A Year of Growth: GlobeDock Academy’s Edtech Impact Accelerates

GlobeDock Academy, a digital educational platform that provides high-quality education to Ethiopian students, has seen significant growth, expanding its user base by over 85% in less than a year. 

The edtech platform, which provides courses for students from grades 4 to 12, has increased its YouTube subscriber base from 100,000 to over 180,000. The app's user base now boasts 42,000 users and 3,500 active monthly paying subscribers.   

Beyond individual learners, the platform also broadened its impact by diversifying its tutorial products and introducing B2B services, alongside forging strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Innovation and Technology for its Youtube-based learning platform, Learning Loop.  

It has also won 2nd place in the Great Valley Innovation Summit, securing a $110,000 grant from EDTF (Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund). Barkot Eshetu, Deputy CEO of GlobeDock says these achievements were significantly facilitated by the Academy's participation in the Mastercard Foundation’s inaugural EdTech Fellowship in partnership with Reach for Change, a three-year initiative designed to scale innovative education solutions across Ethiopia.

In a country where over 50% of the population is under the age of 20, Ethiopia’s education system faces a dual challenge equipping youth with foundational skills while preparing a rapidly growing workforce for a digital economy. 

The Fellowship has accelerated growth that might otherwise have taken years. Mentorship helped refine the startup’s strategy, while equity-free funding enabled operational expansion. 

The MasterCard Foundation EdTech Fellowship program was unveiled last year in partnership with Reach for Change, a social enterprise incubator. Running from February 2024 to January 2027, it targets impact enterprises and prioritizes gender-balanced leadership.

The program will incubate a total of 36 EdTech enterprises, contributing to improved access to inclusive education and learning outcomes for children and youth in Ethiopia (serving 576,000+ learners, educators, and caregivers, especially in underserved communities).

Founded in 2022, GlobeDock Academy provides AI-powered learning and workforce upskilling through innovation, scalability, and collaboration. 

“Alongside 185K YouTube subscribers, we now have 42,000+ registered users engaging with our digital learning solutions.” Says Barkot. 

When GlobeDock was selected as one of the first 12 edtech startups for Mastercard Foundation’s inaugural EdTech Fellowship in partnership with Reach for Change in 2024 it marked a turning point. The fellowship provided mentorship, equity-free funding of $60,000, and most critically a network of partners.

“Being among the first 12 startups was a huge milestone for us. It validated our mission, gave us the support to scale, and connected us with a network of like-minded innovators and Various Ecosystem players.” Barkot told Shega.  “Networking opened doors we couldn’t have knocked on alone,” she explains. “Suddenly, we were collaborating with government bodies, investors, and innovators who shared our vision.”  

GlobeDock's Learning Loop YouTube channel is one of the prominent players in Ethiopia's edtech space, gaining traction with over 450 educational videos tailored for elementary and secondary students. After over a year of creating educational content on YouTube and gaining over 160K subscribers, in November 2024 Learning Loop has expanded with a new, adaptable platform and has now  185k subscribers. 

Their app, GlobeDock Academy, offers an interactive space where teachers, parents, and students collaborate, attracting over 50,000 users since August. The platform supports students with lecture videos, notes, ongoing quizzes, and a performance-tracking dashboard. 

Ethiopia’s education sector has been the subject of significant attention over the past few years, with university entrance pass rates averaging less than 5%. The Education Ministry has been dipping its toes into tech-based tools to address some of the identified gaps.

Their agreement with the Ministry of Innovation and Technology focused on delivering education through digital platforms and looks to leverage AI to create personalized learning experiences. It also seeks to align with the current curriculum in the country as part of fostering a sustainable digital education infrastructure.  

Designed to make learning engaging and accessible for all students, GlobeDock Academy aims to enhance academic achievement and bridge educational gaps through digital technology.  

Despite deep-rooted educational gaps in Ethiopia, the rise of EdTech ventures like GlobeDock highlights a potential shift towards solutions that integrate local contexts with innovation. Whether these efforts can lead to lasting change will depend on sustained investment, adaptability to economic realities, and collaboration among startups, policymakers, and communities.

Early results from the fellowship highlight its potential impact: In 2024 alone, startups in the program reached 94,000 users—38,000 women and 56,000 men—including 85,000 youth, 248 individuals with disabilities, and 3,000 displaced persons.

“To expand our reach,” Barkot states, “we are focused on strengthening our operations, further developing our technology, and building more strategic partnerships. The grant has been instrumental in supporting these areas.” She acknowledges the challenges faced in balancing growing demands with product diversification and advancing the platform’s technology but emphasizes that strong team involvement and strategic thinking have helped navigate these hurdles effectively.

At GlobeDock Academy, the mission is clear: redefine education and reach every learner. "Stay connected as we continue to grow and inspire change," Barkot concludes. 

According to Barkot, the most impactful aspect of the fellowship for GlobeDock was networking and partnerships that opened doors to key stakeholders and industry leaders strengthening their role in the digital learning ecosystem.