Eight Rwandan technology companies are developing innovative solutions to improve learning outcomes in the country. The startups, beneficiaries of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, are working on various projects, including identifying learners at risk of dropping out and introducing robotics into classrooms. Their work aligns with Rwanda's education technology ambitions to integrate technology into schools and make a measurable difference in teaching and learning.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an 18-month acceleration program launched in Rwanda in June 2026 and implemented through the Rwanda ICT Chamber. The program aims to support startups in developing solutions that address actual challenges in the education system. Rwanda ICT Chamber CEO Alex Ntale emphasized the need to examine how emerging technologies can strengthen the quality of education and create new possibilities for learners.
The eight companies are approaching challenges from different directions. Berulo Foundation is developing a system to monitor student attendance, while Brain Ink Ltd is applying artificial intelligence to grading and assessment. Competence by Jobra connects learners to work-experience opportunities, and Creativity Lab Limited develops STEM and competency-based curriculum materials. Other startups, such as NyerekaTech and Soma Foundation Rwanda, are promoting STEM and robotics education and delivering offline learning content to communities with limited access to electricity and internet.
The startups face a common test of whether their products can work in environments where learners and teachers need them most. EdTech Solutions Ltd focuses on digital skills for TVET learners. Program Manager at Mastercard Foundation EdTech, Dieudonné Dusabimana, emphasized the importance of working with schools, teachers, and education officials to ensure solutions are relevant to the challenges learners and teachers face.
The Fellowship provides each company with US$50,000 in financial support, alongside assistance in product development, business growth, and regulatory compliance. The startups will also receive mentorship, monitoring and evaluation support, and training in learning sciences from Carnegie Mellon University. Their solutions will be tested in schools, where feedback from teachers and learners will help developers refine their products and assess their effectiveness.
The acceleration phase of the program started in June and runs until November 2026, followed by 12 months focused on expansion, investment facilitation, and impact tracking. The program seeks to extend the benefits of education technology to groups that often face barriers to quality learning, including girls and young women, refugees, persons with disabilities, and learners in rural and underserved communities.
For the startups, developing a product is only the beginning. Ensuring that schools adopt it and that its use can be sustained will require evidence of its value and support from the wider education community. Stakeholders, including parents and education officials, emphasize the need for solutions that demonstrate clear and measurable impact. Diane Sengati, Director of ICT at the Rwanda Education Board, said the institution is ready to support technologies that demonstrate clear solutions and measurable impact.
Key points
- Eight Rwandan startups receive funding to develop education technology solutions.
- The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship provides financial support and assistance in product development and business growth.
- The program aims to extend the benefits of education technology to marginalized groups.
