures.