Mest Africa Challenge 2020 Finale

This year, MEST has partnered with Microsoft to bring the continent the best virtual pitch competition experience in Africa – the 2020 MEST Africa Challenge (virtual edition). After an exciting two months of virtual country-level competitions in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, nine country-winners will now go head to head for the ultimate prize, $50,000 in equity funding, support from MEST’s hubs and community, and amazing prizes from our partners.

Join us LIVE on Zoom at 3pm GMT, August 12th, 2020…

to watch some of the continent’s top tech innovators pitch their businesses to a panel of industry expert judges, local ecosystem partners, the MEST Africa team and a global audience at the MEST Africa Challenge Finale. It is sure to be an exciting display of Africa’s most promising tech talent!

As the Challenge has moved online this year, we are excited to announce g a new element to the 2020 finale – the Community Choice Vote.

Audience members will now have the opportunity to vote for their favorite startup during the event to award them with support from the MEST community (networks, mentorship, training, access to industry players, co-working space and more). Join us to cast yours!

MEST Founder and CEO, Jorn Lyseggen will be on the judging panel along with Chris Lwanga (Senior Director of Software Partnerships at Microsoft), Teresa Mbagaya (Principal of Imaginable Futures) and Andreata Muforo (Partner at TLCom Capital)

Announcing this year’s lineup of country winners, our 2020 MEST Africa Challenge finalists:

• Debo Engineering Plc (Ethiopia)
• Fundis LLC (Kenya)
• Tutoo+ (Côte d’Ivoire)
• BAG Innovation (Rwanda)
• Oniocha Ltd (Ghana)
• Kilimofresh Foods Africa Ltd (Tanzania)
• Mousso Africa (Senegal)
• Gradely (Nigeria)
• TBA (South Africa)

Tune in for what promises to be one of the most exciting tech startup pitch competitions on the continent. Registration is now open and completely free.

Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Time: 3PM GMT | 4PM WAT | 5PM SAST/CAT | 6PM EAT

See you there!

More information about the MEST Africa Challenge:

This MEST Africa Challenge expanded from five markets to nine this year, embracing early-stage companies based in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, and providing the opportunity for the Challenge organizers – MEST, lead partner – Microsoft, and other South African ecosystem partners; VC4A, Levers In Heels, Royal Work Club, 250 Startups, Movemeback, Klab, Afrilabs, BriterBridges, Founders Factory, Silicon Cape, Code Bridge, Startup 90, Innovation Hub, and Merck Group to support even more startups through funding and resources.

Now in its fourth year, the MEST Africa Challenge has become an establishment in the start-up technology industry, giving an unprecedented global platform to hundreds of local tech entrepreneurs in Africa.

More information 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 support in software development, business, and communications 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.