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Applications for the 2025–26 cycle are now closed. Stay tuned for updates on the selected ventures. |
Interested in taking part
Be the first to know about new opportunities to participate in the WISE Edtech Accelerator program.
Important Dates
- February 16, 2023: Applications open
- April 13, 2023 (4 PM GMT): Final deadline
- Beginning of September 2023: 2023 Cohort announced
About the WISE Edtech Accelerator
For over six years, we have supported edtech founders from around the world scale innovative solutions to key challenges within the world of education. Each year, we deliver a bespoke program aimed at supporting startup growth through one-to-one coaching, masterclasses with industry experts, as well as access to a global network of investors and education specialists.
The WISE Edtech Accelerator is a key part of our edtech program that aims to support innovation and build an edtech community focused on revolutionizing the way we teach and learn.
What do we offer?
Local Track (Qatar-Focused)
in collaboration with local partners, including Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Qatar Development Research Institute (QRDI), and others.
Unlock Your EdTech Startup’s Potential in Qatar’s Thriving Education Ecosystem
The Local Track of the WISE Edtech Accelerator is designed for early-stage, pre-Series A startups ready to scale and enter the Qatari market. This track provides unparalleled access to Qatar’s rapidly growing education sector, offering you the opportunity to:
Receive mentorship
from top industry experts and local innovators to tailor your product for the Qatari market.
Connect with key stakeholders
from top industry experts and local innovators to tailor your product for the Qatari market.
Participate in high-level networking events
and showcase your solution to a global audience of decision-makers and influencers.
Gain fast-tracked access to local funding and grant opportunities through our partners
offering world-class innovation hubs, and opportunities to accelerate your growth.
If you’re ready to transform education and establish a foothold in the Middle East, apply to the Local Track and become a part of Qatar’s visionary future in education.
International Track
Scale Your EdTech Solution Globally with the Support of a World-Class Accelerator
The International Track of the WISE Edtech Accelerator welcomes innovative, early-stage EdTech startups from across the globe, offering an exciting opportunity to scale without the need to focus on any specific market. Each startup will receive $50,000-worth of support, including:
Leverage our global network
of mentors, investors, and educational leaders to drive your product’s international growth.
Gain expert mentorship
in product development, business strategy, and market expansion tailored to your unique needs.
Participate in high-level networking events
and showcase your solution to a global audience of decision-makers and influencers.
Whether you’re aiming to disrupt the global EdTech landscape or expand into new markets, the International Track will provide you with the tools and connections to scale faster and smarter.
What can you expect from our program?
What is the selection process?
Requirements
Add Your Heading Text Here
- Established for at least one year
- Evidence of existing beneficiaries or users
- Product beyond Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage
- Evidence of existing revenue
- A dedicated team
Requirements
Applications
All applicants must provide the following:
Submission of the official online application form, in English
A complete pitch deck, which must explain:
- what the edtech solution is;
- problem being tackled;
- who their beneficiaries are;
- why they are applying for the WISE Edtech Accelerator.
A product demo log-in for the WISE team
Selection Process
Each year, a committee composed of leading experts in education and entrepreneurship will support the WISE Edtech Accelerator team in the selection process. Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- How well the venture addresses the problem that it aims to solve
- How innovative is the solution is in light of existing ventures worldwide
- The potential educational impact
- The potential for growth and scalability
Selection Process
Selection Criteria
The Accelerator prioritizes ventures with co-founders rather than single founders. Co-founders bring diverse expertise across different areas such as product development, marketing, and sales.
The team must demonstrate strong leadership and an ability to execute their vision, with relevant backgrounds in education, technology, or entrepreneurship
The startup should demonstrate an innovative approach to addressing educational challenges. Solutions should be disruptive, leveraging technology to transform teaching and learning in meaningful ways.
Unique product offerings, groundbreaking technology, or novel pedagogical approaches will be considered in this category
The venture must show potential for scaling regionally or globally. The solution should have the capacity to expand beyond initial markets and have a broader impact in different geographic contexts
Evidence of a growth strategy, market demand, and adaptability to different education systems is crucial.
The Accelerator seeks ventures with clear plans for long-term financial sustainability. This includes a viable business model, potential for revenue generation, and evidence of market traction (e.g., sales, fundraising).
Startups must demonstrate financial planning, projections, and a path towards profitability
Education impact is a core focus. The venture should have demonstrated measurable impact in its target markets, with clear outcomes related to learning outcomes, educational access, or empowerment.
Impact should align with the Accelerator’s mission of improving educational outcomes, particularly for underserved communities.
Who can apply for the WISE Accelerator?
Initiatives addressing education challenges through the use and/or design of technology in all sectors and regions are welcome to apply. Initiatives in this particular field may tackle education challenges in early childhood education, K-12, higher education or the future of work.
Applicants must meet the below requirements:
- An education technology venture established for at least one year;
- Existing beneficiaries or customers;
- A product beyond Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage
- Existing revenues;
- A dedicated team
How does the selection process work?
A Committee composed of leading experts in education and entrepreneurship will support the WISE Accelerator team in the selection process. The selected initiatives will be announced and join the WISE Accelerator in September 2020.
Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
The Team
The WISE team will assess the team’s ability to execute and deliver on its vision.
The Solution
The WISE team will assess how well the solution developed by the initiative addresses the problem that the initiative aims to solve.
The Innovation
The WISE team will assess how innovative is the solution developed by the initiative in light of solutions developed worldwide in the edtech sector.
The educational impact
The WISE team will assess the potential of the educational impact that the initiative may have as it scales up
The Market
The WISE team will take into consideration the growth potential of the edtech market where the initiative operates
What are the application requirements?
Applications must satisfy the following requirements:
- All applicants must complete, in English, the official online application form fully.
- All applicants must submit a short 3 minutes video pitch by submitting a YouTube link. During the pitch, they must explain their edtech solution, the problem they are tackling, who their beneficiaries are, their traction so far and why they are applying for the WISE Accelerator.
- All applicants must provide a link to a product demo via a YouTube link or log-in information for the WISE team to assess the product developed by the applicant.
- The WISE team will invite shortlisted applicants to take part in an interview.
Who can apply for the WISE Accelerator?
Initiatives addressing education challenges through the use and/or design of technology in all sectors and regions are welcome to apply. Initiatives in this particular field may tackle education challenges in early childhood education, K-12, higher education or the future of work.
Applicants must meet the below requirements:
- An education technology venture established for at least one year;
- Existing beneficiaries or customers;
- A product beyond Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage
- Existing revenues;
- A dedicated team
How does the selection process work?
A Committee composed of leading experts in education and entrepreneurship will support the WISE Accelerator team in the selection process. The selected initiatives will be announced and join the WISE Accelerator in September 2020.
Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
The Team
The WISE team will assess the team’s ability to execute and deliver on its vision.
The Solution
The WISE team will assess how well the solution developed by the initiative addresses the problem that the initiative aims to solve.
The Innovation
The WISE team will assess how innovative is the solution developed by the initiative in light of solutions developed worldwide in the edtech sector.
The educational impact
The WISE team will assess the potential of the educational impact that the initiative may have as it scales up
The Market
The WISE team will take into consideration the growth potential of the edtech market where the initiative operates
What are the application requirements?
Applications must satisfy the following requirements:
- All applicants must complete, in English, the official online application form fully.
- All applicants must submit a short 3 minutes video pitch by submitting a YouTube link. During the pitch, they must explain their edtech solution, the problem they are tackling, who their beneficiaries are, their traction so far and why they are applying for the WISE Accelerator.
- All applicants must provide a link to a product demo via a YouTube link or log-in information for the WISE team to assess the product developed by the applicant.
- The WISE team will invite shortlisted applicants to take part in an interview.
Meet our Founders
CEO & Co-founder,
Akhdar
CCO & Co-founder,
Akhdar
COO & Co-founder,
Akhdar
Co-Founder and CEO,
M-Shule
Co-Founder and CTO,
M-Shule
Founder and CEO,
PLAYBOOK
Co-Founder and CMO,
PLAYBOOK
Co-Founder and COO,
PLAYBOOK
Founder and CEO,
StanLab
CEO and co-founder,
Lynx Educate
Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer,
Lynx Educate
Founder and CEO,
Ynmo
Founder,
Ynmo
Founder,
PraxiLabs
Chief Development Officer,
Instill Education
Chief Programmes Officer,
Instill Education
CEO,
Instill Education
Founder and CEO,
TinyIvy
Co-Founder and CEO,
Baobabooks
Co-Founder, Business Development Coordinator, and Customer Success Specialist,
Baobabooks
Co-Founder and CPO,
Baobabooks
Co-Founder & CEO,
Schoters
Co-Founder & COO,
Schoters
Co-Founder and CEO
Silabuz
Co-Founder and CMO
Silabuz
Founder and CEO,
Fire Tech
Co-founder and CEO
Guider
CEO and Co-Founder
TOMi
CTO and Co-Founder
TOMi
Co-Founder and CEO
Unrulr
Co-Founder and COO
Unrulr
CEO and co-founder
AskMyClass
Co-founder
AskMyClass
CEO
Botter
Co-founder and CEO
Kamkalima
Co-founder
Kamkalima
CEO and Founder
Livox
COO
Livox
Founder and CEO
Medics.Academy
CTO
Wumbox
CEO
Wumbox
Head of Curricullum & Content
Wumbox
2023–2024 Cohort
Meet the four selected edtech ventures who have recently joined the WISE Edtech Accelerator program:
Reach: MENA region
Headquarters: Egypt
Founded in 2017 by Mohamed Osama, Akhdar is a platform that takes content from various books and presents them through simplified, engaging 15-minutes videos. Since launching, the platform has gained a steady popularity, particularly in the case of its app, which features hundreds of videos covering 16 genres of books.
Reach: Sub-Saharan Africa
Headquarters: Kenya
M-Shule is the first personalized knowledge-building platform in Africa to connect learners to tailored learning, evaluation, activation, and data tools over SMS and messaging. Meaning “mobile school” in Swahili, M-Shule combines SMS with artificial intelligence to reach offline or marginalised communities with self-paced, interactive, and personalised resources to power their success.
Reach: Global
Headquarters: Bahrain
Playbook is a global career network for women executives to amplify their influence, learn through peer-to-peer experiences (online & offline) and elevate them into leadership roles.
Reach: Africa and South Asia
Headquarters: Nigeria
StanLab Ltd is an education technology company with a mission to democratize access to quality, world-class STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education for all students, regardless of their background. Our goal is to empower students, especially those in resource-constrained settings, with hands-on learning experiences that ignite curiosity, inspire creativity, and foster a lifelong passion for STEM subjects.
Our Committee Members
All Ventures
The WISE Edtech Accelerator has supported 46 ventures from 20+ countries, collectively
serving over 15 million beneficiaries in 130 countries.
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Knowledge Partners
