Call for Applications: Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Uganda –

Education technology startups operating in Uganda can apply for the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Uganda Cohort 2, a business acceleration programme offering milestone-based, equity-free grants of up to US$70,000, alongside 12 months of mentorship, technical assistance and business development suppor

Implemented by Hive Colab in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the fellowship supports locally founded and locally led EdTech ventures that have moved beyond the idea stage and are ready to expand their reach, strengthen their business models and improve learning outcomes

The programme also provides up to 24 months of post-acceleration support to help participating businesses pursue new markets, raise funding and build sustainable operations

Applications for Cohort 2 are open until November 26, 2026, according to Hive Colab’s published announcement

About the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is a growth programme for education technology ventures developing solutions to improve teaching and learning in Uganda

The second cohort builds on the programme’s first group of 12 ventures, which developed solutions across areas such as digital learning, STEM education, workforce readiness, educational assessments and assistive technology

For Cohort 2, Hive Colab is seeking businesses with working products, existing users or customers, and evidence that their solutions are addressing real educational needs. Priority will be given to ventures serving underserved learners, including young people, girls, learners with disabilities, refugees and students in rural or low-connectivity communities

What Are the Fellowship Benefits?

Selected ventures will receive financial support and business development assistance designed to help them grow responsibly

Equity-free grant funding: Milestone-based financial support of up to US$70,000, approximately UGX 313.6 million. The grant does not require founders to surrender company equity.
12-month fellowship: A structured programme focused on product development, business sustainability, inclusive learning and responsible growth.
One-on-one mentorship: Guidance from experienced professionals who understand education delivery, technology and business development.
Technical assistance: Support to improve products, strengthen implementation and address technical challenges.
Market access and partnerships: Opportunities to build relationships with education institutions and other relevant stakeholders.
Learning impact support: Guidance on measuring educational outcomes and using evidence to improve products.
Investment readiness: Support with business strategy, governance, performance metrics and future fundraising.
Post-acceleration support: Up to 24 additional months of assistance focused on growth, fundraising, market access and long-term sustainability.

The grant is milestone-based, meaning financial support is tied to agreed project or business milestones. Applicants should confirm the specific disbursement arrangements with Hive Colab

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is designed for established education technology businesses operating in Uganda. Applicants must meet the following requirements

1. Locally founded and locally led

The venture must be founded and led locally, with leadership and key business decisions rooted in Uganda

2. An operating business with a working product

The business must be at the early-revenue, growth or scaling stage. Idea-stage and pre-revenue ventures are not eligible

Applicants should demonstrate traction through evidence such as active users, paying customers, institutional partnerships, revenue or sustained deployment of their products

3. A clear education focus

The venture must provide a solution that improves learning outcomes or strengthens teaching and learning in Uganda

4. Inclusive learning design

The product should address the needs of underserved learners. These may include young people from low-income communities, girls, refugees, learners with disabilities and students in rural areas

5. Technology at the core of learning delivery

The venture must operate an active EdTech platform through which learning takes place. Businesses whose primary model relies solely on in-person instruction or classroom-based delivery do not qualify

Important for Nigerian applicants: This is not a general grant for African startups. Nigerian-founded businesses without locally rooted leadership and operations in Uganda should not assume they qualify

What Types of Businesses Are Eligible?

The programme is suitable for EdTech ventures using digital products and platforms to address educational challenges

Examples include:

Digital learning platforms and online education products.
Technology-enabled STEM education solutions.
Educational assessment and learning analytics tools.
Assistive technology for learners with disabilities.
Digital skills and workforce readiness platforms.
Solutions that improve access to education in rural or low-connectivity communities.
Products that help teachers deliver lessons or monitor student progress.
Learning platforms designed for refugees and other underserved populations.

These are illustrative examples. Eligibility depends on the venture’s operations in Uganda, working product, market traction and potential to improve learning outcomes

Required Application Documents

Applicants should prepare the following documents before starting the application:

1. Certificate of incorporation or equivalent registration document

This establishes the venture’s legal registration

2. Pitch deck

The presentation should explain the educational problem being addressed, the solution, target users, business model, market traction and growth plans

3. Product demonstration video

Applicants must provide a short video demonstrating how their product works. The video must be no longer than five minutes and should be shared through YouTube, Vimeo or Google Drive, with viewing access set to anyone with the link

4. Safeguarding, gender or child protection policy

Applicants should provide an existing policy if available. The application also asks ventures to explain their safeguarding procedures and how they protect children, young people and vulnerable users

The form requests additional information about founders, staffing, revenue, users, partnerships, funding history, learning outcomes and data protection practices. Applicants should prepare accurate figures and supporting evidence before submission

How to Apply for the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Uganda Cohort 2

Eligible ventures can apply online through Hive Colab’s application portal

Visit the official application page.
Review the eligibility criteria and required documents.
Complete the venture information section, including registration details, business stage and education focus.
Provide information about the founding team, product, users, revenue and business model.
Explain how the product serves underserved learners and how the venture measures learning outcomes.
Upload the registration document and pitch deck, and provide an accessible link to the product demonstration video.
Complete the safeguarding, monitoring and evaluation, and declaration sections.
Review all entries and submit the application before the deadline.

Incomplete applications or submissions that omit financial information may score lower. If a question does not apply, the form advises applicants to enter “N/A” and briefly explain why

Apply here:https://www.edtech.hivecolab.com/apply

Application Deadline

November 26, 2026

There is a date discrepancy within the online application page, which displays November 22 in one section and November 26 in another. Hive Colab’s published announcement also gives November 26 as the deadline. Applicants should confirm the closing date directly on the portal and submit well before the earlier date to avoid missing the opportunity

Is There an Application Fee?

No. Hive Colab states that applying for the fellowship is free at every stage. Applicants should not pay anyone to access the form, secure selection or obtain grant funding

For questions about eligibility or the application process, contact [email protected] or call +256 392 177 978

Application Link

Education technology ventures that meet the eligibility criteria can review the programme information and complete the application through the official portal

Official application portal:https://www.edtech.hivecolab.com/apply

Programme website:https://www.edtech.hivecolab.com/

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