Twelve Ethiopian education technology startups have been selected for the third cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, with each company receiving $60,000 in funding to scale its operations and impact.

Announced during Ethiopia’s second EdTech Week in Addis Ababa, this selection represents a continued strategic investment in Ethiopia's technology sector, specifically targeting solutions for critical educational gaps. The initiative provides equity-free capital and structured support to improve learning outcomes. This equity-free funding allows founders to retain full ownership while developing their platforms, fostering local innovation.

What We Know So Far

  • Twelve Ethiopian EdTech startups were selected for the third Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship cohort, as reported by Shega and The Next Africa.
  • Each startup receives $60,000 in equity-free funding for growth and development.
  • The new cohort was announced during Ethiopia’s second EdTech Week, March 25–26, in Addis Ababa, according to The Next Africa.
  • Implemented by non-profit Reach for Change, the three-year fellowship has now supported 36 ventures across all cohorts.
  • Beyond funding, each startup receives one year of dedicated support to refine business models and scale educational solutions.

Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Ethiopia Details

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship provides $60,000 in equity-free funding to each of the 12 selected Ethiopian startups. This non-dilutive capital allows founders to accelerate growth without surrendering ownership stakes, a key advantage over traditional venture capital. This structure enables entrepreneurs to focus on product development and market penetration during their critical early phase.

The fellowship is implemented by Reach for Change, an organization specializing in supporting social entrepreneurs. According to a report from The Next Africa, the program is a three-year initiative, and this latest intake marks its third and final cohort. With the addition of these 12 ventures, the fellowship has now extended its support to a total of 36 Ethiopian EdTech startups since its inception. This sustained effort indicates a programmatic approach to building a robust pipeline of educational innovators within the country.