“EdTech is Not a Luxury”: Ethiopia EdTech Week 2025 Opens with Urgent Call for Scalable Innovation

“EdTech is a necessity, not a luxury,” said Kora Tushune, State Minister for Education, during a policy dialogue on the government’s role in enabling education technology in Ethiopia between government and private stakeholders. His remarks at the inaugural EdTech Week, reflected the urgency and ambition that defined the two-day forum. 

Held on June 11 and 12 at the Sheraton Addis Hotel, Ethiopia, EdTech Week 2025 was organized by Reach for Change in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The event, themed “Innovate, Scale, and Transform: Unlocking the Future of Learning through EdTech,” brought together government officials, EdTech entrepreneurs, investors, development partners, and educators to explore how digital tools can expand access to quality education and accelerate learning outcomes nationwide.

Over two days, participants engaged in policy dialogues, fireside chats, examined EdTech solutions, attended networking sessions, and participated in investor speed dating between inaugural fellows and pre-vetted investors.  

The event kicked off with Mekdim Gullilat, Reach for Change’s Ethiopia Country Manager, spotlighting the purpose of the gathering: to explore how innovation can reshape education for learners of all ages across Ethiopia. 

She posed the most central of questions, “Are we making education more accessible, relevant, and empowering for everyone?” and emphasized the role of EdTech Fellows as bold changemakers reimagining learning through technology. Mekdim reaffirmed Reach for Change’s commitment to walking alongside these innovators, highlighting EdTech Week as a moment to center the learner, support changemakers, and rally the ecosystem toward meaningful transformation.

In his welcoming address, Fekadu Mulugeta (PhD), Head of Workforce Development at the Mastercard Foundation, emphasized that investment in EdTech is critical for long-term development. “We believe education should be accessible and relevant,” he said, outlining the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 10 million young Ethiopians to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.  

Launched in 2009, the foundation's Young Africa Works strategy has helped over 2.3 million young people to date, according to Fekadu. 

From the policy side, Kindeya Gebrehiwot (Prof), advisor to the Minister of Education, described EdTech as a strategic tool for improving access, instructional quality, and education system efficiency. While Belete Molla (PhD), Minister of Innovation and Technology, reinforced this message by stating that EdTech sits at the center of the ministry’s innovation agenda and highlighted ongoing efforts to create a supportive environment for startups. 

During the opening session, keynote speakers from Reach for Change, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Embassy of Sweden reflected on the challenges and opportunities facing the EdTech sector. The remarks were followed by a joint commitment signing ceremony led by Reach for Change and speakers, signaling a shared pledge to scale EdTech solutions and strengthen cross-sector collaboration. 

The two-day session featured a dynamic agenda designed to showcase innovation and spark critical dialogue around the future of education in Ethiopia. Highlights included policy roundtables, fireside chats, guided tours of EdTech hubs, networking sessions, and a public showcase of solutions developed by the inaugural cohort of EdTech Fellows supported through the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship. These Fellows pitched a range of education technology products from learning management systems and virtual tutoring platforms to interactive TV content each designed to close gaps in access, quality, and engagement.

Launched in 2024 by Reach for Change in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the MasterCard Foundation EdTech Fellowship was created in response to longstanding, systemic challenges in Ethiopia’s education sector. 

Designed to identify and support 36 growth-stage enterprises across the country, the program provides up to $60,000 in funding per company, along with tailored technical support and business development tools. 

Now in its second year, the Fellowship has completed its first cohort and launched a second. Participating Enterprises operate across the full education spectrum from early childhood and K-12 to university, TVET, and non-formal education for out-of-school children and unemployed youth. This broad scope reflects the country’s urgent need for inclusive and scalable education solutions: where over 9 million children remained out of school, according to UNICEF Ethiopia latest Humanitarian Situation Report. 

Zecharias Tadesse, Senior Program Manager at Reach for Change, presented an overview of the EdTech Program and its key milestones. The impact of the first cohort is visible. Collectively, their products reached 255,217 new users 91% of them youth, with a gender split of 64% male and 36% female. The cohort also facilitated 42 new partnerships (a 78% increase from pre-intervention levels), which experienced an average of 132% revenue growth, and created 358 new jobs. Two companies have already expanded beyond Ethiopia into regional markets, signaling the potential for continental impact.

Twenty-two new learning solutions were developed, spanning web and app-based LMS platforms, virtual tutoring tools, educational media (TV/radio), and in-person services. Despite these advances, the program identified persistent challenges, chief among them the digital divide in remote areas, where connectivity and access remain limited. This reflects a broader issue across Sub-Saharan Africa. A recent GSMA report highlighted how nearly half of the population in the region remains offline due to affordability and infrastructure constraints

Beyond enterprise-level growth, the Fellowship was structured to influence the education ecosystem at large through policy advocacy, cross-sector collaboration, and ecosystem building. Companies are required to clearly define educational problems and align their products with practical solutions. Strategic partnerships have been forged with institutions like the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Ethio Telecom, and global content providers such as PhET Simulations from the University of Colorado. 

Zecharias emphasized that support doesn’t end at graduation. Fellows continue to receive post-acceleration services including investment-readiness coaching, gender and inclusion training, peer exchange, and ongoing technical guidance. 

Since its inception, Reach for Change Ethiopia has supported over 1,000 social entrepreneurs, reaching 350,000 children and youth. According to the latest data, 76% of these entrepreneurs have hired new staff, 71% have continued to grow, and 91% remain in operation.

The inaugural edtech week also served as a forum for stakeholders to address systemic barriers. During the session “Building a Thriving EdTech Ecosystem: Challenges, Opportunities, and Partnerships,” panelists raised concerns about the affordability of internet access, gaps in infrastructure, limited digital literacy among educators, and the need for alignment with the national curriculum.