Pre-seed to seed stage technology startups in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa are invited to apply to participate.
MEST Africa has officially announced the opening of applications for the 2022 MEST Africa Challenge. The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) is an Africa-wide technology entrepreneur training program, seed fund, and incubator headquartered in Accra, Ghana.
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 held in these countries in October this year. In addition, two finalists will be selected from each country to participate in the final Demo Day Pitch event 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 that MEST Africa is excited to bring back this competition to give more African startups a platform to showcase and build on their unique value.
“We are excited to bring this back because this is a time when more 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,” she said.
Run by a 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 two years or less
- Tech-enabled (software company)
- Industry agnostic
- Any business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2G etc.…)
Key benefits of the program:
Funding up to $50,000 is one of the program’s main advantages. Benefits from lifelong membership in the global MEST Community include perk awards from MEST Strategic Partners, global visibility, building your networks, expert professional counselling, and mentorship.
About MEST Africa
MEST is an Africa-wide technology entrepreneur training program, internal seed fund, and network of hubs offering incubation for technology startups in Africa. Founded in Ghana in 2008, MEST provides critical skills training, funding, and software development, business, and communications support to Africa’s tech entrepreneurs.
Hubs are located in Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; Cape Town, South Africa; and Nairobi, Kenya. MEST is funded by the Meltwater Foundation, the non-profit arm of Meltwater, a global leader in media intelligence and Outside Insight.
