For the 2026 Cohort 4, we are specifically looking for EdTech companies that are deliberately addressing the barriers faced by South Africa's most marginalised learners. We are actively seeking ventures with solutions intentionally built to support and improve outcomes for: Learners with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including cognitive, physical, and neurodiverse learners; Girls and young women; and/or Refugees and displaced persons, Learners in low-resourced, rural or non-metropolitan communities.

Do we have to be based in Cape Town to participate?

Program Onboarding Day (Cape Town), Program Kick-off Event (Cape Town), 2x Program workshops (Cape Town & JHB), South African EdTech Week & Demo Day.

What does the reporting process entail?

None of your data will be shared with anybody outside of Injini's organisation unless otherwise agreed upon with you.

Yes, NPOs/NGOs can apply. If you are a non-profit entity, grant funding constitutes annual turnover. The application form will guide you on how to show your funding and business model.

What do you mean by growth-stage?

We are looking to specifically support growth-stage companies, which means that they can demonstrate traction (revenue or users) and show potential to be a sustainable solution. They are not in the pilot or idea stage of their solution.

AI for Education Venture Builder & Incubation Program

Q: Does the technology element need to be South African?

No, it doesn't have to be. The EdTech solution, regardless of the technology used, should focus on the South African market to improve educational outcomes in the country.

Q: Does the entire team have to participate in the program?

At least one to two team members should participate in the program.

Q: What is the structure of the program?

The program follows a hybrid format.

Q: What benefits do we stand to gain from participating in the program?

Program benefits include: Hands-on support from specialists in education innovation, fundraising, impact M&E, commerce and more; Pedagogical evaluation and certification by EdTech Impact and Education Alliance Finland; Sponsored Skills to swiftly address team needs, produce targeted outputs, and strengthen your overall capacity for long-term business success with the help of external consultants; Networking, knowledge-sharing and learning opportunities with key ecosystem players and industry experts; Access to a selection of courses, in addition to office hours from the Human-Computer Interaction Institute faculty members at Carnegie Mellon University; Contributing to a growing body of evidence documenting what works in African EdTech.

Q: What does the onboarding process entail?

The onboarding process, which will take place in Cape Town in April 2026, includes introductions to key partners (Carnegie Mellon University and Education Alliance Finland), official introductions to other program fellows and Injini team members, and further program information.

A program supported by Coefficient Giving

About the Program

The AI Venture Builder and Incubation Program is an eight-month initiative that takes pre-formed teams from the ideation stage to launching market-ready, impactful EdTech startups.

The program's goal is simple: test AI tools that work in African classrooms, then back the most promising with funding and support to grow. The result will be a set of practical, affordable ventures built for the people who'll actually use them: learners, teachers, and the founders behind them. Those interested in applying can read the full program brief here.
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Applications for this program are now open.

Apply Here

Program Focus Areas

Product development and early product validation through user-testing.

Establish data-driven education innovation by leveraging MEL systems and specialists.

Improve financial viability through our team of specialists.

Program Benefits

Top five teams will receive seed capital to continue building beyond the program.

Benefits of the program include expert support for product development — taking your solution from ideation to market-ready — user testing with real learners and educators, brand support, MEL guidance and more. For those who make it to phase two, other benefits include support with defining go-to-market, strengthening financial viability, and seed capital.

Read the full program brief here.

Specialised Support

Hands-on guidance from technical AI engineers, learning scientists, business strategists, and education sector specialists to build and refine your product.

Testing Access

Dedicated user testing to assess the product, how it works and what needs to be improved.

MEL & Brand Support

Customised Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) support to track educational efficacy, alongside branding, messaging, and go-to-market guidance.

Equity-Free Seed Funding

The top five ventures progressing into incubation receive a direct, equity-free seed grant to accelerate post-program growth.

Program Process

SELECTION & ONBOARDING

We select 12 pre-formed teams across nine eligible Southern African countries and kick off with an in-person orientation bootcamp in Johannesburg.

Sep – Oct 2026

VENTURE BUILD

All 12 teams move month by month from problem validation and technical design to building a functional AI-powered MVP and executing user testing.

Nov 2026 – Mar 2027

Incubation

The top 5 selected ventures will exit with early evidence of solution effectiveness by leveraging further user testing, product refinement, impact measurement, monitoring, and evaluation systems.

Apr – Jun 2027

FAQs

Application Eligibility

Who should Apply?

Teams must apply as a complete team of at least two (2) people (comprising a mix of builder, a domain expert, or a commercial/operations lead) based in eligible Southern African countries. Team members must each have 2–3 years of relevant work or lived experience and be at the ideation stage with a concept targeting one of the five program themes.

When is the deadline to apply?

Applications close at midnight on 27 September 2026, though candidates are encouraged to apply early as submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis. Successful applicants will be announced on 21 October.

Is there a geographical focus of this program?

Yes, it focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically targeting applicants based in South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.

Does the technology element need to be South African?

No, but the solution must be built by African founders specifically for African classroom and educational realities, with a meaningful role for AI in either the backend or user-facing experience.

Where do teams have to be based in order to participate?

The program is delivered mostly virtually. However, teams must be based in eligible Southern African countries and able to attend a few mandatory in-person engagements in Johannesburg, South Africa (with travel and accommodation covered for up to three members per team).

Program Details

Does the entire team have to participate in the program?

While the application requires at least two people on a team, at least one person per venture is required to commit to and attend the mandatory in-person engagements in Johannesburg.

What is the structure of the program?

It is an eight-month initiative split into two phases: Phase One is a five-month Venture Build phase for all 12 selected teams to validate problems, design solutions, and run some user testing. Phase Two is a three-month incubation phase for the top five performing teams to define go-to-market strategies, build financial models, and achieve investment readiness.

What benefits do we stand to gain from participating in the program?

Benefits include hands-on coaching from AI and EdTech experts, dedicated user testing, financial sustainability advice, brand and MEL support, and equity-free seed capital ($25,000) for the top 5 incubation ventures.

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What does the onboarding process entail?

Successful applicants are announced on 20 October 2026, followed by official onboarding and a mandatory one-week in-person kick-off bootcamp in Johannesburg in early November 2026 to focus on orientation, team bonding, and AI fundamentals.

What do you mean by the ideation phase?

The ideation stage means your team has a clear, well-evidenced concept or problem insight ready to be developed, but you have not yet built or launched a commercial product.

Still have questions?

Please email info@injini.africa if you have more questions or need clarification.

Apply to the Program

Gain access to coaches, technical mentorship, hands-on user testing, and financial backing for the top five companies.

Application for Injini's AI Venture Builder and Incubation Program are now open.