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Since 2020, The MasterCard Foundation has backed 7 African startups across 7 disclosed funding rounds totaling $1.6M, most heavily in Nigeria and EdTech.
The Mastercard Foundation is an international philanthropic foundation and registered Canadian charity that works to advance education and financial inclusion. Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the foundation operates independently under the governance of its own Board of Directors. Its headquarters are in Toronto, Canada, with additional offices in several African cities. The Mastercard Foundation focuses its efforts primarily in Africa and with Indigenous youth in Canada, working with partner organizations to enable young people to access dignified and fulfilling work. In Africa, the foundation focuses on leading sectors for youth employment, including education and the digital economy. Consistent with this focus, it has supported early and other stage investments in African education technology companies, including Lingawa and Harde Business School in Nigeria and Zeraki in Kenya, with activity recorded between 2020 and 2024 and a portfolio concentration in EdTech. Across its programs, the Mastercard Foundation collaborates with a wide range of partners to expand access to quality learning, improve financial inclusion, and create economic opportunities for young people. Its work almost exclusively in Africa reflects a long term commitment to youth employment and skills development across multiple countries on the continent.
Data updated · Jul 29, 2026
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The MasterCard Foundation has backed 7 African startups across 7 disclosed funding rounds tracked on Liners, totaling $1.6M since 2020.
Mostly Other: 6 of its 7 tracked rounds are at that stage, followed by Seed (1).
Its tracked rounds lean toward EdTech (7).
The MasterCard Foundation most often shares rounds with Co-Creation Hub (3 shared deals), Zrosk Investment Management (1 shared deal), Dara Treseder (1 shared deal).
The Mastercard Foundation is an international philanthropic foundation and registered Canadian charity focused on advancing education and financial inclusion. It was established in 2006 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with additional offices in several African countries.
Within the provided data, the Mastercard Foundation has backed three EdTech companies in Africa. These are Lingawa and Harde Business School in Nigeria and Zeraki in Kenya.