In a recent daring move, Craydel, the Kenyan edtech platform revolutionising how African students can enrol in colleges outside, has expanded into Tanzania and Burundi.
These are its sixth and seventh African markets in less than a year. Craydel operates in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe and is poised to cause a significant upheaval in international student recruiting.
A new approach to African education access
The company’s CEO and co-founder, Manish Sardana, explained, “Across Africa, students face the same challenge: limited, biased advice from a fragmented agent system. At Craydel, we’re flipping that model—putting control back in learners’ hands with seamless access to the tech to search, match, and apply to their best-fit universities.”
Craydel eliminates the conventional, frequently opaque recruitment process by using AI technology to match students with universities that best suit their needs. With learners at the heart of all they do, this expansion firmly establishes Craydel as the first Kenyan edtech startup with a pan-African presence, growing quickly.
Riding the wave of growing demand for global education
With 400,000 African students studying abroad annually, Craydel sees a vast market opportunity. African edtech is worth $30 billion yearly, according to the business.
On Craydel, students can register for free, but universities pay commissions. Craydel builds credibility across multiple markets using its African origins, unlike ApplyBoard and IDP Education.
Sardana added, “Our expansions, including the recent launches in Burundi and Tanzania, follow proven playbooks for market entry, allowing us to keep growing rapidly.”
This local understanding, combined with technology, gives Craydel an edge in the fragmented African education market.
Craydel was established in 2021, and its investors, which include Angaza Capital and Enza Capital, support its mission to provide job opportunities for African students globally. As the company aims for profitability and a broader continental reach, more market expansions are expected.