The level of economic development differs from country to country, and if some states are shifting from a knowledge-based approach in education, some still lack basics — qualified local teachers, funding and investment in school facilities. But is there a way to bridge the gap and help the markets that fell behind due to different socio-economic problems catch up with the rest? The answer is yes. It’s technology.

After years-long work in Ivory Coast, together with our partner TRECC, we came up with a comprehensive overview of education and EdTech in the country. To produce this report, our team met with key stakeholders, interviewed startups and investors, researched the market and analyzed its dynamics and trends over the last years. We hope that it will serve as a compass for entrepreneurs, investors, and community builders to navigate the country’s ecosystem and bring more changes in Ivory Coast.

What would you find in the report?

• Education sector overview.
• EdTech market analysis.
• State of entrepreneurship in Ivory Coast (Seedstars Index).
• Overview of tech and EdTech community in the country.
• EdTech companies in Ivory Coast.
• Investment opportunities for EdTech startups.

Key Takeaways

• Although Ivory Coast seems to be a country where EdTech companies would be able to fill some gaps and inequalities in the education system, the EdTech market remains nascent.
  
• The results from the 2017/18 edition of the Seedstars Index showed that the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Abidjan performed roughly on par with the average results from the African continent.
  
• Abidjan hosts around 25 EdTech startups and currently lacks maturity with not one raising more than $1mn.
  
• 61% of the startups have chosen to develop e-learning solutions that target the end user directly and avoid the longer sales cycle associated with selling to a school. These are also considered as the biggest market opportunities.

To get access to the full report on the Ivorian EdTech ecosystem, please follow the link (the report is available in 2 languages — French and English). If you have any suggestions or you spot any misalignments, do not hesitate to contact us.

About TRECC

Launched in February 2016, TRECC (Transforming Education in Cocoa Communities) is a program supported by the Jacobs Foundation, the Bernard van Leer Foundation and the UBS Optimus Foundation. TRECC works with industry partners, the Ivorian government, researchers, non-governmental organisations, local organisations and entrepreneurs to boost the quality of education in Ivory Coast.