Zambian National STEM Foundation

What Zambian National STEM Foundation does

The Zambian National STEM Foundation (ZNSF) is a Lusaka-based nonprofit organization founded in 2018 to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Zambia. The foundation delivers a comprehensive portfolio of programs spanning K-12 outreach (Young Coders, Robotics Training), secondary and tertiary education support (Mentorship, Sponsorships, Career Guidance, STEM Bootcamps), educator capacity-building (Teacher Training), gender-focused programming (Women in STEM), applied research, and early-stage innovation incubation. Its flagship initiative is the Yango STEM Fellowship, a pan-African fellowship offering $1,000 bursaries per fellow that currently spans six countries: Zambia, Côte d'Ivoire, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal.

ZNSF operates without proprietary technology; its value is delivered through program design, mentorship frameworks, and community activation rather than a technology product. The foundation is currently developing the ZNSF Innovation Hub, a planned physical facility focused on robotics, AI, and sustainable energy, and is actively fundraising to complete construction. Beneficiary outcomes are tracked across cohorts, including 300+ mentees, 150+ sponsored students, 500+ bootcamp participants, 600+ young coders, 400+ women in STEM participants, and 25+ incubated innovations.

Revenue is generated through donations, corporate partnership funding (principally from Yango), development partner grants, and volunteer/member contributions; all programs are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Governance is provided by a board led by Founder/Executive Director Michelo Moonga, with Christopher Mundia as Board Chair. With 22 employees, ZNSF serves urban and rural communities across Zambia and operates regional program delivery through the fellowship's continental footprint.

Name

Zambian National STEM Foundation

Legal name

Zambian National STEM Foundation

Website

https://stemzambia.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZNSF is a Lusaka-based nonprofit founded in 2018 that delivers STEM education, mentorship, sponsorships, research, and innovation programs to Zambian learners aged 8-30, anchored by the pan-African Yango STEM Fellowship spanning six countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education and Talent Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships (EDADALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Nonprofit fellowship services
• Talent development initiatives
• Innovation incubation support
• Community STEM outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ZNSF operates as a registered Not-For-Profit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and development partners. The foundation accepts donations through its website and coordinates fundraising campaigns for the ZNSF Innovation Hub.
2. Corporate Partnership Funding: Strategic partnerships with corporations like Yango provide program funding, including bursaries for fellows ($1000 per fellow), mentorship resources, and operational support for fellowship and innovation programs.
3. Volunteer and Member Contributions: The foundation recruits volunteers and members who contribute expertise and time to guide young STEM learners, with individuals joining through online application forms.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Zambian National STEM Foundation (ZNSF) is a registered Not-For-Profit organization that delivers STEM education, talent development, and innovation programs free of charge to beneficiaries. Its portfolio includes the pan-African Yango STEM Fellowship (with $1,000 bursaries), mentorship programs, sponsorships, STEM bootcamps, Young Coders, robotics training, teacher training, career guidance, research initiatives, community outreach, a Women in STEM initiative, and an under-development ZNSF Innovation Hub. Programs are delivered through direct community engagement, school visits, mentorship sessions, workshops, and online applications in Zambia and five additional African countries.

Product overview

The Zambian National STEM Foundation operates a comprehensive portfolio of STEM education and talent development programs. The core offerings include the Yango STEM Fellowship (a pan-African fellowship providing mentorship and $1000 bursaries), structured education programs (Mentorship Programs, Sponsorships, Career Guidance, STEM Bootcamps, Young Coders, Robotics Training, Teacher Training), research and innovation initiatives (Research Initiatives, Innovator Incubation), community engagement (Community Outreach, Women in STEM), and an under-development ZNSF Innovation Hub. The foundation serves learners aged 8-30+ across urban and rural communities in Zambia and five other African countries through the fellowship program, targeting students, early-career professionals, educators, and young innovators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yango STEM Fellowship: A pan-African fellowship program designed to develop the next generation of STEM leaders through mentorship, funding, and real-world exposure.
• ZNSF Innovation Hub

Products and services

• Yango STEM Fellowship

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ mentees supported with 65% reporting increased career clarity and confidence
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• YangoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerYango, a global technology company, is the primary sponsor of the Yango STEM Fellowship Program. Yango provides $1000 bursaries to fellows, co-develops the fellowship curriculum, facilitates industry mentorship, and hosts the final pitch event in Abidjan. The fellowship spans 6 African countries and represents a flagship initiative for Yango's commitment to supporting young STEM talent and local communities.
• Corporate PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZNSF collaborates with corporate partners committed to strengthening STEM education and innovation across Africa. These partners provide funding, in-kind support, mentorship opportunities, and industry exposure for program beneficiaries.
• Academic InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZNSF partners with universities and educational institutions for the fellowship program, research initiatives, and teacher training. University partners help identify eligible students and provide academic reference letters for fellowship applicants.
• Development PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZNSF works with development partners to fund and support STEM outreach, sponsorship programs, and research initiatives targeting underserved communities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ALX Africa: Pan-African technology training and software engineering program. Comparable to ZNSF's bootcamp, Young Coders, and career-pathway programs in target audience and tech-skills curriculum across multiple African markets.
• Moringa School: African technology training school offering bootcamps and career-pathway programs. Comparable to ZNSF's STEM Bootcamps, Young Coders, and career guidance offerings in target market and curriculum.
• Andela: Pan-African technology talent development and training organization. Highly comparable to ZNSF as both develop African STEM/tech talent pipelines with corporate partnerships and structured fellowship-style programs across multiple countries.
• Educate!: East African youth skills, leadership, and STEM/entrepreneurship organization working with secondary students. Comparable in mission, target demographic, and outcome-tracked program design, with similar donation-and-partnership funding model.
• African Leadership Academy: Pan-African secondary and post-secondary leadership and STEM institution identifying high-potential African youth. Directly comparable in mission, target demographic (African students aged 13–30), and pan-African talent-pipeline model.
• BongoHive: Zambia-based technology and innovation hub supporting startups, technologists, and STEM talent. Directly comparable to ZNSF's innovator-incubation and STEM-talent-development programs operating from the same Lusaka ecosystem.
• African Leadership University: Pan-African higher-education institution focused on developing African leaders with strong STEM and entrepreneurship curricula. Comparable to ZNSF's talent development and leadership mandate across multiple African countries.

Emerging players

• Camfed (Campaign for Female Education): Pan-African nonprofit supporting girls' education and economic empowerment across multiple sub-Saharan countries. Comparable in supporting girls and women in education across Africa, including STEM-adjacent pathways, via a partnership-and-donor funding model.

Regional players

• Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator: South African youth employment and skills-development organization partnering with employers. Comparable in employer-linked skills training and outcome measurement, though focused on South Africa rather than Zambia.

Broad incumbents

• Tony Elumelu Foundation: Large pan-African philanthropy and entrepreneurship program providing seed funding, mentorship, and training. Comparable in pan-African grantmaking and entrepreneurship-incubation scope, though operating at significantly larger scale across Africa.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/STEMZambia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zambian-national-stem-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/stemzambia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Zambian National STEM Foundation