Meet the Fellows of Injini’s inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program

Injini and the Mastercard Foundation recently joined forces to launch the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program. This specialised venture support program is uniquely designed for high-growth and high-impact companies addressing pressing challenges in education in South Africa through technology and innovation.

This initiative provides selected startups with direct, product quality evaluation and certification, coaching and mentorship, bespoke market research and market access through Injini’s network of stakeholders across the education innovation landscape.

After a rigorous selection process, the 12 most promising growth-stage, impact-driven EdTech companies have been selected. Here are the 12 Fellows that will be participating in the program.

Afrika Tikkun Bambanani

Afrika Tikkun Bambanani provides early childhood development resources to underprivileged and rural communities. The company empowers educators with the skills and knowledge to deliver effective education. Assessments ensure children receive the best education, and programs have led to a 50% increase in school readiness among 5-year-olds. Afrika Tikkun Bambanani's motto, "No child should be left behind", reflects its commitment to uplifting children in need and building a brighter future for all.

Theresa Michael, CEO: “I'm thrilled to be part of the Injini program, which aims to bring the Bamba Learn App to remote and rural areas of South Africa. In these areas, many children lack access to quality education, and our goal is to change that. By providing high-quality education through our app, we hope to empower underprivileged children and give them the tools they need to succeed. We believe that every child has the right to education, and we are both honoured and excited to be able to make a difference in their lives."

Ambani Africa

Ambani Africa has, through the use of augmented reality, animation and gamification, successfully developed learner-focused products for language learning. They offer a free language app that currently offers six African language options.

Mukundi Lambani, Founder and Chief Officer: “We are honoured to be a part of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Program. As Ambani, we are committed to promoting learning and literacy in African languages and the program's focus on impact measurement aligns perfectly with our mission, and we look forward to leveraging this opportunity to expand our reach and impact."

Buzz Kidz

Buzz Kidz provides integrated drama, dance and singing workshops that promote social skills and confidence development for children through play. The company recognizes the importance of creative arts in children's psycho-social and emotional growth. Buzz Kidz is known for creating original children's content, including music, podcasts, and a television program. Additionally, the company offers teacher training to assist educators in achieving CAPS compliance and increasing creativity in their classrooms.

Hanneke Mackie, Founder and Managing Director: “As a serial entrepreneur with a real heart for child development, being afforded this opportunity truly validates the incredibly hard work that has gone into this beautiful organisation over the last decade. As Buzz Kidz - a company utilising creative arts for children to learn and grow - recently took our first steps, marrying our "Ed" with "Tech" this is the exact right time to plug into the wealth of support, learning and fast-tracking we know Injini and Mastercard Foundation are known for. We are grateful and oh so excited! Thank you for this opportunity.”

Click Learning

Click Learning is a not-for-profit organisation that provides technology-enabled numeracy and literacy programs in under-served schools in South Africa in order to improve learning outcomes.

Nicola Harris, CEO: “The opportunity to be part of an initiative that seeks to rapidly scale high potential EdTech solutions in South Africa to address learning deficits is enormously exciting. We're looking forward to learning more from others locally and internationally about developing enduring and impactful solutions.”

Code4Kids

Code4Kids is a program that enables teachers to teach coding, robotics, and other ICT skills to students from Grades 4 - 9 through pre-made, curriculum-aligned lessons. Code4Kids offers multiple coding languages such as HTML, CSS and Javascript in a fun and easy-to-learn environment.

Brian Mushongera, Business Development Manager: “We are excited to be a part of the Edtech Fellowship Program, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, to further our mission of bringing coding, robotics and ICT to schools nationwide and around the globe. The opportunity to meet and learn from some of the best minds in education will go a long way in strengthening and improving our position in the EdTech space."

Digify Africa

Digify Africa is a dynamic youth-led organisation invested in creating accessible digital skills and literacy for young people since 2011. The organisation believes in the power of technology to eradicate social inequalities and create economic opportunities across the continent. Digify Africa’s mission is to ensure that all young people can access quality digital education they can leverage for sustainable livelihoods in the digital economy.

Gavin Weale, CEO: “Digify Africa is excited to be a part of the Injini EdTech Fellowship Program, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, a specialised venture support program designed for high-growth and high-impact companies addressing pressing challenges in education in South Africa through technology and innovation".

Fundza Literacy Trust

The Fundza Literacy Trust is a beacon of hope for millions of young South Africans struggling with literacy. This is achieved through innovative programs that inspire a love of reading and develop the next generation of leaders. Fundza's approach centers around locally written, engaging reading materials that reflect the unique experiences and perspectives of South African youth. By connecting with their interests and aspirations, Fundza has been able to ignite a passion for learning that will stay with them for life. Additionally, Fundza's promotion of literacy and education is creating a ripple effect that will empower future generations of South Africans to take an active role in shaping their communities and building a brighter future for all.

Lea-Anne Moses, Executive Director: “We are thrilled to be selected as one of the fellows for the Injini EdTech Fellowship Program, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation. At Fundza, we have seen firsthand the transformative power of mobile technology in promoting literacy. By making reading and learning material accessible through a digital platform, we have reached millions of South Africans who would otherwise be unable to access books. Now we have the opportunity via this fellowship to significantly scale our work with expert guidance and support from all the partners within the fellowship."

Matric Live

Matric Live is a software development firm that specialises in crafting educational technology solutions. This multifaceted native education application is designed to deliver a comprehensive learning experience that is not confined to theory but rather encompasses contextual, visual, social, and gamified elements.

Matric Live cofounders: “We consider it a responsibility to use our talent to improve the lives of those who are like us. This however cannot be done alone, by being part of the Injini Mastercard EdTech Fellowship Program, we see ourselves as a piece of the bigger puzzle, part of an ecosystem that is collectively trying to make a significant change and shift the dial. We are honoured, humbled, excited, and truly looking forward to it".

Reflective Learning

Reflective Learning is an online learning support tool specifically designed to assist teachers and learners in closing learning gaps. Learning gaps are the primary reason learners struggle in subjects like Maths and English, as there are often challenges when it comes to learning new concepts and applying their knowledge. Reflective Learning’s goal is to provide learners and teachers with the tools and insights they need to bridge gaps, unlock learning potential, and open doors to future education.

Keelan Whiting, CEO and Co-Founder: "We are thrilled to be selected for the Injini EdTech Fellowship Program in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The experience of working closely with Injini and their network of subject matter experts is going to be a game-changer to accelerate our growth and expand our impact. We are grateful for this opportunity and look forward to learning and growing as part of this incredible program."

Resolute Education

Resolute Education is a trail-blazing EdTechcompany that aims to shape today's youth for the future. The organisation aims to make learning fun, exciting and interactive through intuitive concepts in coding, engineering and data sciences provided in a wide variety of courses that cater to a large range of ages and school grades. Students in schools (K-12) and tertiary institutions can enjoy the courses as part of their school curriculum, as an extramural, or as part of the online academy. The courses are a combination of hardware and software courses that challenge learners to use their creative and practical skills.

Rajesh Ramakrishnan, Founder & CEO: “I am extremely excited to join the Injini EdTech Fellowship Program, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. Resolute Education has been on a journey over the past three years, exploring ways to equip schools with the best robotics and coding programs in order to turn them into innovation hubs that shape the digital future. This program will help us build on that dream by providing us with invaluable support and resources to ensure that schools from all backgrounds can benefit from our offering."  

Yenza

Yenza offers smart career technology that combines the latest in psychometrics, data science and intelligent design to intuitively guide and recommend successful career pathway journeys for individuals. It is an end-to-end careers platform designed to democratise high-quality career guidance and support as well as to develop learners/graduates' skills to become highly employable for the modern economy.

Jared Molko, Co-Founder and CEO: “We believe this program will accelerate and mature our business with the exposure to experts and the connections we will make across the education ecosystem. We are grateful to be here!”

Zaio

Zaio is an AI-Powered online coding school for Africa. The platform offers interactive courses, coding challenges and assignments with an AI assistant that helps students learn more efficiently. After going through the courses, Zaio helps learners land their first job in the IT Industry. The company’s goal is to empower African youth with IT skills and career opportunities in the rapidly growing technology sector.

Mvelo Hlope, CEO: “We are excited to work with Injini and Mastercard Foundation to ready our solution to scale across the continent and to collaborate with like-minded founders, that are on the same mission as us -making high-quality education in Africa accessible to all.”

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