iHub, Nairobi-based incubator, has revealed that twelve startups have been accepted into the second cohort of the Kenyan iteration of the first Mastercard Foundation Ed-Tech Fellowship Programme, through which the firms stand to be provided with financial and other types of assistance.
It was recalled in February the previous year that Co-creation Hub (CcHUB)– which owns iHub– revealed that it was going to partner with the Mastercard Foundation to establish a $15m ed-tech accelerator programme under the Mastercard Foundation Ed-Tech Fellowship Programme in Kenya and Nigeria. A similar programme is being run by Injini in South Africa.
Since its first programme in Kenya, twelve startups were chosen, while the second version is currently running in Nigeria and South Africa. iHub has now unveiled the latest list of twelve ed-tech start-ups that are set to participate in the Mastercard Foundation Ed-Tech fellowship program.
These are Dals Learning through which learners acquire access to functional, fun, comprehensive, and accredited digital learning materials; Fundis which helps artisans to capture, document, showcase, and be evaluated and trained and accredited for employment matching; Soma Siri Afrika through delivering an innovative educational product that incorporates psychology, artificial intelligence, and analytics to enhance learning experience; Uptyke through offering functional diverse K-12 digital educational content.
Also selected are eKitabu which is a digital content solution company that creates early grade reading in Kenyan Sign Language or KSL; Kuze. ai, an AI-enabled platform that offers its learners a personalized experience; Ultratude Tech a School Management System; SomaChat a digital learning solution that has transformed learning in Kenya with its array of AI learning solutions; NABU a digital content solution which delivers culturally contextual and curriculum relevant mother-tongue as well as other learning material.
To complete the list, there are Esoma Solutions which provides teachers and learners with digital learning materials aimed to promote FLN with the right learning path for every learner; Kurasa that assists K-12 teachers & learners by delivering innovative tools; and Recess which allows School to bring personal educational content for the learners, make them more engaged, and ensure proper communication between teachers and students’ parents.
“We are enthusiastic about the potential of the selected start-ups to enhance the face of ed-tech in the region. After the success of cohort one in 2023, we are excited about the second cohort’s potential to add to better education outcomes for learners in Kenya,” the managing partner at iHub Kenya, Nissi Madu, said.
