Cape Town: The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) has announced the launch of the MEST Africa Challenge 2025, focusing exclusively on FinTech startups. This year's competition aims to spotlight founders who are transforming how money is moved, managed, and insured across the continent. The application period is from July 30 to September 26, 2025, with 20 semi-finalists and 10 grand-finalists set to be selected. The overall winner will receive a US $50,000 equity investment and an opportunity to pilot with strategic partners on a larger scale.
According to African Press Organization, the MEST Africa Challenge is a platform where Africa's most innovative ideas can scale. Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor and MAC Lead at MEST Africa, highlighted the importance of their partnership with Absa in providing capital, expertise, and networks to help promising startups become sector-defining businesses, contributing to inclusive growth across the continent.
With a history of US $30 million invested in over 90 startups and 2,000 entrepreneurs, MEST is one of Africa's most active early-stage tech investors. The 2025 edition of the MEST Africa Challenge strengthens this impact through a strategic partnership with Absa, aligning the competition with the bank's digital-finance priorities.
The MAC 2025 invites early-stage startups in FinTech and other high-value solutions that are operational in at least one of Absa's priority markets, including Botswana, Uganda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, and Ghana. Eligible companies must be three years old or younger, have a minimum monthly recurring revenue of US $5,000, and have raised no more than US $1 million to date. Each venture should consist of at least two co-founders, be able to pitch in English, and while Delaware registration is advantageous, it is not mandatory.
Founders can submit their applications, including a three-minute video pitch, through the online portal starting July 31, 2025. Virtual semi-finals will occur in late October, and the top ten teams will present live in Cape Town at the Grand Finale in late November.