HiPrep Online, a Nigerian edtech startup, has been named one of the 12 select startups for the third cohort of the MasterCard Foundation Edtech Fellowship A programme, hosted in partnership with Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB). The opportunity marks a significant milestone for HiPrep, a virtual after-school platform dedicated to providing personalised, bite-sized learning sessions for K-12 students.
The fellowship, designed to empower innovative African edtech startups, will provide HiPrep with up to $100,000 in non-equity grants, mentorship, and advisory support over the next six months, with continued guidance for an additional 12 months.
Reacting to the startup’s selection for this programme, Adanmu Ugwu founder and CEO of HiPrep, in an exclusive interview with Technext, expressed her excitement and slight overwhelm at the recognition.
Everything about this experience is both new and exciting for my team and me, and to be honest, a little overwhelming too,” she shared.
Adanma emphasised that HiPrep’s mission has always been centred on impact, helping students study more effectively, maintain consistency, and find joy in learning.
“We have never really chased recognition, so when this fellowship came, it completely blew our minds,” she added.
HiPrep’s selection comes at a pivotal moment as the startup works to scale its innovative AI-powered personal tutor, Lumi. Designed to act as a “smart study buddy”, Lumi supports students across various subjects by meeting them at their current knowledge level and using questions and prompts to foster deep understanding before progressing to new concepts.
Currently in the testing phase with HiPrep’s in-house students, Lumi has received overwhelmingly positive feedback. “The feedback so far has been incredible,” Adanma noted, highlighting the tool’s potential to transform how students engage with education.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, now in its third year, is a cornerstone of CcHUB’s efforts to address critical education gaps across Africa. Nissi Madu, Managing Partner at CcHUB, praised the 2025 cohort for their “innovative, high-impact solutions”.
Alongside HiPrep, the cohort includes other promising startups such as Cloudnotte, an all-in-one educational platform for flexible learning; Flexisaf (Distinction), an AI-powered platform for tracking student performance; and I-Train Africa, which focuses on digital and workplace skills for African youth and women. The fellowship has already made significant strides, with previous cohorts reaching over 470,341 learners across Africa.
HiPrep plans to refine and scale Lumi, its AI learning platform
For HiPrep, the fellowship offers a unique opportunity to refine and scale Lumi. Over the next six months, Adanma and her team plan to focus on enhancing the technology, developing robust content across subjects, and ensuring Lumi delivers a truly supportive experience for every learner.
“We came into this year hungry to do more, to reach more students, scale what we have built, and take things to the next level,” Adanma said.
The fellowship’s resources, including tailored training and access to a network of experienced professionals, will be instrumental in achieving these goals.
Looking ahead, HiPrep aims to roll out Lumi more widely within the next year, with plans to partner with schools to broaden access to quality education.
“We are building the kind of learning experience we wish every child had access to,” Adanma emphasised.
The support from CcHUB and the Mastercard Foundation will enable HiPrep to accelerate its mission of creating inclusive, equitable, and impactful learning environments across Nigeria and beyond.
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is part of a broader $15 million initiative launched in 2023 to support EdTech innovation in Kenya and Nigeria. The programme has gained attention for its focus on empowering startups with equity-free funding and strategic support, with this year’s cohort notable for including a majority of female-led startups, a milestone for gender inclusion in the male-dominated African tech ecosystem.
Adanma’s vision for HiPrep aligns closely with the fellowship’s goals. By leveraging technology to bridge educational gaps, HiPrep is poised to contribute to the transformation of Africa’s education landscape. As she reflected, “With the backing from the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship and CcHUB, we are more than determined to do more.”
The coming months will be critical as HiPrep works to refine Lumi and expand its reach, bringing its innovative approach to learning to more students across the continent.
This recognition underscores the growing importance of edtech in addressing systemic educational challenges in Africa. With initiatives like the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, startups like HiPrep are well-positioned to drive meaningful change, ensuring that more students, regardless of their circumstances, have access to quality education.
