Kenya’s Craydel Expands to Rwanda in Pan-African Edtech Push

STARTUP VENTURE CAPITALMay 28, 2025 at 12:45 PM UTC

TLDR

Kenyan edtech startup Craydel has entered the Rwandan market as part of its continent-wide expansion strategy, making it active in five countries
The move establishes Craydel as the first Kenyan edtech to operate across East, West, and Central Africa
Craydel earns revenue through commissions from partner institutions and competes with firms like IDP Education and ApplyBoard

Kenyan edtech startup Craydel has entered the Rwandan market as part of its continent-wide expansion strategy, making it active in five countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and now Rwanda. The move establishes Craydel as the first Kenyan edtech to operate across East, West, and Central Africa.

Founded in 2021, Craydel helps students apply to universities abroad using a tech-driven platform that matches them with best-fit institutions via its proprietary university matchmaker. Co-founder Manish Sardana said Rwanda’s rollout has been met with strong interest from leading high schools, positioning it as a growth market for the platform.

Craydel earns revenue through commissions from partner institutions and competes with firms like IDP Education and ApplyBoard. Backed by Enza Capital, Angaza Capital, and others, it has raised over $2.5 million and now employs over 100 staff across its markets, with Nigeria and Kenya remaining the fastest growing.

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Key Takeaways

Craydel’s expansion into Rwanda reflects a rising demand for accessible, technology-enabled university admissions support for African students. With over 400,000 Africans studying abroad annually and a $30 billion edtech market on the continent, Craydel’s growth-stage momentum positions it to capitalize on this underserved opportunity. The company’s strategy—building “digital rails” for cross-border access to higher education—offers a unified, scalable model that contrasts with single-market edtechs. Its rapid growth underscores both demand and trust from schools and families. By recruiting more education counselors in Kenya and Nigeria, Craydel aims to deepen engagement and maintain a local presence even as it scales. If executed well, the model could redefine how African students connect to global education, while giving institutions a streamlined way to tap into one of the world’s youngest and fastest-growing student populations.

Startups

Edtech

Craydel

Kenya

Rwanda

Expansion