Pitch Your Startup and Win $50,000 in Equity – MEST Africa Challenge 2025

MEST Africa, in partnership with Absa, is inviting early-stage African tech and fintech startups to take part in the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge — a continent-wide pitch competition offering not just funding, but visibility, mentorship, and commercial traction.

Benefits

– $50,000 equity investment for one outstanding startup.
– Entry into the MEST Portfolio, unlocking ongoing support and mentorship.
– Opportunity to pilot your product with Absa business units – a powerful commercial proving ground.
– Exposure to partner perks and exclusive prize packages from sponsors.

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MEST Africa Challenge : Eligibility & Focus

– Early to growth-stage startups (less than 3 years in operation).
– Minimum monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of $5,000, sustained for at least 6 months.
– Cumulative funding raised must be ≤ $1 million.
– Operate in at least one of eight Absa markets: Botswana, Uganda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, or Ghana.
– At least two co-founders, and ability to pitch in English.
– Registration as a Delaware C-corp, or in a neutral jurisdiction, is preferred but not mandatory.
– Solutions should align with fintech and adjacent value chains, covering areas like smart credit, alt‑lending, fraud detection, personalised financial platforms, agri‑tech, payments and wallets, and more.

Timeline

– Applications open: 4 August 2025.
– Deadline: 26 September 2025.
– Top 20 announced: 10 October 2025.
– Virtual semi-finals: Week of 27 October 2025.
– In-person finals in Cape Town: Week of 24 November 2025.

Learn More & How to Apply

You’ll find the full application details, FAQs, and submission portal on MEST’s official site. Click “Apply” and follow the prompts to submit your pitch.
Click here to visit Mest Africa application Page

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