Announcing the 2023 MEST Africa Challenge Regional Finalists

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— A Showcase of African Innovation

MEST Africa, a leading pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator, has selected 45 standout technology startups to advance to the regional finals of the 2023 MEST Africa Challenge (MAC). Hailing from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa, these startups have been recognized for their potential to shape the future of technology on the continent. The grand prize at stake is a coveted USD 50,000 in equity investment, along with the prospect of a long-term partnership and ongoing support from MEST Africa.

MAC sets the stage for early stage startups to display their innovative solutions and tech-driven ventures. With a comprehensive selection process that rigorously evaluates each entry, the competition attracts the continent’s most promising tech entrepreneurs. The startups moving forward embody a wide array of sectors — from Agritech to Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce, Digital Media, and Healthcare — showcasing the rich tapestry of African innovation.

These regional finalists were chosen for their exceptional use of technology to solve real and significant challenges within Africa’s vibrant markets. They have introduced solutions ranging from AI-driven efficiencies in agriculture to financial technology that expands access to economic resources for marginalised populations. These finalists are a testament to the ingenuity emerging from Africa’s tech ecosystems and set the stage for a compelling Regional Pitch Competition.

List of Finalists

Kenya

Ghana

Nigeria

South Africa

Senegal

As the competition advances, these startups will compete to demonstrate their potential impact to a panel of judges. The aim is not only to secure a place in the final pitch but also to gain visibility, connect with investors, and potentially receive funding to scale their impact.

Stay tuned for the Regional Pitch Competition, where innovation meets opportunity, as we spotlight the talents shaping Africa’s technological future.

Learn more about the MEST Africa Challenge.

MEST Africa Challenge Startup Pitch Competition Opens Applications

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Unlock Your Startup Potential and Win $50,000 in Equity

[Accra-Ghana, 28th August 2023] – MEST Africa, in partnership with Absa Bank, is delighted to announce the opening of applications for the highly anticipated MEST Africa Challenge Startup Pitch Competition. Early-stage technology startups operational in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa are invited to participate in this prestigious competition to showcase their innovative businesses and entrepreneurial prowess. The application period begins today and will close on 9th October 2023.

The MEST Africa Challenge offers exceptional benefits to participating startups. The winner will receive a substantial equity investment of USD 50,000, providing crucial financial support to accelerate their business growth. In addition, the winner and other outstanding participants will gain access to MEST Africa’s global community and networks, unlocking valuable partnerships, mentorship, and investment opportunities. This platform catalyzes startups to unlock the next phase of their business growth and gain global recognition.

Building upon the success of the previous years, the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge crowned Kwely, a B2B e-commerce startup from Senegal, as the winner. Kwely’s groundbreaking solutions stood out among the fierce competition, and their success serves as an inspiration to entrepreneurs across Africa.

“This year’s tagline, ‘Unlock Your Startup Potential’, resonates deeply with the vibrant technology landscape we are witnessing in Africa today. With the remarkable advancements in technology innovation and adoption across the continent, this year’s competition is poised to showcase groundbreaking ideas and solutions. I am confident that the MEST Africa Challenge will uncover exceptional startups that will shape the future and drive positive change in Africa and beyond,” said Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor and MEST Africa Challenge Lead.

Over the years, the MEST Africa Challenge pitch competition has garnered thousands of applications from across the continent, attaining global recognition and forging partnerships, while nurturing a thriving community of African tech founders. It has spotlighted and impacted the growth of winning startups such as Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, Ghana’s OZE, South Africa’s Snode Technologies, Kenya’s Waya Waya, Nigeria’s Accounteer, and reigning title holder, Kwely from Senegal.

Eligibility Criteria for MAC 2023:

  •  Monthly Recurring Revenue: $5k+
  • Funding raised: Cumulative $1M or less
  • Years of existence: 3 years and below 
  • Traction: At least 6 months of recurring revenue
  • Founding team: At least 2 founding team members 
  • Registered in Delaware (This is preferred)
  • Demonstrated traction in MAC Markets (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal)

Learn more and apply here:https://meltwater.org/mac/ 

About MEST Africa:

MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a 12-month program that provides critical skills training in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s burgeoning tech talent. MEST provides seed funding for the best ideas coming out of the program and continues to support the growth and development of its portfolio companies. 

To date, MEST has trained over 2000 entrepreneurs from across the continent and funded over 90 startups across industries from Agritech, Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce, Digital Media, and Healthcare amongst others. MEST is fully funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Norwegian company Meltwater; a global leader in social and media intelligence headquartered in San Francisco.

Media Contact: Ophesmur@meltwater.org

Eric Nsarkoh joins MEST Africa as a Portfolio Advisor

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MEST Africa, a pan-African training program, incubator, and seed fund for African entrepreneurs, has announced the appointment of Eric Nsarkoh as a Portfolio Advisor, focused on technology product development. Eric brings a wealth of experience and expertise in Africa’s technology space to the role and will help to strengthen and scale MEST’s portfolio of startups across the continent.

Eric Nsarkoh is a seasoned business executive with over 20 years of experience in leading multinational organizations across Africa. He was  recently the Head of Engineering at Stanbic Bank Ghana and has a strong track record of scaling growth and innovation, having held similar leadership roles at Millicom (Tigo Ghana), Airtel Ghana, and MTN.

His expertise in software development, sales, and consumer behavior will be invaluable in supporting MEST Africa’s portfolio of companies. In his new role, Eric will be responsible for advising and supporting these companies to strengthen their product development and scale of technology products and services. He will also work closely with MEST Africa’s portfolio and leadership team, providing guidance on best practices and industry trends.

Founder Jorn Lyseggen expressed his excitement about the appointment, stating, “Eric is an unusually talented engineer as well as a seasoned executive who understands how to bring products to market in Africa. His background in banking and telco will be invaluable support for our portfolio companies as they grow and scale across the continent”

Eric’s appointment comes at a critical time for Africa’s technology sector as the continent is poised for tremendous growth. Eric expressed his excitement about joining MEST Africa and working with the organization’s portfolio companies. “I am thrilled to be joining MEST at this important time in Africa’s development,” he said. “I am excited to be part of an organization that is working to support the next generation of African tech entrepreneurs.”

Overall, Eric’s appointment as MEST Africa’s Portfolio Advisor focused on tech product development is a significant development that underscores the importance of software development in driving innovation and growth in the continent.

MEST will now Review all Class of 2024 Applications on a Rolling Basis

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See new timelines for the 12-month Training Program Application

All applicants of the ongoing recruitment for the 12-month Training Program are informed that their applications will now be reviewed on a rolling basis. This means that the earlier applicants complete their application, the earlier they will hear back from the recruitment team regarding their status in the application process.

The new dates by which applicants should complete the application process are as follows:

  • Submit by 26 February 2023 hear from MEST by 17 March 2023
  • Submit by 20 March 2023 hear from MEST by 3 April 2023
  • Submit by 11 April 2023 hear from MEST by 24 April 2023

The new system of reviewing applications and new dates will allow early applicants to get faster updates on their application status and will also give other applicants more time to complete their applications beyond the 26th of February 2023.

The Application Process:

Visit the application portal and create an account

  • Complete all pre-learning courses
  • Take the aptitude test
  • Fill out and submit the MEST Training Program application form
  • Successful applicants go through the Interview stages, including individual phone interviews and in-person group interviews
  • Successful applicants receive an offer from MEST Africa

All applicants are also encouraged to join the program’s official Telegram group to interact directly with the recruitment team as they go through the application process.

MEST AFRICA COMMENCES RECRUITMENT FOR THE CLASS OF 2024

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Accra-Ghana – Monday 12th December 2022: Applications are open for the 2024 cohort of the MEST Training Program; a twelve-month program hosted physically in Accra and designed to give young people around the continent commercial skills in technology and entrepreneurship. 

As one of the pioneering pan-African programs of its kind, the MEST Training program goes beyond software training to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with business, marketing, communication, and soft skills training.

The fully-funded program, which also focuses on supporting aspiring entrepreneurs to build, grow and scale successful tech businesses in Africa, provides up to $100,000 in seed funding, and business incubation to high-potential startups coming out of the program.

“I came to MEST because I knew that tech is exactly where I want to be. MEST has been the solid ground that I needed to really face my fears and improve myself. From design thinking to trying my hands on Figma for the first time, I have loved the journey so far and I can’t wait to experience more ahead,” said Abena Konadu Gyamfi-Afrifa, Entrepreneur-in-Training (MEST Class of 2023).

The Application Process:

    Visit the application portal and create an account

  • Complete all pre-learning courses
  • Take the aptitude test
  • Fill out and submit the MEST Training Program application form
  • Successful applicants go through the Interview stages
  • Successful applicants receive an offer from MEST Africa

“Learning sessions for the class of 2024 are set to begin in late August of 2023. For successful non-English speaking applicants, MEST will also provide a language and cultural immersion program in early August before the start of the program,”  said Emily  Fiagbedzi, the Director of Training Program at MEST Africa.

MEST has produced some of the continent’s fastest-growing startups across various industries. Some of MEST’s past cohorts and graduating startups include the largest real estate platform in Ghana, MeQasa; CodeLn, one of the fastest-growing platforms for hiring software developers in Africa; Complete Farmer, a leading agritech business in Africa and Kudobuzz, a SaaS company that builds tools to help eCommerce merchants build trust and traction.

Launched in 2008 as a fully-funded program by the Meltwater Foundation, the Training Program has trained over 800 young African tech entrepreneurs, given seed investment to and supported over 80 startups, and created thousands of jobs across the continent for their graduates.

Applications close on 26th February 2022.

Join the Program’s official Telegram group to interact directly with the recruitment team.

About MEST:

MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a 12-month program that provides critical skills training in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s burgeoning tech talent. MEST provides seed funding for the best ideas coming out of the program and continues to support the growth and development of its portfolio companies. 

To date, MEST has trained 1000s of entrepreneurs from across the continent and invested in over 80 startups across industries from Agritech, Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce, Digital Media, and Healthcare amongst others. MEST is fully funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Norwegian company Meltwater; a global leader in social and media intelligence headquartered in San Francisco.

SENEGAL’S KWELY EMERGES AS WINNER OF THE 2022 MEST AFRICA CHALLENGE 

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Accra, 6th December 2022: MEST Africa has announced Senegalese tech startup Kwely as the winner of the 2022 edition of the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC); a pan-African tech startup pitch competition. 

Kwely is a digital made-in-Africa products distribution platform founded by Birame Sock, a Senegalese entrepreneur. The startup joins MAC’s winning startups such as Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, Ghana’s OZE, South Africa’s Snode Technologies, Kenya’s Waya Waya, and Nigeria’s Accounteer to receive US$50,000 in equity investment, access to expert business coaches, mentors, and global investors. 

“Winning the MEST Africa Challenge really means a lot to me and the Kwely Team. The journey of an entrepreneur is never easy but it really is a passion from my heart. Getting this recognition gives us the push and confidence that we need to forge ahead. When things get difficult, it is important to remember that we have a network of amazing people around us who are rooting for us.” said Birame Sock, founder and CEO of Kwely. 

The female-founded startup emerged as the winner out of four other startup finalists from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. The announcement was made at the Demo Day and Final Pitch Competition held in Accra to culminate a four-month period of shortlisting over 500 tech startups from 5 African countries.

Speaking on the MEST Africa Challenge’s Grand finale, MEST Africa’s Director of Portfolio, Melissa Nsiah said:

“This year’s MAC competition had 5 winners from each of our key markets. After reading through hundreds of applications and meeting dozens of brilliant and innovative founders from across the continent, I became even more excited about technology startups on the continent and even more convinced that it would be impossible to pick one overall winner. The talent is just immense! But with the help of our judges and boisterous live and virtual audience, a final overall winner emerged in Birame Sock of Kwely from Senegal. We are thrilled to welcome Kwely into the MEST portfolio.” 

Since its inception in 2018, the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC), has provided a platform for hundreds of technology startups all across the continent to raise funding, build industry networks and gain global visibility. This year’s competition opened in July and received hundreds of applications from startups in 5 African markets – Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa.

The 2022 MEST Africa Challenge was organized in association with Absa Bank Ghana and supported by Codeln, Copianto, Google, Dream VC, Heny, Impact Hub- Dakar, Hubspot for Startups, Paystack, Wiflix.  

Grace Anim-Yeboah, Director of Business Banking at Absa Bank said, “We are a bank that is interested in the total transformation of the continent through innovation and creativity. Every day we see great potential all around us and it excites us. Our partnership with MEST is a true stroke of inspiration and will provide lots of opportunities for startup companies and also provide next-generation ideas for the continent’s socio-economic growth. I am happy for the winning team from Senegal; we look forward to a closer collaboration with you and the others, as we look forward to creating an ecosystem that will feed the world.”

Following the application stage through the competition’s online portal, a shortlist of 36 technology startups from 5 African countries was announced to enter the regional pitch competition, from which the final 5 finalists were chosen. The finalists and regional winners; Sproutly (Nigeria), Kwely (Senegal), Swoove (Ghana), Hisa (Kenya) and Desert Green Africa (South Africa) were flown to Ghana to represent their respective countries on Demo Day. 

About the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge 

In its fourth year, MAC 2022 is a call for technology startups in 5 African markets – Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa to vie for the ultimate prize of USD 50,000 in equity investment. Finalists will gain exclusive access to the MEST Community including expert business coaches and mentors, global investors, and a wide selection of prizes and packages contributed by MEST partners across the continent. Finalists from each country will attend the MEST Africa Demo Day in Accra, Ghana on December 1, 2022, where they will once again compete on a global stage for up to $50,000 in equity investment and the opportunity to join the MEST Portfolio and global community.

About MEST Africa

MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a 12-month program that provides critical skills training in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s burgeoning tech talent. MEST provides seed funding for the best ideas coming out of the program and continues to support the growth and development of its portfolio companies. 

To date, MEST has trained 1000s of entrepreneurs from across the continent and invested in over 80 startups across industries from Agritech, Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce, Digital Media, and Healthcare amongst others. MEST is fully funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Norwegian company Meltwater; a global leader in social and media intelligence headquartered in San Francisco.

Visit www.meltwater.org to learn more.

MEST Africa Challenge announces the top 5 finalists going into the  final stage of the competition

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MEST Africa has announced Sproutly (Nigeria), Kweli (Senegal), Swoove (Ghana), Hisa (Kenya) and Desert Green Africa (South Africa) as the startups who will be into the grand finale of the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge pitch competition. 

The pan-African pitch competition opened applications in July this year for pre-seed and seed-stage technology startups in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa to bid for the ultimate prize of $50,000.

After going through the online application, regional pitches, and founder interview phases of the competition, these 5 finalists have been selected for the final pitch. Each startup will represent their country at the Demo Day and Final Pitch Competition that will be held in Accra Ghana in December 2022. 

Speaking on the selection of the top 5 startups, the Director of Portfolio at MEST Africa, Melissa Nsiah said:

“It hasn’t been an easy process. Mostly because, this year, we saw so many valid business models and met some incredible founders with huge visions that align very closely with ours. But in the final analysis we were able to zero in on the cream of the crop to select the top 5 companies from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa in alignment with this year’s selection criteria. Our team is eager to work closely with each of the 5 finalists in preparation towards the final competition day in December.” 

Here are details of the startups who have made it in the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge:

Sproutly Inc (Nigeria)

Digital Banking, Tuition Financing for Teens & Students and Payments, Education Management and Credits for Schools. Learn more https://sproutlyhq.com/ 

Kwely Inc (Senegal)

An innovative made-in-Africa B2B brand incubation and digital distribution platform. 

Swoove Inc (Ghana)

Swoove is a last mile delivery and fulfillment tech startup beuilding ecommmerce infrastructure for SME’s and commerce companies on the continent. Learn more https://www.swoove.delivery 

Hisa Inc (Kenya)

Building the tech infrastructure for investing in Africa. Learn more: https://hisa.co/ 

Desert Green Africa Agri-Investments (South Africa)

Desert Green is an Agritech transforming the Informal Agri-value chain in Africa by providing a more efficient delivery of Fresh produce from small scale farmers to informal traders. Learn more www.desertgreen.co.za

MEST will provide the winning startup with investment capital to the amount of $50,000, coaching and access to a global network of resources and partners as they build and scale successful businesses that add value to African economies and livelihoods.

All participating startups will have the opportunity to benefit from a host of exciting perks from MEST Africa and its strategic partners including global visibility, building their networks, professional coaching, mentorship from experts, and the opportunity to join the global MEST community for lifetime benefits.

About the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge 

In its fourth year, MAC 2022 is a call for technology startups in 5 African markets – Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa to vie for the ultimate prize of USD 50,000 in equity investment. Finalists will gain exclusive access to the MEST Community including expert business coaches and mentors, global investors, and a wide selection of perk prizes and packages contributed by MEST partners across the continent. Finalists from each country will attend the MEST Africa Demo Day in Accra, Ghana on December 1st, 2022, where they will once again compete on a global stage for up to $50,000 in equity investment and the opportunity to join the MEST Portfolio and global community.

The competition has received thousands of applications from around the continent since its inception. It has spotlighted and impacted the growth of winning startups such as Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, Ghana’s OZE, South Africa’s Snode Technologies, Kenya’s Waya Waya, and Nigeria’s Accounteer.

About MEST Africa:

MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a 12-month program that provides critical skills training in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s burgeoning tech talent. MEST provides seed funding for the best ideas coming out of the program and continues to support the growth and development of its portfolio companies. 

To date, MEST has trained 1000s of entrepreneurs from across the continent and invested in over 80 startups across industries from Agritech, Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce, Digital Media, and Healthcare amongst others. MEST is fully funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Norwegian company Meltwater; a global leader in social and media intelligence headquartered in San Francisco. Learn more at www.meltwater.org 

Media Contact: Leila@meltwater.org 

 

MEST Africa Challenge 2022: Here are the shortlisted startups going into the regional competition stage

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MEST Africa has announced a shortlist of 36 qualified technology startups from 5 African countries who will be going into the regional pitch competition stage of the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge.

The Next Stage of the Competition

MEST has shared some key updates on the MEST Africa Challenge and  the upcoming regional competitions. 

The regional competition stage will see the shortlisted startups placed into 4 main pitching groups that will participate in virtual pitch competitions scheduled to take place between 10th and 13th October 2022. Each pitch competition will be adjudicated by a panel of expert judges from around the continent. 

From the regional pitch stage, 10 finalists will be selected for the next stage, which will consist of  individual interviews with the company  founders. Following the interview stage, 5 startups will be selected, one from each market, to come to Ghana for the Final Pitch Competition and Demo Day.

Speaking on the selection process and changes to the regional competitions, the Director of Portfolio at MEST Africa Melissa Nsiah said:

MAC has been an absolute thrill and we aren’t even at the finals yet! From planning, to launching the actual competition, combing through 100’s of applications, the entire journey to select our top 37 startups to move forward to regional finals has been an exciting learning curve. Moving forward from last year’s fully virtual competition, I am impressed by the planning team’s creative approach in merging both virtual and in person pitch styles to widen our audience and deliver the best overall experience for our partners and contestants alike.

Meet the MAC Regional Finalists:

STARTUP SECTOR COUNTRY
Digistore Fintech Ghana
Wala Digital Health Health Tech Ghana
Swoove Inc Logistics Tech Ghana
AppCycling Ghana LTD E-Waste Management & Recycling Ghana
Utopia Technologies Technology Ghana
GAPhealth Technologies Ltd. Health tech Ghana
Synatech Africa Software as a Service Kenya
Nutritech Solutions Health care Kenya
Afriagrimark Enterprise Limited AgriTech Kenya
MOBI-REMIT SOLUTIONS LIMITED Financial Technology Kenya
EASYHOUSE AFRICA Proptech/Fintech/Edtech Kenya
mSwali Mobile gaming Kenya
Hisa Inc Fintech Kenya
ZEDA BROTHERS LTD (Parent Company)/ Helene ERP/Accounting Nigeria
Mytherapist.ng Mental Health Services Mental Health / Wellness Nigeria
Angel’s Radar Financial Services Nigeria
Fostaco Agriculture Nigeria
Bridge Merchant Enterprise Agritech Nigeria
AWI Agricultural Venture Agri-Tech Nigeria
Sanwo Technologies Limited TrustTech Nigeria
ROYALTI DIGITAL MUSIC SOLUTIONS LIMITED Media & Entertainment Nigeria
Niteon LLC Marketplace, Procurement, Logistics, web 3.0 Nigeria
MyFoodAngels AgricTech/FoodTEch Nigeria
Goods and Services 360 Ltd Clean Cooking Nigeria
Sproutly Inc. Fintech/ Edtech Nigeria
KaCyber Technologies ICT (Transport Tech) Senegal
Kweli SAS / Kweli Inc B2B Marketplace Senegal
INSURIS INSURTECH Sénégal
Sodishop E-commerce/ elogistique Senegal
PROXALYS Retail/Ecommerce Senegal
SENDRA (Sénégalaise de Déconstruction et de Recyclage Automobile) CleanTech Senegal
Dots for Inc. Telecommunication and information technology in African rural areas Senegal
Zimi Charge (Pty) Ltd E-Mobility South Africa
Dove Air Inc Healthcare South Africa
Thumel Technologies Logistic South Africa
Desert Green Africa Agri Investments Agritech South Africa

Key benefits of the program:

  • Funding of up to $50,000 for the winning startup
  • Perk prizes from MEST’s Strategic Partners
  • Global visibility
  • Opportunity to build your networks
  • Professional coaching
  • Mentorship from experts
  • Opportunity to join the global MEST Community for lifetime benefits

Learn more and follow the journeys of the selected startups here. 

About the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge 

In its fourth year, MAC 2022 is a call for technology startups in 5 African markets – Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa to vie for the ultimate prize of USD 50,000 in equity investment. Finalists will gain exclusive access to the MEST Community including expert business coaches and mentors, global investors and a wide selection of perk prizes and packages contributed by MEST partners across the continent. Finalists from each country will attend the MEST Africa Demo Day in Accra, Ghana on December 1st 2022, where they will once again compete on a global stage for up to $50,000 in equity investment and the opportunity to join the MEST Portfolio and global community.

The competition has received thousands of applications from around the continent since its inception. It has spotlighted and impacted the growth of winning startups such as Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, Ghana’s OZE, South Africa’s Snode Technologies, Kenya’s Waya Waya, and Nigeria’s Accounteer.

About MEST Africa:

MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a 12-month program that provides critical skills training in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s burgeoning tech talent. MEST provides seed funding for the best ideas coming out of the program and continues to support the growth and development of its portfolio companies. 

To date, MEST has trained 1000s of entrepreneurs from across the continent and invested in over 80 startups across industries from Agritech, Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce, Digital Media, and Healthcare amongst others. MEST is fully funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Norwegian company Meltwater; a global leader in social and media intelligence headquartered in San Francisco. Learn more at www.meltwater.org 

Media Contact: Leila@meltwater.org

The MEST Africa Challenge is on for 2022

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ACCRA, Ghana, 29th July 2022 – MEST Africa has officially announced the opening of applications for the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge.

Pre-seed to seed stage technology startups in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa are invited to apply to participate in the regional competitions to be held in these countries in October this year. Two finalists will be selected from each country to participate in the final Demo Day Pitch event to be held in Accra, Ghana for the ultimate prize of $50,000 in equity.  

Entries will be accepted till 30th August 2022 through the competition’s online application portal.

Speaking on the 2022 edition of the competition, MEST Africa’s Director of Portfolio, Melissa Nsiah said, “We are excited to bring back this competition to give more African Startups a platform to showcase and build on their unique value in an era where African startups and innovations are taking center stage and gaining global recognition and investments. We look forward to an invigorating season that will increase the drive towards building better businesses in Africa.” 

Run by pan-African training program, seed fund, incubator and hub, MEST Africa, the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) is Africa’s go-to pitch competition for technology startups looking to get to the next level of their growth journey. The challenge provides a stage for technology start-ups to raise funding, build industry networks and gain international visibility that would serve them well in growing and expanding their businesses. 

The competition has received thousands of applications from around the continent since its inception. It has spotlighted and impacted the growth of winning startups such as Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, Ghana’s OZE, South Africa’s Snode Technologies, Kenya’s Waya Waya, and Nigeria’s Accounteer.

Eligibility Criteria for MAC 2022:

  • Pre-seed or seed-stage (have raised $100k total or less cumulatively since inception)
  • Currently generating revenue 
  • Can demonstrate traction in one or more of the five MAC Markets (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal)
  • Has been in operation for 2 years or less
  • Tech-enabled (software company)
  • Industry agnostic
  • Any business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2G etc…)

Key benefits of the program:

  • Funding of up to $50,000
  • Perk prizes from MEST Strategic Partners
  • Global visibility
  • Build your networks
  • Professional coaching
  • Mentorship from experts
  • Join the global MEST Community for lifetime benefits

Learn more and apply here before the 30th August 2022.

Research Report: The Ghanaian Ecosystem of Tech Startups and SMEs

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Ghana has been identified as one of the fastest growing economies in Africa with the potential to do much more with its stable political economy, young dynamic population, growing digital adoption and the bankability of its population. These are factors that have also influenced the growth of technology startups and SMEs in the country who have great ambitions to achieve greater scale and impact.

Our latest report on The Ghanaian Ecosystem of Tech Startups and SMEs explores what all players in Ghana’s business and technology ecosystem can do to unleash the full potential of Ghana’s ecosystem with direct impact on the growth of tech startups and SMEs.

The past three years, though challenging in many ways due to COVID 19, has witnessed exponential growth in startup activity, while the SME space in Ghana remains relatively underdeveloped. Both startups and SMEs are not yet close to creating the level of economic transformation witnessed in upper-middle (UMIC) and high-income countries (HIC) and desired in low-income (LIC) and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC).

The report looks to better understand the potential for increased tech entrepreneurship and innovation in Ghana, and addresses three key questions:

  1. What is the current state of the startup and SME ecosystems in Ghana?
  2. What are the main challenges they face?
  3. What opportunities are there to support startups and SMEs to drive socio-economic progress in Ghana?

Our key recommendations from this report are to significantly increase initiatives for startups and SMEs that increase access to relevant capital for startups and SMEs, deep technical and business skills and services, value chain consolidation and proliferation, and relevant and transformational strategic and operational capacity and capabilities.

The data and findings presented in this report are the outcome of several research efforts conducted by MEST to help inform our strategy and design for three new programs that were rolled out in 2020. These three programs are addressing various challenges within the Ghanaian tech ecosystem for startups and SME:

• Pre-MEST: supporting young people to get digital skills so they can gain digitally-enabled work

• MEST Express: supporting early-stage digitally-enabled startups to grow and accelerate.

• MEST Scale: supporting established SMEs to scale.

Technology is no longer a standalone sector, but a critical cornerstone for how work is and will be done in society. Used properly, technology in startups and SMEs have the amazing ability to positively impact people and communities.

Download the full report for free here.