The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, implemented in Ghana by MEST Africa, supports early and growth-stage education technology startups in developing inclusive, scalable, and contextually relevant solutions that transform teaching and learning. Through funding, mentorship, capacity building, ecosystem engagement, and strategic partnerships, the Fellowship equips EdTech companies with the tools and networks needed to drive sustainable impact.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship supports a cohort of 12 EdTech companies annually. By the end of 2025, the Fellowship had successfully accelerated two cohorts, supporting the scale-up of 24 EdTech companies across Ghana. The programme delivered strategic interventions anchored in hands-on capacity building and bespoke support delivered by the MEST team and expert partners, through which fellows strengthened their business models, product quality, impact measurement practices, and investment readiness. This was reinforced by a series of intentional convenings including an Impact Plenary, Curriculum and Inclusion Plenary, Investment and Capital Linkages Plenary, Leadership Retreat, Demo Day, and ongoing learning science support in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Learning Sciences for Innovators Program. These were complemented by strong ecosystem partnerships with the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES), CENDLOS, GSET, T-TEL, Special Education Division and theGhana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD), which collectively created enabling conditions for fellows to access schools, align with national curricula, and deepen their Impact.
To further enhance ecosystem visibility and connectivity, fellows participated in key national events including the EdTech Stakeholder Forum, the ADEA Conference and the International Disability Day celebration, creating valuable networking opportunities and positioning them as active contributors to Ghana’s EdTech discourse. Together, Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 reached a combined total of 450,261 learners in 2025, a milestone that reflects both the scale and depth of the fellowship’s impact across Ghana.
This report provides an overview of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in 2025, highlighting the programme’s design and implementation, the strategic support provided to participating ventures, key achievements and outcomes, lessons learned, and the Fellowship’s contribution to strengthening Ghana’s education technology ecosystem in 2025. It also showcases the progress of the supported EdTech companies and the impact they are creating for learners, educators, and education systems across the country.
The report provides insights into:
- Programme design and implementation approach.
- Capacity building and bespoke venture support provided to fellows.
- Ecosystem partnerships and strategic stakeholder engagement.
- Key programme outputs, outcomes, and learner reach.
- Impact measurement and evidence generation approaches.
- Lessons learned and recommendations for future programme implementation.
- Success stories and examples of venture growth and innovation.
- The Fellowship’s contribution to strengthening Ghana’s EdTech ecosystem.
This report will be valuable to:
- EdTech entrepreneurs and innovators.
- Development partners and donors.
- Investors supporting education technology.
- Government agencies and policymakers.
- Education sector stakeholders and ecosystem partners.
- Organisations designing and implementing entrepreneurship and innovation support programmes.
