Applications open for virtual VC4A seed-stage venture showcase
July 30, 2020
New GeoPoll App aims at broadening its remote surveying capabilities
August 4, 2020
9 Startups to Compete in US$50,000 MEST Africa Challenge 2020 Finale on 12th August
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), which will see nine startups battle it out for the ultimate price of USD 50000.
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.
The LIVE event will be streamed on Zoom at 3 pm GMT, on 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.
As the Challenge has moved online this year, MEST has also announced a new element to the 2020 finale – the Community Choice Vote. Audience members will now have the opportunity to vote for their favourite 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).
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, the 2020 MEST Africa Challenge finalists are:
- Debo Engineering Plc (Ethiopia)
- 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)
- PopUp Shop Shop (South Africa)
To follow the event live, registration is now open and completely free here
The 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.
