Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Opens Applications for Ugandan Startups

The Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with Hive Colab, has opened applications for the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, an acceleration program supporting growth-stage EdTech ventures in Uganda that are ready to scale inclusive, evidence-driven learning solutions.

The Fellowship targets locally founded and locally led EdTech companies that serve underserved learners, including low-income communities, refugees, and learners with disabilities. Selected ventures will receive equity-free funding, technical support, and access to institutional partners to support responsible and sustainable growth.

Application Deadlines

 

• • Early Action Deadline: January 22, 2026

• • Final Application Deadline: February 5, 2026

About the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is part of a multi-country initiative designed to strengthen Africa’s education technology ecosystem. In Uganda, the program will be implemented by Hive Colab over the next five years, with a focus on expanding access to quality education for marginalized and underserved populations.

According to the organizers, the Fellowship equips participating ventures with a combination of funding, learning science expertise, and business support to help them scale solutions responsibly.

Key areas of support include:

 

• • Business and financial strategy development

• • Equity-free funding

• • Learning science and instructional design expertise

• • Guidance for responsible and inclusive scaling

• • Access to key education and ecosystem partners

Why the Fellowship Matters

Uganda’s education sector continues to face systemic challenges that require locally grounded and inclusive solutions. The Fellowship prioritizes EdTech ventures addressing issues such as:

 

• • Overcrowded classrooms and limited teaching resources

• • Gaps in teacher training and professional development

• • Barriers to school-to-work transitions

• • Unequal access to education for refugees and learners with disabilities

• • Learning environments with low connectivity or limited infrastructure

Organizers say ventures that design with these constraints in mind are strongly encouraged to apply.

Program Structure

The Fellowship is structured around two core pillars:

1. Design for Inclusion and Learning Impact

Fellows will receive support in areas such as:

 

• • Human-centered design for underserved learners

• • Learner and teacher engagement strategies

• • Accessibility and inclusion improvements

• • Learning outcomes design and evidence planning

2. Acceleration for Responsible Scale

To support sustainable growth, fellows will gain assistance in:

 

• • Product and delivery scaling

• • Partnership development and market access

• • Revenue resilience and affordability models

• • Investor readiness and fundraising preparation

• • Learning outcomes measurement and impact evaluation

Eligibility Criteria

The Fellowship is open to Uganda-based EdTech ventures that meet the following criteria:

 

• • Locally founded and locally led

• • Actively operating in Uganda

• • Have a working product with demonstrated traction

• • Are ready to scale sustainably and responsibly

• • Prioritize inclusion and accessibility in their solutions

Women-led ventures and diverse founding teams are strongly encouraged to apply.

Fellowship Benefits

Selected ventures will receive a comprehensive support package, including:

 

• • Up to USD 70,000 in equity-free catalytic funding

• • A structured acceleration curriculum tailored to scaling-stage ventures

• • One-on-one mentorship from experts in education, technology, and venture growth

• • Partnership and market access, including introductions to education institutions, government agencies, investors, and ecosystem actors

• • Learning science and impact measurement support

• • Investor readiness guidance

Application Process

The selection process includes the following stages:

 

1. 1. Online Application
      Applicants submit information about their venture, traction, inclusion model, and learning impact.

1. 1. Shortlisting and Interviews
      Selected applicants will undergo interviews and readiness assessments.

1. 1. Selection and Onboarding
      Successful ventures will be admitted into Cohort 1 and begin their Fellowship journey.

More details on eligibility, application requirements, and program structure are available through the official Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship application platform.