Mastercard Foundation Call for Proposals for EdTech Solutions 2019

Deadline Date: November 21, 2019

Does your educational technology (EdTech) product have the potential to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Africa and ensure young people have the skills they need to succeed? The Mastercard Foundation Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT (the Centre) is seeking innovative growth-stage businesses to submit their solutions through their Request for Proposals (RFP) for an opportunity to scale their ventures and improve access to quality education.

Specifically, they are looking for solutions that:

• Enhance and increase accessibility and affordability of professional development for in-service school teachers, which also minimize their out-of-classroom time.
• Create and deliver enriched learning content that improves quality, relevance and accessibility to both in-school and out-of-school secondary school learners.

Benefits

The Mastercard Foundation has designed a support package that will enable selected businesses to increase their reach, sustainability and impact. The Centre will partner with selected EdTech companies for a 12-month journey of support.

Selected EdTech companies can expect to receive support in the following areas:

• Building relationships and increasing collaboration with the public sector (e.g. Ministries of Education across Africa) – thereby increasing the likelihood of the solutions’ sustainability and scale in Africa
• Validating your solution with the potential to pilot in school networks throughout our anchor countries – Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana
• Business growth and development support through coaching, access to workshops and seminars, and collaboration on business plans
• Customized mentorship by experts in the areas identified as most pressing within the selected companies (e.g. technology, strategy, professional and personal development, and more)
• Financial support to assist with the operational costs associated with each solution’s scaling and expansion – the main objectives of the Centre

Eligibility

• You lead a registered company that is now post-product with the potential to scale (typically in operations for two years or longer);
• Your company is majority African-led and/or owned;
• A for-profit or non-for-profit operating model is in place;
• The company is already operating in, or interested in moving into, the education market in Africa;
• The company’s product specifically addresses (A) the professional development of teachers and/or (B) the need for enriched and accessible learning content for learners

Evaluation Considerations

To be considered seriously, submissions in response to this RFP must:

• Demonstrate alignment to the Centre’s mission. Specifically, innovations should target the most disadvantaged populations, and be designed to address the realities on the ground, in terms of infrastructure, limited financial resources and capacity of teachers and learners.
• Provide evidence of a product in market. Entrepreneurs must demonstrate their innovation has reached the necessary level of product development, including market research, customer testing, and early adoption.
• Highlight the strengths, expertise, and assets of the company. In their application, entrepreneurs should highlight specific areas of expertise, strengths, and assets of the company, its team composition, existing customers and partnerships.
• Demonstrate your ability to validate and potentially scale the product. Entrepreneurs have a plan to validate their product, with a roadmap outlining key milestones as well as clearly defined barriers to implementation.

Application

Complete the application form

For more information, see FAQ or visit Mastercard Foundation.