EdTech Fellowship
A program in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation
About the Fellowship
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program is a six-month, equity-free acceleration program for high-impact companies using technology and innovation to address challenges in South African education.
For 2026, there is a strategic emphasis on reaching Young women, People with Disabilities (PWD), Refugees and Displaced Persons (RDP), and Rural Youth ensuring that innovative EdTech solutions bridge the digital divide in areas traditionally overlooked by mainstream venture ecosystems. This focus is crucial for driving systemic change and ensuring quality education access across all parts of South Africa, beyond the major urban hubs.
Applications for 2026 are now open.
Program Objectives
Create Market Access
We give our fellows exposure to a broader market in order to reach more learners, especially those in under-resourced communities.
Measure
Impact
We help design and implement, or refine, impact measurement, monitoring, and evaluation systems for our fellows.
Enhance Sustainability
We work to improve financial sustainability through investment readiness support, exposure to funding opportunities, and more.
Promote Inclusive Design
We provide access to specialised inclusivity experts, conduct audits, and facilitate user testing with target communities to ensure solutions are truly accessible and impactful.
Impact from April 2023 - October 2025
200,000
New teachers reached
1.79 million
New learners reached
$1.4 million
External funding facilitated
Receive specialised support, in addition to funding.
Specialised Support
Hands-on support from specialists in education innovation, fundraising, impact M&E, linguistics, inclusive user design, assistive technology, gender & intersectional inclusion, and policy & refugee inclusion.
Pedagogical Evaluation
Pedagogical evaluation and certification by EdTech Impact and Education Alliance Finland.
Course Access
Access to a selection of courses and office hours from faculty members at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute.
Venture Funding
Includes equity-free venture funding.
Testimonials
Here are some testimonials
Don’t take our word for it - listen to what some of the founders say about their experience of the Fellowship.
Program Process
Pre-
Acceleration
(Nov 2025 – Apr 2026)
We select 10 companies, onboard them, understand their specific needs, and set milestones accordingly.
Tailored Support Setup
(starting in Apr 2026)
Based on your needs assessment, we finalise a unique support plan, appointing internal specialists and external "Sponsored Skills" consultants to meet your specific goals.
Acceleration Program
(Apr – Oct 2026)
We assist each company with impact measurement, market access, investment readiness, and financial sustainability.
Post-
Acceleration
(Nov 2026 – Oct 2028)
Fellows gain ongoing access to networking events, receive monitoring and evaluation support, and receive two additional grant funding disbursements linked to ongoing reporting.
FAQs
Application Eligibility
For the 2026 Cohort 4, we are specifically looking for EdTech companies that are deliberately addressing the barriers faced by South Africa's most marginalised learners.
We are actively seeking ventures with solutions intentionally built to support and improve outcomes for:
- Learners with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including cognitive, physical, and neurodiverse learners;
- Girls and young women; and/or
- Refugees and displaced persons,
- Learners in low-resourced, rural or non-metropolitan communities.
In addition to this thematic focus, participating EdTech companies should meet the following criteria:
- Has a tech-enabled solution designed to increase access and improve educational outcomes in South Africa. We preferably look for solutions supporting learners in pre-primary (ages 0-5), primary and secondary (ages 5-18), and/or teacher training.
- Is a solution that is adaptable to low-connectivity environments (e.g., offline-first capabilities) and addresses regional learning challenges.
- Is a post-revenue, growth-stage startup. (If the applicant is a non-profit entity, grant funding constitutes annual turnover) .
- Has the potential to reach a minimum of 8,000 direct learners within one year of the program.
- Is led by a diverse and representative team. We are especially excited to support female, youth, and community-led teams, particularly those with lived experience of the challenges they aim to address.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program is open to EdTech startups that fit the following profile:
- Addresses a substantial market opportunity, with a focus on South Africa;
- Has a tech-enabled solution designed to increase access and improve educational outcomes in South Africa, preferably supporting learners in pre-primary education (ages 0-5), primary and secondary education (ages 5-18) and/or teacher training and professional development;
- Post-revenue, growth-stage startup (annual turnover likely exceeding R1,000,000). If the applicant is a non-profit entity, grant funding constitutes annual turnover
- Has the potential to reach 8,000 direct learners within one year of program participation
- Led by a diverse team with a strong understanding of the context in which they operate – we’re especially excited to support inspiring female founders and leadership teams.
Applications close at midnight (SAST) on 18 January 2026. It’s in your best interest to apply early, as we’ll be evaluating applications on a rolling basis, and will close the applications earlier should we find the right candidates.
Yes. Startups with EdTech solutions that aim to improve educational outcomes within the South African market are eligible to participate in the program. Your company does not have to be registered in South Africa, however, it is necessary that the majority of your learners (i.e. end users benefiting from your EdTech solution) are based in South Africa, and the majority of your team is based in South Africa.
Round 2 includes an additional round of questions, documentation submission, and virtual interviews. Should your application progress to the second round, you may be required to submit a comprehensive set of documents for due diligence. To ensure a smooth process, we recommend that you begin compiling the following documents in preparation*:
Corporate:
- Company Registration Certificate (CIPC)
- Valid Tax Clearance Certificate
- B-BBEE Certificate (if available)
- Partners and/or funder contact details
Financial:
- 12-24 months of management accounts (P&L, Balance Sheet)
- Current year-to-date financials (2025)
- Company cap table and any/all funding agreements (e.g., SAFEs, Shareholder Agreements)
- Business/revenue model (including pricing, target customer segments, go-to-market strategy)
Team:
- Detailed team organogram
- CVs and Linkedin profiles for the key leadership team
Product & Impact:
- Your Theory of Change (if available)
- A copy of your safeguarding policy (if available)
- Any existing M&E reports, user research findings, or case studies
*Please note: This is not an exhaustive list and we reserve the right to request additional documentation should it be required.
No, it doesn’t have to be. The EdTech solution, regardless of the technology used, should focus on the South African market to improve educational outcomes in the country.
No, but they do need to be based in South Africa. Injini will cover the (national) travel costs to and from Cape Town (for one team member) when needed to engage in the in-person program activities.At least one member of the team will be required to be present at the following program events:
Program Onboarding Day (Cape Town)
Program Kick-off Event (Cape Town)2x
Program workshops (Cape Town & JHB): Dates TBC
South African EdTech Week & Demo Day: Dates & Venue TBC
For the duration of the accelerator program, reporting is done every month following a reporting template*.The idea of the reporting is to support Injini in building evidence and understanding around what the EdTech space looks like. This evidence supports Injini to meaningfully guide the greater ecosystem of government, funders, and other key stakeholders regarding what works and where there are barriers in the space. It further supports you in building accurate, meaningful data around how your business is tracking, who it is reaching, and what impact it is having. This data becomes invaluable when communicating with potential customers and investors.
*None of your data will be shared with anybody outside of Injini’s organisation unless otherwise agreed upon with you.
Following the accelerator program, reports will be submitted on a quarterly basis for a further 24 months.
At least one founder or business leader (executive management level) is expected to participate in the entirety of the EdTech Fellowship Program. However, our preference is to have at least two committed representatives from each startup engaged in the program from start to finish.Additional team members will be invited to participate in specific events and training opportunities throughout the program.
This acceleration program will take on a hybrid format, many engagements will be remote with key initiatives and activities taking place at Injini’s headquarters in Cape Town.The program follows a bespoke approach, with no set content to be followed. At the beginning of the program, a Needs Assessment will be conducted and milestones identified, with a focus on the three key pillars: Market Access and Product Optimisation; Financial Sustainability and Investment Readiness; and Social Impact Measurement and Management.
Each selected EdTech company, or “Fellow”, will receive Injini’s specialised acceleration support
Program benefits include:
- Hands-on support from specialists in education innovation, fundraising, impact M&E, commerce and more;
- Pedagogical evaluation and certification by EdTech Impact and Education Alliance Finland;
- "Sponsored Skills" to swiftly address team needs, produce targeted outputs, and strengthen your overall capacity for long-term business success with the help of external consultants;
- Networking, knowledge-sharing and learning opportunities with key ecosystem players and industry experts;
- Access to a selection of courses, in addition to office hours from the Human-Computer Interaction Institute faculty members at Carnegie Mellon University - a global leader in education technology and applied learning sciences;
- Contributing to a growing body of evidence documenting "what works" in African EdTech
Yes, NPOs/NGOs can apply. If you are a non-profit entity, grant funding constitutes annual turnover. The application form will guide you on how to show your funding and business model.
The onboarding process, which will take place in Cape Town in April 2026, includes introductions to key partners (Carnegie Mellon University and Education Alliance Finland), official introductions to other program fellows and Injini team members, and further program information.
We are looking to specifically support growth-stage companies, which means that they can demonstrate traction (revenue or users) and show potential to be a sustainable solution. They are not in the pilot or idea stage of their solution.
In addition to walking away with a Theory of Change, Data Room, and Impact Indicators, the startups received (where applicable) support with marketing strategies, business model valuations, brand audits, go-to-market strategies, investor introductions, grant application support, content translations, pitch deck reviews, and more.
You can submit an application here.
Still have questions?
Please email info@injini.africa if you have more questions or need clarification.
Join the EdTech Fellowship
Gain access to resources, mentorship, and a supportive community to expand your impact.
Applications for 2026 are open.
