MEST AFRICA challenge - Afrikan Heroes

MEST Africa Challenge Shortlists 36 Startups

October 15, 2022

Thirty-six startups from across the continent have been shortlisted for the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge, the winner of which will secure US$50,000 in equity funding.

Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training programme, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent.

To date, it has trained thousands of entrepreneurs from across the continent and invested in over 80 startups. The MEST Africa Challenge is open to pre-seed to seed-stage technology startups in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and South Africa, where regional competitions will be held in October.

Thirty-six (36) qualified technology startups from those five countries have now been selected for the regional pitch competition stage of the challenge, after which two finalists will be selected from each country to participate in the final in Accra, competing for the ultimate prize of US$50,000 in equity.

Nigeria accounts for the largest share of selected companies, with Zeda Brothers, Mytherapist, Angel’s Radar, Fostaco, Bridge Merchant Enterprise, AWI Agricultural Venture, Sanwo Technologies, Royalti Digital, Niteon, MyFoodAngels, Goods and Services 360, and Sproutly.

The selected Ghanaian startups are Digistore, Wala Digital Health, Swoove, AppCycling, Utopia Technologies, and GAPhealth. The Kenyan ones are Synatech, Nutritech, Afriagrimark, Mobi-Remit, EasyHouse Africa, mSwali, and Hisa.

The Senegalese finalists are KaCyber Technologies, Kweli SAS, Insuris, Sodishop, Proxalys, and Dots for Inc, and the South African ventures are Zimi Charge, Dove Air, Thumel Technologies, and Desert Green Africa Agri Investments.

“The MEST Africa Challenge has been an absolute thrill and we aren’t even at the finals yet. From planning, to launching the actual competition, combing through hundreds of applications, the entire journey to select our top 36 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,” said Melissa Nsiah, director of portfolio at MEST Africa.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Applications For $50K MEST Africa Challenge 2022 Now Open

August 4, 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 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 business 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.

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

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

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.

MEST Africa Challenge 2022 MEST Africa Challenge 2022

South African Fintech SME Funder Retail Capital Acquired By TymeBank

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert.
As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard. You can book a session and speak with him using the link: https://insightsbyexperts.com/view_expert/charles-rapulu-udoh

Kilimo Fresh Tanzania Nets $50k Equity Funding at MEST Africa Challenge

August 15, 2020

The MEST Africa Challenge which involves startups across select African countries has a winner in Tanzanian agri-tech startup Kilimo Fresh, a digital distributor of fresh produce to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, institutions, wholesalers and export markets, has been named winner of the MEST Africa Challenge, winning US$50,000 in equity investment. The competition which involved startups from Ethiopia, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa were selected to take part in the MEST Africa Challenge, run by pan-African training programme, seed fund, incubator and hub MEST Africa.

The competition which was aimed at post-revenue, tech-enabled startups that want to expand into new markets has had three winners in the last three years and they all were offered the winning company US$50,000 in equity investment, plus access to Microsoft support, coaching, and a continent-wide network of startup hubs.

The select startups participated in a virtual pitch event which took place within the week after which the winning presentation from Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh was named the winner. The startup is developing digital farming solutions, and will now benefit from MEST support and funding. Ethiopia’s Debo Engineering, which matches farmers with agro service providers, was awarded the community prize.

Organisers of the event hope that such exposures is needed for African startups not only to build the much needed connections with others across the continent, but it will also help them share experiences and equally enable governments and organizations understand the challenges facing startups across the continent and also help create friendly environment for positive startup ecosystems across Africa.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

MEST Africa Challenge Looking To Invest Up To $50,000 In African Startups

April 4, 2020

The MEST Africa Challenge returns for its third year, offering up to $50,000 in equity investment for startups based in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sénégal, South Africa and Tanzania.

The MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) is now accepting applications from tech software entrepreneurs in nine emerging markets in Africa. Expanding from last year’s reach, the 2020 pitch competition is targeting startups in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sénégal, South Africa and Tanzania.

The MEST Africa Challenge is a search for Africa’s emerging tech entrepreneurs with the aim of providing them with investment capital, coaching, and access to a continent-wide network of startup hubs. MEST has been strengthening the ecosystem for tech startup success since 2008.

Now in its third year, the MEST Africa Challenge is a trans-continental pitch competition offering up to $50,000 in equity investment to talented entrepreneurs as they build and scale successful businesses that add value to African economies.

As the Covid-19 pandemic develops, the startup regional pitch competitions will have to move to digital if the need arises. The regional finalists will pitch in the final competition in June 2020 (TBC). There they will compete in front of global expert judges for $50,000 in equity investment and the opportunity to join the Africa-wide MEST incubator community.

“There is more talent in Africa than there are opportunities. This is what we’ve learned after twelve years of training, funding, and supporting tech founders and startups. In order to bring more investment to African economies and strengthen the tech ecosystem (as a whole) for startups to thrive, we’ve expanded the MEST Africa Challenge to four new markets this year,” said Ashwin Ravichandran, managing director, MEST.

Apply now!

Applications for this year’s challenge are now open. You can find more information and apply here. All business leaders with post-revenue startups, in any vertical, from Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sénégal, South Africa and Tanzania are encouraged to apply.

Regional pitch events will be held on the following dates, at MEST Hub locations or local partners spaces:

Lagos, Nigeria: Friday, 1 May
Johannesburg, South Africa: Monday, 4 May
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Friday, 8 May
Accra, Ghana: Monday, 11 May
Nairobi, Kenya: Monday, 11 May
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: Tuesday, 12 May
Kigali, Rwanda: Thursday, 14 May
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Monday, 18 May
Dakar, Sénégal: Friday, 22 May

Application Criteria

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 nine MAC Markets (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda)
Has been in operations for 2 years or less
Tech-enabled (software company)
Industry agnostic
Any business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2G, etc…)
All applications and pitches must be in English

Application closes 18 April 2020

Apply here for the 2020 MEST Africa Challenge

Due to Covid-19, MEST currently advises against all non-essential local and international travel. The startup regional pitch competitions will have to move to digital if the need arises.

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer.
He could be contacted at udohrapulu@gmail.com