Mastercard Foundation

Lingawa is an emerging edtech company focused on making quality education accessible to a diverse audience. It operates an online tutoring platform that offers engaging lessons in native languages, catering to students of all ages, from children as young as five to adults. The platform features a variety of courses and connects learners with experienced tutors who employ creative and critical thinking techniques. By utilizing technology and innovative teaching methods, Lingawa aims to provide affordable and personalized educational solutions that enhance traditional schooling and promote language learning.

YARP Foods is an agri processing startup that specializes in producing cost-effective all-purpose cassava flour for the flour user industries.

54 Collective is a venture capital firm based in Johannesburg, South Africa, founded in 2018. The company focuses on building and scaling African tech startups by providing catalytic capital and tailored support to entrepreneurs. It invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, health tech, agritech, logistics, and e-commerce. By integrating impact into its investment strategy, 54 Collective aims to deliver financial returns to investors while facilitating the growth of innovative businesses. The firm leverages its extensive global network to offer additional resources and support, helping founders navigate challenges and scale their ventures effectively.

The Government of Rwanda through the District and Sector gave my family a household cow. My dad was asked to establish a kraal and feeding garden to cultivate pasture. He did it. The Fresian cow given for free, gave us milk and dung, making us get milk for home use and surplus for sale. However, we were hit by the summertime and the pasture was depleted due to small plot cultivation we struggled to produce food crops and cow fodder. Our lovely cow started starving, prompting us to rise as early as 4 am and fetch thinny dry shrubs and grass along roadsides and river banks. Our milk production fell from 12 liters a day to 3 liters. The family got stressed with the unstoppable cow mows, rendering the neighborhood complaints about our darling cow noise nuisance due to undernutrition. “Daddy, I will find a way, I am in a country of solutions, not setbacks and regrets. Internet surfing led me to a new technology called Hydroponics Fodder”. Liaising with the external expert made the technology knock at our door, in Rwanda". The UKC member and vision bearer said.

Kytabu is a textbook subscription application that provides students with an affordable way to access educational materials on low-cost Android tablets or desktop applications. The platform allows users to rent textbooks by pages, chapters, or entire books for varying durations—hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly—using mobile money for payment. Kytabu offers access to the entire education curriculum library, enabling students to select the content they need while accommodating their budget. Each device comes preloaded with 8GB of textbook content on a microSD card and includes a SIM card for mobile data connectivity, facilitating updates and additional content from publishers. This model ensures that students have access to up-to-date and easily purchasable educational resources.

Zeraki is an educational technology company focused on improving access to quality education and facilitating smoother transitions between educational levels and into employment. The company operates a platform designed to enhance instructional quality while streamlining administrative tasks for educators. By providing valuable insights, Zeraki empowers educational stakeholders to make informed decisions, ultimately aiming to elevate the overall educational experience for students.

Eneza Education Limited, founded in 2011 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, specializes in providing mobile technology-based education services. The company offers a virtual tutor and teacher's assistant, enabling students and teachers to access curriculum-aligned courses, assessments, and interactive support from live instructors via mobile devices. Its platform includes locally-adapted tutorials, tips, assessments, and features such as a leaderboard and live teacher chat, accessible through various formats including USSD/SMS, a web app, an offline desktop app, and an Android app. Eneza Education targets individual parents, students, and teachers with subscription-based access to its educational resources, ensuring that learners across Kenya, from urban centers to rural areas, can benefit from comprehensive, on-demand educational support.

Zibuza is an online professional learning community (PLC) that aims to improve the quality of teaching in South Africa by means of discussions, collaborations and access to resources. Zibuza is personalised to meet the individual and collective needs of a teacher based on location, grade, subjects and interests. We save teachers valuable time.

Siyavula Education is an education technology company focused on enhancing high school students' performance in mathematics and science through personalized, technology-driven learning solutions. The company has developed innovative software that allows learners to practice subjects such as Maths, Physics, and Chemistry in an adaptive manner, catering to individual needs and providing targeted feedback to help students master essential concepts and skills. Additionally, Siyavula offers openly licensed, curriculum-aligned textbooks that facilitate online learning, making quality education more accessible to learners and teachers across South Africa.

O’Genius Priority is Empowering Genuine Welfare. IT solutions, Web and Mobile development.

Chalkboard Education is a developer of a mobile platform focused on digitizing distance learning. The company collaborates with universities, training institutions, and businesses to convert educational content into a digital format, allowing users to access training materials remotely from any device, even without Internet connectivity. This approach enhances the ability to train and survey beneficiaries across Africa, facilitating seamless tracking of educational impact. By prioritizing accessibility, Chalkboard Education aims to expand educational opportunities for students in various regions.

M-Shule Ltd. is a mobile learning management platform based in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2016. It specializes in providing tailored educational content primarily in Maths and English through an adaptive learning engine that matches students with lessons suited to their individual needs. By utilizing SMS technology, M-Shule delivers personalized lessons directly to students and parents, allowing for continuous learning outside of traditional classroom settings. The platform not only tracks and analyzes student progress but also shares insights and reports with schools and educators, fostering collaboration among parents, teachers, and institutions. M-Shule aims to enhance educational access for offline and low-income communities in East Africa, enabling millions to benefit from self-paced, interactive learning resources.

AkooBooks Audio is a platform and experience provider focused on transforming mobile phones and devices into 'accessible libraries' of Black/African audiobooks in English and African languages, that reach new audiences.

Hitch Tech is a platform designed for African schools that enhances educational access by curating high-quality educational videos tailored to local curricula and textbooks. It utilizes battery-powered video hotspots to store content, allowing students and teachers to access these resources offline through WiFi or local networks. By addressing the challenges of traditional education resources and technology accessibility, Hitch Tech aims to empower underserved communities in emerging markets. The platform facilitates unrestricted access to impactful videos, enabling users to overcome literacy barriers and fostering connections within communities. This innovative approach supports the growth of education and knowledge sharing in Africa.

Instill Education is a start-up organization based in Rosebank, South Africa, focused on transforming teaching and school leadership across Africa. Established in 2015, the company addresses the urgent need for high-quality teaching capacity on the continent through a practically immersive graduate learning program. This program combines integrated classroom training, demand-driven initiatives, and evidence-based pedagogies to enhance educator effectiveness. By employing data-driven methodologies, Instill Education aims to improve learner engagement and optimize time on task in every lesson, ultimately elevating the quality of teaching and learning in African schools.

Schoolinka is an Edtech company solving the problem of poor teaching quality by powering the continuous professional development and job placements of K-12 teachers in Africa. Using AI and ML, Schoolinka matches teachers with professional development resources tailored to their specific skill gaps and also places these teachers in school and tutoring jobs that fit their skill levels. The Schoolinka platform serves as a connecting port for teachers, schools, parents, and professional development resources. ​ Our platform features a robust LMS that hosts our online courses, training materials, and resources. Teachers can access these resources at their convenience, enabling them to enhance their skills and knowledge. We also have a job board where schools can post vacancies and teachers can apply for positions. The job board is integrated with our LMS, allowing schools to identify candidates with specific skills and qualifications.

Flex Finance is a spend management platform tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa, addressing the critical issue of financial mismanagement that leads to high business failure rates. Recognizing that 90% of businesses on the continent may not survive past five years due to inadequate financial oversight, Flex provides tools to streamline expense management. The platform features an intuitive user interface that facilitates budgeting, expense tracking, digital requisitions, and bulk payment transfers. By offering these services through both mobile and web applications, Flex empowers businesses to digitize their financial operations, making them more efficient and better equipped to manage their spending in an increasingly digital environment.

Zlto is a virtual incentives platform that allows organizations to track and increase positive behavior while generating valuable data on emerging markets.

RecyclePoints is a waste recycling and social benefit venture that encourages post-consumers to recycle by creating value from their everyday waste. The company operates an incentive-based scheme that collects recyclable materials and rewards participants with points. These points can be accumulated and redeemed for various household items available in their iRecycle store. By motivating individuals and corporations to engage in recycling, RecyclePoints aims to reduce waste while providing tangible rewards for environmentally responsible behavior.

Tulaa is a Nairobi-based company founded in 2017 that focuses on enhancing the agricultural sector by connecting smallholder farmers with suppliers, financial service providers, and commodity buyers. The company develops a software application that enables farmers to buy and sell agricultural products, facilitating access to affordable financing for inputs and improving market connections. By leveraging mobile technology and last mile agent networks, Tulaa aims to reduce the costs and risks associated with doing business in rural areas. The platform offers farmers essential information on farming supplies, credit options, and tailored advice, ultimately empowering them to improve sales and gain better access to markets.

Jumo is a fintech company that specializes in providing banking technology aimed at enhancing financial access in emerging markets, particularly in Africa and Asia. The company partners with banks to deliver loans, savings, and various financial services to traditionally underserved customers. By utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning, Jumo develops credit scores and financial products tailored to individual needs. Their platform also employs behavioral data from mobile usage to establish financial identities for small and medium enterprises, allowing customers to engage with financial services in a cost-effective and responsible manner. Jumo offers essential reporting, analytics, and insights to its partners, facilitating improved service delivery and financial choices for their clients.

Jumo is a fintech company that specializes in providing banking technology aimed at enhancing financial access in emerging markets, particularly in Africa and Asia. The company partners with banks to deliver loans, savings, and various financial services to traditionally underserved customers. By utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning, Jumo develops credit scores and financial products tailored to individual needs. Their platform also employs behavioral data from mobile usage to establish financial identities for small and medium enterprises, allowing customers to engage with financial services in a cost-effective and responsible manner. Jumo offers essential reporting, analytics, and insights to its partners, facilitating improved service delivery and financial choices for their clients.

Zoona is a mobile technology company focused on providing financial services to underserved communities across Africa. Founded in 2009, it has established a robust distribution network that facilitates money transfers, electronic voucher payments, savings, credit, and bill payments primarily for unbanked customers. With operations in Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, Zoona leverages cutting-edge technology and a network of agents to ensure safe and reliable access to financial services. The company has processed over $2 billion in transactions and has received recognition from organizations such as The Nike Foundation and The Unreasonable Group for its impactful contributions to empowering young entrepreneurs and helping to alleviate poverty, particularly among girls.

Carnegie Mellon University is a private research institution renowned for its innovative programs in technology and the arts. It offers a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degrees across diverse disciplines, with a strong emphasis on computer science, information systems, and public policy. The university's Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy features highly regarded graduate degree and executive education programs, combining expertise in information systems with public policy management. Additionally, the School of Computer Science is recognized globally as a leading center for research and education in computer science. Through its interdisciplinary approach, Carnegie Mellon University serves various sectors, including education, technology, and the arts, fostering a collaborative environment that prepares students for future challenges.

GiftedMom is the first mobile health platform in Central Africa, which uses low cost technologies to improve the health conditions of pregnant women and new borns in under served and disconnected communities. The GiftedMom project was started by a group of Medical and engineering students, Medical Doctors, health and community workers, with vision to reduce maternal mortality rates (Millennium Development Goal 5) as well as infant Mortality rates (MDG 4) in Cameroon. The project comprises a Web and Mobile platform, SMS Services and Google Fusion Tables, all aimed at divulging important information on the proper management of pregnancy, and a healthy follow up of newborns.

Tespire provides inspiration for the future of education by equipping primary and secondary schools with a cloud solution and a hardware box that eases administrative processes in their offices and classrooms. They give parents a single login to manage multiple children.