iNERDE Academy helps one person in a neighborhood run a small learning pod: five to ten children, a shared tablet, and Sira, a learning companion that guides each child and supports the facilitator. Before the first pods open in Bamako, we're selecting a small group of Founding Nerdy Beta Testers to use it before anyone else.
Two minutes to apply. Selected testers get 7 days of early access and a seat at a live workshop with the iNERDE team.
[N] people have requested access.
Built by the founder of Team Mali, Mali's first national robotics team and FIRST Global silver medalists, 2017
Programmes funded by Dell Technologies
87% of students advanced a full grade level in eight weeks, as independently assessed by Sci-Bono Discovery Centre
Inaugural Social Impact Award, Northeastern University Global Leadership Summit, London, 2026
One facilitator. A handful of kids. A learning guide that never gets tired.
For children: short, playful missions. Every lesson follows the same loop: discover, explore, create. Kids earn XP as they go.
For facilitators: a simple portal to open a session, take attendance, follow each child's progress, and reach the families in the pod.
Sira: a learning companion that steps in when a child is stuck, so the facilitator isn't the only one in the room with answers.
This is not a waitlist for everyone.
We're opening iNERDE Academy a few people at a time, because every tester gets real attention from the team building it. The people we select become Founding Nerdy Beta Testers: the first to use it, the first to shape it, and the people whose notes decide what children in Bamako see first.
Founding testers receive a certificate and a badge to share on LinkedIn. Adults who want it can have their name listed among the founding testers.
Who we're looking for
Facilitators and community educators: the aunt, the coach, the imam, the older cousin everyone asks for homework help. No teaching background needed.
Teachers and school educators who want to see whether this belongs in their school.
Students 13 and up who are curious and honest. Children under 13 join through a parent or guardian.
Parents and guardians signing up a younger child. Ages 10–12 are at the heart of what we're building.
Software testers who like finding what breaks.
How it works
Why we're building this
I grew up in Mali. I got something most kids in my neighborhood didn't — access.
Many of them never lacked talent. The school was too far, too full, or taught in a language they didn't speak at home.
iNERDE Academy is built so the classroom can come to the child, run by someone the family already trusts.
Help us get it right before it reaches them.
— Mohamed Kante, Founder
Questions
How much time does it take?
Seven days of access at your own pace, then one 2-hour live online workshop. Staying for 7 more days is optional.
Do I need to be a teacher?
No. We're building this for people who have never stood in front of a classroom. If you can't figure something out, that's exactly what we need to know.
Is it free?
Yes.
What do I get?
You're one of the first people anywhere to use iNERDE Academy, and your notes shape what children use. Founding testers receive a certificate and a LinkedIn badge.
How are testers selected?
In small waves, based on what the platform can handle, and so that each wave has a mix of facilitators, educators, students and testers.
Can my child take part?
Yes. For a child under 13, sign up on their behalf. Teens 13 and up can sign up themselves, and a parent or guardian completes a short consent form before anything else happens.
Why is there an agreement?
The platform isn't public yet. The confidentiality agreement comes only if you're selected. There's nothing to sign today.
Do I need to live in Africa?
No. Our first wave focuses on testers from across Africa and its diaspora, because that's where we launch first. Everyone is welcome to apply.
What device do I need?
A phone, tablet or laptop with internet. For the workshop, a connection that can handle a video call. Your camera can stay off.
The first pods open in Bamako.
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