Founded in 2008 by the Meltwater Foundation, MEST Africa is a Pan-African training program, seed fund and incubator, with a goal of equipping the continent’s most promising tech entrepreneurs with the skills required to launch and scale globally successful software companies.
Every year, aspiring entrepreneurs with a strong interest in technology and entrepreneurship from across Africa apply and compete for 60 open spots at the fully sponsored 1-year training program in Accra, Ghana, where they receive access to intensive training, expert mentorship and the largest network of tech startups on the continent.
MEST entrepreneurs have developed solutions addressing local & global markets, received external follow-on funding from global investors, and have gained admittance to top accelerator programs such as Y-Combinator, 500 Startups and TechStars.
Since its inception, MEST has invested over $20million into training 400+ individual entrepreneurs and invested in over 50 early stage tech startups.
| Website | https://meltwater.org/ |
| Location | Accra, Ghana |
| Targets | Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa |
| Sectors | Agritech, Computer software, Fintech, Mobile, Software as a Service |
Out of nearly 1000 applicants from across the continent, 10 finalists were chosen to pitch at the regional finals in Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Cape… read more
50 scale-ups have been selected. The second annual MEST Africa Challenge regional finals will take place February 27 and 28 in Accra, Lagos, Nairobi,… read more
The MEST Africa Challenge returns for its second year, offering up to $50k in equity investment for startups based in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South… read more
Recently I chaired two panels at the annual Africa Technology Business Forum in London which brings together entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and enthusiasts to discuss… read more
Thea Sokolowski 
Andrew Sekandi