DOHA, Qatar — The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation, has opened applications for the 2026–2027 cycle of its EdTech Accelerator, inviting early-stage education technology startups from Qatar and across the world to scale solutions designed to improve teaching and learning.
Applications opened on September 28 and will close on October 31, 2026, with the new cohort scheduled to begin in January 2027. The programme is designed for seed-stage and pre-Series A ventures that have moved beyond the minimum viable product (MVP) stage, have a working product in the market and can demonstrate evidence of sales, user engagement and measurable educational impact.
The accelerator aims to help founders move from developing promising education technology solutions to building sustainable businesses capable of expanding their reach and impact.
Since its establishment in 2014, the WISE EdTech Accelerator has supported education technology entrepreneurs through tailored one-to-one coaching, expert-led masterclasses and access to a global network of investors, education specialists and industry leaders.
For the 2026–2027 cycle, selected startups will participate in one of two tracks — local or international — depending on their growth ambitions and expansion needs.
While both tracks are designed to support startups seeking to scale their operations and educational impact, the local track offers additional opportunities for ventures looking to establish a presence in Qatar, connect with local ecosystem partners and explore Qatar-specific funding opportunities.
Accelerator targets startups with proven education solutions
The programme is open to for-profit education technology startups operating across different educational subsectors, including K–12 education, higher education, professional development and other areas of learning.
Eligible ventures must be at the seed or pre-Series A stage and demonstrate that their products are already being used in the market, with evidence of commercial traction and measurable educational outcomes.
The eligibility requirements indicate that the accelerator is targeting ventures that have progressed beyond the idea stage and are seeking structured support to strengthen their business models, expand their markets and deepen their impact.
Selected startups will receive ongoing one-to-one coaching and mentorship tailored to their growth stage and specific business challenges.
Support will cover areas such as marketing, sales, fundraising, product strategy and development, market intelligence and positioning.
The programme will also bring participants together through in-person engagements focused on practical learning, peer exchange and direct interaction with mentors, industry experts and the WISE team.
According to WISE, the accelerator is intended to help founders navigate the challenges of scaling education technology solutions while building commercially sustainable ventures that can deliver meaningful educational outcomes.
Previous cohort reached more than 2.9 million learners and educators
The upcoming cycle builds on the 2025–2026 cohort, which introduced the accelerator’s local and international tracks for the first time.
Eight startups were selected for that cohort, representing a range of education technology solutions, including tutoring, coding education, artificial intelligence-powered learning tools, digital credentials, microlearning and education financing.
Over the 12-month programme, the participating ventures collectively reached more than 2.9 million learners and educators, according to WISE.
The startups also recorded new revenue and investment opportunities, established strategic partnerships, expanded into Qatar and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and received recognition from educational and government institutions.
WISE reported that the ventures made progress across several indicators, including the number of learners reached, learning hours delivered, customer acquisition, product development, funding and market expansion.
The outcomes highlight the accelerator’s focus on combining educational impact with commercial sustainability as startups seek to expand their operations and reach new markets.
WISE highlights need for support beyond product development
Aurelio Amaral, Director of Innovation at WISE, said education technology founders were developing promising solutions to challenges facing education but required more than a strong product to build sustainable ventures.
“Through the WISE EdTech Accelerator, we want to help founders navigate that next stage of growth and build solutions that can deliver meaningful impact,” Amaral said.
He added that the organisation looked forward to working with a new group of founders in the 2026–2027 cycle and supporting them as they advance their ventures.
The accelerator’s approach combines business development support with access to education-sector networks, reflecting the challenges early-stage startups face in translating innovative products into solutions that can reach more learners and educators.
Programme has supported more than 46 ventures across 20 countries
Over more than a decade, the WISE EdTech Accelerator has supported more than 46 ventures from over 20 countries, with participating startups collectively reaching more than 15 million beneficiaries across 130 countries.
WISE, established in 2009 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, is a global initiative of Qatar Foundation focused on education innovation and evidence-driven solutions to strengthen learning systems and expand educational opportunities.
Through its innovation programmes, research, partnerships and global community, the organisation works to advance practical approaches to improving education outcomes.
Applications open to startups worldwide
The 2026–2027 WISE EdTech Accelerator is open to eligible for-profit education technology startups from all geographical regions.
Startups interested in participating must meet the programme’s eligibility requirements, including having a working product in the market, evidence of sales and engagement, and measurable educational impact.
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