By Efe Onodjae

Co-creation HUB (CcHUB), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has announced the opening of applications for the third cohort of the EdTech Fellowship, following the successful completion of the second cohort’s acceleration program.

The third cohort is set to begin in 2025, with applications due by January 31, 2025.

High-potential EdTech ventures across Nigeria are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to be part of the next iteration of the Fellowship, which aims to make education and learning more inclusive by leveraging technology as an enabler.

In 2024, 12 Nigerian start-ups received critical business and financial non-equity support, along with insights into the science of learning. These start-ups reached 11,341 new learners, with over 90 percent of the impact on young people, directly aligning with the program’s goal of providing access to quality education for the most underserved learners in Nigeria and the broader region.

The 2024 cohort’s success was highlighted during the Demo Day event, where the entrepreneurs showcased their EdTech-based solutions to Nigeria’s learning ecosystem. The Fellows demonstrated the impact of their businesses on learning outcomes and connected with potential investors, partners, and stakeholders. Their solutions ranged from learning management systems to STEM learning tools, foundational literacy, and teacher training, addressing the diverse needs of Nigeria’s education ecosystem.

Speaking to the press, Managing Partner at Co-creation HUB, Nissi Madu, said, “Over the past six months, these start-ups have dedicated themselves to refining their solutions, with a clear focus on enhancing learning experiences and driving improved learning outcomes. Through active engagement with key stakeholders—ranging from government officials and educators to students, young people, parents, and schools—they’ve gathered invaluable feedback to fine-tune their offerings.

“We are thrilled to see them present their upgraded solutions during Demo Day and are confident in the transformative impact these innovations will have in the months and years ahead. We are also excited to see how various stakeholders will collaborate with these companies to scale these impactful solutions, ultimately reaching millions of learners across Nigeria.”

CEO of Harde Business School, Dami Oguntunde, also spoke about the development of their app, noting, “The Mastercard EdTech Fellowship gave Harde Business School a clear pathway to better understand and optimize our product. The comprehensive support from the CcHUB team has also helped with the development of our App-based EdTech solution, which is scheduled for launch in January 2025.”

Founder of Proud African Roots, Bola Edwards, shared her experience, saying, “Previously leveraging various offline and digital platforms to reach audiences, Proud African Roots has now launched its own digital platform, the ‘Grandma Wura Hub’ app, through support from the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship. This new app offers improved, high-quality educational content specially designed for children, connecting them to African culture and values.”

Acting Director at the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, Rodwell Mangisi, emphasized the importance of demand-driven EdTech innovations, stating, “The testimonies from the Fellows are the reason why we are intentional about building innovations that close the gap in access and quality, to provide relevant learning for the most underserved. So far, 140 EdTech companies have been accelerated since the Fellowship began in 2020.

“Through our ongoing partnership with Co-creation HUB Nigeria, our hope is that the next iteration will prioritize relevance, access, and sustainability for greater impact. While technology makes life easier for all of us, it makes everything possible for those without access and opens pathways for them to learn and prosper.”

According to the organizers, participants of the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship will receive exposure to a vibrant network of investors, coaching and mentoring by successful founders and experts, expert advisory across learning science, product development, marketing, sales, and talent management, access to a community of practice to test products, networking opportunities with other founders building innovative solutions in EdTech, and access to up to USD 100,000 in non-equity grants.