Application Deadline: October 9, 2023
The MEST Africa Challenge is a Pan-African pitch competition for early-stage technology startups seeking to ramp up traction and growth. Join the 5th year of the MEST Africa Challenge to unlock funding mentorship, and unparalleled opportunities to propel your startup’s success. As part of this prestigious competition, founders stand a chance to win the coveted USD 50,000 in equity, gain global recognition, and become part of MEST Africa’s lifelong supportive community.
Benefits
• Stand the chance of winning $50,000 in equity
• Gain global visibility from investors & potential partners
• Get lifetime benefits from MEST’s community
• Win prizes from MEST strategic partners
Eligibility criteria
• Early-stage technology startup
• Operational in either Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa or Senegal
• Monthly Recurring Revenue: A minimum of $5k
• Funding raised: $0 to $1M cumulative
• Years in existence: 3 years and below
• Traction: At least 6 months of recurring revenue
• Founding team: At least 2 founding team members
• Registered in Delaware (This is preferred)
• Any industry
• Any business model (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2G etc…)
• All participants must pitch in English
Video Pitch Guidelines
• The video duration should be a maximum of 3 minutes and can be taken with a mobile phone.
• The applicant must appear on camera for the pitch. This means that animated videos, videos with text and a voiceover, etc. cannot be used as the pitch.
• Applicants will not be scored on video quality, as the focus will be on the pitch itself, however, the applicant must ensure s/he is visible and audible.
• The pitch must be made in English.
Timeline
• Application opens: 28th August 2023
• Application closes: 9th October 2023
• Regional Finalist Announcement: 3rd November 2023
• Regional Finals: 20th November 2023 – 24th November 2023
• Finalist announcement: 27th November 2023
• Final Demo Day: December 2023
Visit the Official Webpage of MEST Africa Challenge to access more information
Click HERE to apply