iHUB, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, on Thursday opened applications for the fourth cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Kenya, targeting startups developing education solutions for underserved learners.
The 12-month acceleration programme will select 12 early-stage Kenyan EdTech startups and provide mentorship, technical support, access to ecosystem partners and $100,000 in equity-free funding to support product development and long-term growth.
Applications are open from Feb. 27 to March 26, 2026, with eligible startups invited to apply through iHUB’s Future of Learning platform.
Organisers said much of Africa’s EdTech innovation has focused on stable learning environments with reliable connectivity and paying users, leaving inclusion-driven segments such as disability, disrupted schooling and gender participation under-served.
Cohort 4 will focus on solutions for learners with disabilities, displaced and conflict-affected communities, gender-inclusive EdTech, and education data systems built for real-world decision-making.
Since its launch, the fellowship has supported 72 companies across Africa, reaching more than 600,000 learners, with a near-equal gender split, programme data showed.
Founded in Nairobi more than a decade ago, iHUB supports startups and works with corporates and governments on innovation programmes. It is part of the Co-creation Hub network following its acquisition by the pan-African innovation group.