In a major milestone for education technology in Egypt, EdVentures, the corporate venture arm of Nahdet Misr Group, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, celebrated the graduation of the second cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship. The event highlighted the program’s growing impact on scaling technology-enabled education solutions, strengthening equitable access to learning, and driving measurable outcomes nationwide.
Supporting African-Led EdTech Startups
The Cohort 2 Demo Day marked the culmination of an intensive eight-month, equity-free acceleration program, which supported 12 growth-stage EdTech startups in developing scalable, market-ready solutions. These solutions target key challenges in education, including:
Foundational skills development
Workforce readiness
Inclusive learning tools
Digital accessibility
Since its launch in Egypt, the Fellowship has supported 23 startups across two cohorts, reaching more than 410,000 learners as of January 2026. This underscores the program’s commitment to inclusive education, social impact, and youth empowerment.
Fostering Youth and Women Entrepreneurs
The Fellowship prioritizes diverse leadership and inclusion, targeting entrepreneurs aged 18–35. Among the supported startups:
52% are women-led
87% are youth-led
34% originate from rural areas
This focus ensures that EdTech innovation aligns with educational equity, inclusive economic growth, and local community development.
Expanding Educational Access and Inclusion
Wariko Waita, Director of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, emphasized the importance of accessibility:
“Educational technologies have the greatest impact when they are inclusive and designed for all learners. The EdTech Fellowship enables entrepreneurs to address persistent educational challenges, making quality learning accessible to youth, women, refugees, and persons with disabilities.”
The program has directly reached:
28,700 refugee learners
20,500 learners with disabilities
Coverage in 20+ governorates with outreach events in 13 governorates
Mentorship and Capacity Building
Beyond funding, the Fellowship provides comprehensive support through over 290 hours of mentorship, workshops, and expert-led sessions, helping founders develop investment readiness, operational skills, and scalable solutions. Participating startups in Cohort 2 include:
Mazraaty Academy – Agricultural and veterinary education
Livit Education – STEM and robotics programs
PikaDo – AI-powered peer-to-peer language learning
ScribeMe – Accessibility tools for visually impaired learners
Tick & Talk – Communication and presentation skills
Eagle Academy – Medical education and professional training
CAMTECH – Engineering education for Arabic-speaking youth
Carerha – Women-focused learning and empowerment
Innova – Gamified financial literacy programs
Cognify Education – Support for students with learning difficulties
Growtwopro – Workforce readiness in healthcare
MRCS IV – Online academy for African doctors’ skill development
Driving Long-Term Impact in Education
Dalia Ibrahim, Founder and CEO of EdVentures, highlighted the Fellowship’s significance:
“Education innovation succeeds only when it is scalable, relevant, and produces measurable impact. By supporting EdTech founders, we empower them to create tangible learning outcomes and workforce readiness, shaping the next generation of education companies in Egypt and Africa.”
The Fellowship’s continuing mission is to empower education entrepreneurs, bridge learning gaps, and ensure that every learner—regardless of location or circumstance—can access high-quality, technology-enabled education.
