Editor’s note: African-Startups is a sister publication of EU-Startups, bringing trusted coverage of startups, venture capital, and innovation across Africa.
EdVentures, the corporate venture capital arm of Nahdet Misr Group, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, launched the 2026 cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Egypt. It brings together 13 new growth-stage startups into a programme that has now supported 36 ventures across three cohorts since 2024.
The 2026 cohort adds to a fellowship that has already reached more than 410,000 learners across the country. From artificial intelligence and healthcare education to women’s economic empowerment, early childhood learning, and education-to-employment pathways, the selected companies span a wide range of innovation areas.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration programme designed to support promising African EdTech companies. Launched in 2019 by the Mastercard Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, the Fellowship is implemented in partnership with innovation hubs and EdTech accelerators and is now active in 12 countries across Africa.
It provides selected companies with critical business and financial support, as well as grounding in the science of learning, preparing them for scale, sustainability, and broader impact.
EdVentures has recently won the Investor of the Year award at the Global Grand Finale (Edition 11) of the Global Startup Awards, which is held as part of the EU-Startups Summit 2026 in Malta.
“At EdVentures, we believe that transforming education requires more than innovative technologies; it requires strong partnerships that bring together shared expertise, resources, and a common vision for impact,” said Dalia Ibrahim, founder and CEO of EdVentures.
“The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is a powerful example of how collaboration can accelerate innovation, expand opportunities for entrepreneurs, and reach more learners and communities across Africa. With the launch of Cohort 3, we are proud to continue supporting a growing network of founders who are developing solutions that strengthen learning, employability, and economic participation for the continent’s youth,” she added.
Let’s meet them!
Wisdom Education
Founded: 2024
HQ: Cairo
Wisdom Education advances medical and dental education through specialised digital learning experiences, addressing a persistent gap in professional training for healthcare students and practitioners in Egypt.
Hoopooh
Founded: 2022
HQ: Berlin
Hoopooh is an AI-powered early childhood education platform that supports personalised learning and teacher development, helping young learners get a stronger start while equipping educators with smarter tools.
Business Development Institute (BDI)
Founded: 2023
HQ: Cairo
BDI delivers entrepreneurship, business development, and professional upskilling programmes, targeting a critical need for practical skills training that aligns with Egypt’s growing economic demands.
Plan P
Founded: 2020
HQ: Al Jizah
Plan P bridges the gap between healthcare education and real-world clinical practice, helping students and early-career professionals transition more effectively from classroom learning to patient-facing environments.
MedSpark
Founded: 2022
HQ: Al Jizah
MedsPark provides specialised healthcare training and professional development opportunities, equipping medical professionals with the continuing education they need to keep pace with a rapidly evolving sector.
E-TripleSoft Learn
Founded: 2019
HQ: New Cairo
E-TripleSoft Learn offers practical ERP and enterprise technology education aligned with market needs, preparing learners for careers in the digital and business software space that employers are actively seeking to fill.
MOMKEN FOR HER
Founded: 2022
HQ: Cairo
MOMKEN FOR HER empowers women through learning, upskilling, and employment opportunities, addressing the economic participation gap that continues to limit women’s full contribution to Egypt’s workforce and economy.
Edulga.ai
Founded: 2024
HQ: Cairo
Edulga.ai leverages artificial intelligence to deliver personalised lifelong learning pathways, helping individuals of all ages and backgrounds access education that adapts to their pace, goals, and needs.
SDS Egypt
Founded: 2020
HQ: New Cairo
SDS Egypt creates education-to-employment pathways for persons with disabilities through accessible digital learning, tackling one of the most persistent inclusion gaps in Egypt’s education and labour market.
GMind
Founded: 2021
HQ: Alexandria
GMind transforms learning through immersive virtual and augmented reality educational experiences, pushing the frontier of how students engage with complex subjects by making them visually and interactively rich.
Qualiphi
Founded: 2025
HQ: Cairo
Qualiphi connects students, universities, and employers through AI-powered employability solutions, acting as a bridge that helps learners translate their qualifications into real opportunities in a competitive job market.
Empower Hub
Founded: 2019
HQ: Alexandria
Empower Hub helps underserved youth access mentorship, scholarships, and global opportunities, expanding the horizon for young Egyptians who would otherwise lack the networks and resources to unlock their potential.
Farid Academy
Founded: 2024
HQ: Alexandria
Farid Academy promotes social-emotional learning, character development, and wellbeing for children and youth, recognising that a whole-child approach to education is just as vital as academic achievement.
Cohort 3 of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship showcases startups that are trying to build a more inclusive and future-ready education ecosystem in Egypt. These 13 startups are collectively targeting some of the most stubborn barriers in learning and employment, such as limited access for women and persons with disabilities, the disconnect between academic training and workplace readiness, and the absence of personalised pathways for learners at every stage of life.
Wariko Waita, Director of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, said, “The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship sits at the intersection of three powerful forces: education system transformation, inclusive technology-enabled solutions, and the sustainability of Africa’s EdTech entrepreneurship ecosystem. Through this Fellowship, we are supporting innovators who are expanding access to learning, creating opportunities for young people, and helping shape the future of education across Egypt and Africa.”
