• Buddy Learning connects students with personalized tutors and educational resources through a digital learning platform.
• The startup integrates an AI-powered educational assistant, BuddyAI, directly into WhatsApp to improve accessibility.
• Founder Tshaamano Mabuba aims to reduce financial, linguistic and technological barriers to education.

South African entrepreneur Tshaamano Mabuba founded and currently leads Buddy Learning, an edtech startup focused on academic support services and access to education.

Founded in 2022, the company develops learning solutions for students, parents, schools and businesses. The startup aims to simplify education and expand skills-development opportunities for a broad range of users.

Buddy Learning designed its platform as a comprehensive educational ecosystem. The platform offers educational resources adapted to all academic levels, from kindergarten to university.

The company structures content through an intuitive interface that allows families to identify tools matching each stage of the educational journey quickly.

One of the platform’s core features connects families with qualified tutors known as “Buddies.” The mentoring service targets students who struggle academically as well as those seeking to improve performance. In addition, the platform allows parents to select tutors that best match their children’s academic needs.

To address financial, linguistic and technological barriers, Buddy Learning also developed BuddyAI, an educational assistant integrated directly into WhatsApp.

The tool allows students to ask questions, receive explanations and complete interactive exercises directly from mobile phones. Consequently, the company seeks to expand educational access among users with limited digital resources.

Alongside her entrepreneurial activities, Tshaamano Mabuba also works as a television presenter for SuperSport Schools, a media company focused on producing and broadcasting school sports content.

Tshaamano Mabuba graduated from the University of Cape Town with a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science in 2022. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in data science and business analytics in 2025 from the University of London.

Her professional background reflects a multidisciplinary profile. She started her career in 2019 as an administrative assistant at Super Group, a logistics and mobility company.

More recently, between January 2025 and March 2026, she taught mathematics at the Jeppe High School for Girls, where she applied her analytical expertise to education.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• EduBridge Africa provides digital support services for African students seeking admission to foreign universities.
• The platform centralizes university applications, academic guidance, visa assistance and mentorship services.
• The company says it has enrolled more than 5,700 students, operates with over 11 mentors and covers more than 54 countries.

Based in Kampala, EduBridge Africa launched in 2019 under the leadership of founder Winnie Chimwedzi. The company wants to improve African students’ access to international universities through a digital platform that centralizes academic guidance, counseling and administrative services.

The platform provides support across several stages of the student journey, including university selection, application preparation, academic orientation and administrative assistance. In addition, the company supports students through visa-related procedures.

EduBridge Africa primarily targets students interested in universities located in Europe, North America and selected Asian countries.

One of the main challenges the startup addresses involves the information asymmetry that still characterizes Africa’s student mobility market. Many applicants continue to face limited access to information regarding available programs, admission procedures and financing opportunities.

At the same time, students often face risks linked to informal intermediaries and document fraud. Consequently, the startup seeks to digitize academic counseling services to improve accessibility and transparency.

EduBridge Africa aims to centralize interactions between students, advisors and partner institutions while reducing administrative complexity. The platform also highlights mentorship and personalized support services designed to prepare candidates for academic integration abroad more effectively.

The growth of companies such as EduBridge Africa reflects the broader rise of African edtech platforms specializing in educational guidance and international mobility.

As demand for overseas higher education increases, several startups across the continent now seek to digitize services that historically remained fragmented and largely offline.

The Ugandan edtech company says it currently supports more than 5,700 enrolled students, works with over 11 active mentors and covers more than 54 countries.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Selma Ndi leads Data Girl Technologies to train women in digital skills and connect them to job opportunities.
• The organization combines technical training, mentorship, and market access in Cameroon’s growing digital sector.
• Data Girl Technologies also operates as a digital agency supporting businesses with online visibility and branding.

Selma Ndi is a Cameroonian web developer and entrepreneur. She serves as chief executive officer of Data Girl Technologies, an educational and digital organization she co-founded in 2019 with Frida Eposi. The organization supports young girls and women in entering and advancing in the digital sector.

Data Girl Technologies prepares participants for careers in digital professions. The organization strengthens technical skills, builds confidence, and improves understanding of opportunities in the sector.

It also creates an environment where participants receive guidance, support, and access to internships, jobs, and professional collaborations.

The company places practical training at the core of its strategy for girls in Cameroon. Its workshops and programs cover a wide range of topics, from basic computing to advanced modules.

Participants learn website creation, programming, interface design, and other disciplines related to online solution development. The programs also address essential topics such as digital security and responsible technology use.

At the same time, Data Girl Technologies operates as a digital agency that supports businesses and project owners in improving their online visibility. It designs websites to help brands differentiate themselves and better market their products and services.

Its team develops integrated visual and digital communication solutions, working on brand identity, online platforms, and customer retention tools.

Selma Ndi graduated from the University of Buea with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2011. She later earned a master’s degree in management and marketing in 2015 from The ICT University in Cameroon.

From 2021 to 2024, she worked as a technology mentor at CareerFoundry, an online school that supports career transitions into digital professions. At the same time, she served as operations manager at Women in Blockchain Africa, a platform focused on blockchain awareness and women’s empowerment.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Claude Dimo leads Studirium, an AI-driven platform digitizing school management.
• The platform serves hundreds of institutions and thousands of users across Africa and Europe.
• Studirium centralizes school data to enable real-time administrative oversight and decision-making.

Claude Dimo operates as co-founder and chief executive officer of Studirium, a technology company that uses artificial intelligence to digitize the school ecosystem. The platform integrates AI tools with administrative management to provide real-time oversight for educational institutions.

Founded in 2024, Studirium supports schools in both Africa and Europe by improving organization and operational monitoring. Therefore, the company positions itself as a digital infrastructure provider for modern education systems.

Studirium operates through web and mobile applications. Each institution registers through a dedicated form that captures essential school data. Once the platform validates the submission, it assigns a unique ID and password that enable access to a centralized management portal. The system stores and secures all institutional data, including structures, classes, staff, and students.

As a result, administrators can access and manage information in a unified digital environment.

Studirium structures its platform to reflect the diversity of school communities. The system supports multiple user profiles, including administrators, teachers, administrative staff, and students.

The platform organizes data to ensure that authorized users can easily access relevant information. Therefore, institutions gain a comprehensive and dynamic view of daily operations.

Claude Dimo earned a bachelor’s degree in condensed matter and materials physics in 2017 from University of Dschang. He then pursued graduate studies at University of Lorraine, where he obtained a master’s degree in physical sciences in 2018 and a PhD in digital physics and information sciences in 2021. Between 2022 and 2025, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at University of Kaiserslautern.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Zulu Tech, founded in 2020, delivers customized digital solutions to organizations across sectors.
• The company developed platforms in education, home services, health tech and international money transfers.
• Founder Kena Girma previously worked with Dowell Research UK and several technology firms as a software developer.

Kena Girma works as an Ethiopian software engineer and technology entrepreneur. He founded and leads Zulu Tech, a company that specializes in designing customized digital solutions for organizations.

Zulu Tech, which Girma established in 2020, supports companies in achieving project objectives through disciplined execution and strict adherence to deadlines. The company adapts each solution to specific client requirements and provides website and application design and development services, as well as digital advisory and consulting support.

Moreover, the company maintains project performance after deployment by delivering maintenance and support services that keep applications updated and operational.

Among its deployed solutions, Zulu Tech developed “Zulu Learn,” an artificial intelligence-based learning platform that helps high school students improve academic performance and prepare for national examinations with confidence. The company also created “HandyMan,” an all-in-one service platform that connects users with qualified professionals for home maintenance, repairs and a broad range of on-demand services.

In addition, Zulu Tech launched “HakimHub,” a web and mobile health application that uses advanced language models to transform how users access medical advice. The company also introduced “Hakim Express,” an application that enables users to conduct international money transfers with real-time exchange rates and secure payment processing.

Kena Girma earned a degree in computer science from Addis Ababa University. He joined Dowell Research UK, a London-based research firm, as a mobile application developer. He later worked as a freelance software developer for technology companies including Eskalate, Glamiris and hozma.tech.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Senegalese entrepreneur Stéphane Mancabo co-founded Yello to shift baccalaureate revision toward daily, low-pressure learning.
• The Yello app offers offline-accessible, modular content and uses gamification to encourage consistency.
• Founded in 2023, the startup targets structural gaps in exam preparation through digital tools.

Stéphane Mancabo, a Senegalese entrepreneur, serves as co-founder and chief executive officer of Yello. The startup aims to turn baccalaureate preparation into a daily process that feels simpler, smoother, and less anxiety-inducing for high school students.

Founded in 2023, Yello operates as an educational application that delivers structured content designed around students’ real-life constraints. The platform provides audio lessons, written texts, and concise summaries, allowing users to choose learning formats that suit their preferences. The company designs the content to improve comprehension, reduce technical jargon, and guide students progressively toward baccalaureate requirements.

Students can download courses, which allows them to revise without continuous internet access. Yello avoids intensive or overwhelming study methods and instead emphasizes gradual learning. The app organizes content into short, targeted modules that focus on specific concepts rather than entire chapters. This structure seeks to establish steady progress without making students feel overloaded.

Yello uses reminder notifications to structure students’ work and encourage continuous revision rather than last-minute cramming. The application also integrates gamification features. Users earn points, unlock progress badges, and rank on national or school-level leaderboards. The system includes rewards and prizes designed to recognize consistency and sustained engagement.

On the academic and professional front, Stéphane Mancabo earned a bachelor’s degree in microfinance in 2018 from the Catholic University of West Africa (UCAO) in Cameroon. He began his career in 2017 as business development director at T’es de Dakar (TDD), a digital media outlet.

From 2020 to 2021, he worked as production project manager at Walabok Studio. At the same time, he appeared as a technology news presenter on Télévision Futur Média. He later joined WURUS LAB, an audiovisual production company, where he served as production director until 2023.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Lordrick Julius Meela founded Maestro Empire in 2018 to develop AI-driven education, media, and digital solutions.
• Maestro Empire launched EduTrack AI, an artificial-intelligence learning platform for schools, and Streets255, a digital media platform.
• The company aims to become a pan-African reference player in AI, educational technology, and digital innovation.

Lordrick Julius Meela is a Tanzanian entrepreneur. He founded and leads Maestro Empire, a startup that develops innovative solutions at the crossroads of education, artificial intelligence, media, and digital technologies.

Founded in 2018, Maestro Empire launched several projects that gained national and international recognition. The company aims to position itself as a leading pan-African player in artificial intelligence, educational technologies, media, and digital innovation.

The company bases its strategy on developing world-class solutions that transform learning processes, content production, and community development across the continent.

Maestro Empire counts EduTrack AI and Streets255 among its flagship projects.

EduTrack AI targets educational institutions and delivers AI-based learning support. The platform provides automated exam preparation, instant summary generation, problem-solving assistance tools, student performance analysis, and digital educational resources.

Streets255 operates as a media platform that focuses on cultural news, entertainment, and community events.

Beyond these core products, Maestro Empire developed additional initiatives. The company created the Safari Booking tourism application and the Dada Kazini donation platform. It also delivered websites and software solutions for clients across Tanzania.

Alongside his entrepreneurial activities, Lordrick Julius Meela studies computer engineering at Mbeya University of Science and Technology in Tanzania.

Between 2023 and 2025, he completed an internship at Braeburn International School in Arusha. During this period, he served as an information technology administrator.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Mobidoto, created in January 2025, delivers offline-friendly digital training for community health workers.
• The platform offers structured modules, continuous training pathways and formal certification.
• The startup launched DotoIA in November 2025, a free WhatsApp-based revision assistant for health students.

Maessarath Rafiou, a Beninese medical doctor, founded and leads Mobidoto, a social-impact company that focuses on digital training for African health workers. She created Mobidoto in January 2025 and designed the platform as a continuous-learning tool usable in professional settings, including areas with weak connectivity. The application offers training pathways, structured modules and a certification system that validates acquired skills.

The Mobidoto website includes a “Resources” section that hosts educational materials, including e-books accessible through a dedicated page. These materials complement the app’s training modules and give health professionals practical tools for daily work. The platform mainly targets community health workers, aspiring community health workers, community relays, nurses, midwives and doctors.

The startup launched DotoIA in November 2025, a free revision assistant for health students available via WhatsApp. The chatbot delivers simplified explanations, short quizzes and full mobile access that works even under limited connectivity. The tool aims to support students as they prepare for exams.

Rafiou practices medicine at Dr Pierre Boni Clinic in Benin. She also founded and presides over OASIS Benin, an organisation created in 2017 that supports preventive care across Benin and the sub-region through awareness campaigns, information sessions and health-promotion initiatives.

She graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences in Cotonou, where she earned a medical doctorate. Between 2016 and 2017, she served as project manager for Benin Health Movement, an organisation engaged in health-promotion activities in Benin.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Stokvel Academy provides online courses and tools to help South Africans create and manage stokvels.
• The platform, launched in 2017 in Soweto by Busisiwe Skenjana, aims to expand financial education and reduce youth unemployment.
• The initiative seeks to modernize traditional collective-saving groups and strengthen financial inclusion in underserved communities.

Stokvel Academy, an e-learning platform developed by the Soweto-based start-up of the same name, offers online courses, educational resources and practical tools designed to help individuals and communities create or join stokvels, the traditional collective-saving groups widespread in South Africa. The platform positions itself as a response to limited access to formal credit and low levels of financial literacy.

Busisiwe Skenjana launched the start-up in 2017. She said, “By training young agents, we do not only tackle unemployment, but we also give stokvels the means to become stronger and more resilient.” Her approach combines skills development with community-driven financial empowerment.

The platform hosts a structured catalogue of modules covering basic saving principles, financial planning, cash-flow management, governance of savings groups, risk assessment and investment strategy. Users access these tools through a web browser and learn at their own pace. Stokvel Academy aims to make financial education inclusive by lowering barriers to understanding collective-saving mechanisms.

The platform blends tradition with technology to update a well-established social model. Existing stokvels can use the training to strengthen internal governance, prevent conflicts and improve long-term sustainability. New members can rely on the tools to adopt structured saving practices from the outset.

Limited access to banking services continues to affect a large share of South Africans. Stokvel Academy positions its services as an alternative that supports financial inclusion, capacity building and community empowerment. By training informed and responsible savers, the platform seeks to reinforce household resilience, stimulate local investment and promote forms of solidarity-based economic activity adapted to African realities.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• iFunza enables teachers to share real-time academic updates with parents via web and mobile platforms.

• The app has surpassed 5,000 downloads on Android and targets both urban and rural families with low-data, low-spec features.

• Schools use iFunza to reduce administrative costs and digitize communication and student-performance tracking.

iFunza aims to position itself as a new tool for academic support in Kenya. The application seeks to reinforce collaboration between teachers and parents to monitor student performance more efficiently.

The Kenyan edtech start-up developed iFunza as a web and mobile platform that allows teachers to share grades, assignments and observations in real time. Parents can access their children’s academic records instantly, regardless of their location.

Caroline Ndiangui and Martin Kariithi launched iFunza in 2019. The application operates on iOS and Android and has recorded more than 5,000 downloads on Play Store.

The app streamlines communication between schools and households. Automatic notifications inform parents of homework, absences or lateness, while teachers can send personalized messages to highlight academic challenges or congratulate progress. A centralized dashboard provides a clear view of student development, which enables faster and more tailored academic support.

iFunza works on low-spec smartphones and consumes limited data. The design targets families in both urban centers and rural areas. In a country where personal computer ownership remains limited, iFunza offers an accessible alternative that aligns with Kenya’s digital reality.

The platform helps schools reduce administrative expenses linked to manual report cards, parent notices or communication management. iFunza digitizes school administration and rationalizes pedagogical monitoring by making information accessible online, rapidly and securely.

In a context where education outcomes and student monitoring are major development priorities, iFunza can help improve academic achievement, strengthen accountability among parents, teachers and learners, and foster continuous dialogue around learning.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum