Grace Ashiru
African EdTech accelerator Injini has launched an eight-month venture-building programme designed to help early-stage teams develop artificial intelligence solutions for classrooms across Southern Africa.
The AI for Education Venture Builder and Incubation Programme, supported by Coefficient Giving, will select 12 teams from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Unlike traditional accelerator programmes, applicants do not need an existing product or operating startup, but must have a well-developed idea addressing challenges in areas including foundational learning, teacher support, learner pathways, inclusion and education ecosystem engagement.
Selected teams will spend five months validating problems, designing solutions, developing AI-powered minimum viable products and testing them with learners and educators. The five strongest teams will then move into a three-month incubation phase and receive $25,000 each in equity-free seed funding, bringing Injini’s total funding commitment to $125,000.
Participants will also receive support from AI engineers, learning scientists, business specialists and education experts, alongside assistance with product testing, impact measurement, branding and go-to-market strategies.
The venture-building phase is expected to run from November 2026 to March 2027, followed by incubation between April and June 2027. Applications are scheduled to close on September 27, 2026.
