Sahara Consult and Mastercard Foundation Launch Second Cohort of EdTech Fellowship in Tanzania

Sahara Consult, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, has officially opened applications for the second cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship. This follows the successful conclusion of the first cohort in Tanzania, which marked a milestone in supporting African EdTech companies to scale and create impact.

A Platform for Growth and Impact

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an initiative designed to empower African EdTech companies by providing essential business and financial support, along with insights into the science of learning. This comprehensive support equips companies to scale, achieve sustainability, and deliver measurable impact in addressing critical education challenges.

The second cohort will focus on identifying growth-stage EdTech start-ups whose innovative solutions address Tanzania’s pressing educational needs.

Applications are now open and can be submitted here.

Showcasing First Cohort Achievements

The call for the second cohort was announced at a Demo Day event, where the first cohort’s achievements were celebrated. After six months of intensive acceleration, the 10 Fellows from the 2024 program presented their solutions to a distinguished audience of investors, government stakeholders, educators, learners, and development partners.

These solutions, ranging from STEM kits to online/offline learning platforms and school management systems, collectively impacted over 50,000 learners across Tanzania. Participating companies included Taifa Tek, MITzKITS, Kilimanjaro Planetarium, Smartdarasa, Shule Yetu, Smartcore, ShuleSoft, Fiqra Academy, Infotaaluma, and Mtabe.

Eligibility and Benefits

Eligible applicants must:

• Be legally registered EdTech companies in Tanzania.
• Focus on addressing educational challenges through technology and innovation.
• Be in the growth stage with proven traction.
• Have a diverse and inclusive team with strong growth potential.

Selected companies will receive:

• Business mentorship.
• Free access to courses on the science of learning.
• Networking opportunities with government stakeholders.
• Equity-free funding to support scalability and impact.

About Sahara Consult

Sahara Consult is a leading management consulting firm dedicated to leveraging innovation and digital entrepreneurship to drive transformative change. Collaborating with public and private sectors, academia, and development partners, Sahara Consult empowers organizations, start-ups, and SMEs to thrive in today’s dynamic landscape.

For more information, visit consult.saharaventures.com.

About the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship

Launched in 2019, the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration program aimed at supporting African EdTech ventures. The Fellowship works with innovation hubs and accelerators across Africa to assist EdTech companies with scaling, sustainability, and delivering impactful educational solutions.

By 2025, the program aims to support over 250 EdTech companies and reach at least 1.8 million young people.

For more details, click here.

For media inquiries:

• Sahara Consult: martha@saharaventures.com
• Mastercard Foundation: jbiira@mastercardfdn.org

About the Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation is one of the largest charitable organizations globally, advancing education and financial inclusion to enable dignified work opportunities for young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada. Founded in 2006, the Foundation operates independently from Mastercard and is governed by its Board of Directors and leadership.

This initiative represents a significant step toward transforming education in Tanzania through technology and innovation. Aspiring EdTech entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply and contribute to shaping the future of learning in Africa.