The MEST Africa Challenge continues to shape Africa’s tech ecosystem by empowering early-stage founders with capital, coaching and global visibility. As Africa’s premier startup pitch competition, this initiative brings together investors, ecosystem leaders and innovators from across the continent.
Moreover, the 6th edition of the competition focused strongly on agritech, recognizing the sector’s immense potential to drive sustainable development and economic growth across West Africa.
Why the MEST Africa Challenge Matters
The MEST Africa Challenge serves as more than just a pitch event. Instead, it creates a launchpad for scalable African startups.
As MEST deepens its influence across the tech landscape, the competition connects emerging entrepreneurs with strategic partners, investors and mentors. Consequently, startups gain access to resources that help them build resilient businesses that improve African economies and livelihoods.
Unlike many startup competitions, this initiative emphasizes both financial investment and long-term ecosystem integration.
What Winners of the MEST Africa Challenge Receive
The winning startup of the MEST Africa Challenge receives:
- Investment capital
- Coaching and mentorship
- Access to a global network of partners
- Visibility across Africa’s tech ecosystem
In addition, finalists gain exposure to investors and ecosystem stakeholders. Therefore, even participants who do not win often secure partnerships and funding opportunities.
Target Countries for the MEST Africa Challenge
For the 2024 edition, the MEST Africa Challenge focused on West Africa, specifically:
Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
By concentrating on these key markets, the competition strengthened regional innovation hubs and encouraged cross-border collaboration.
Eligibility Criteria for the MEST Africa Challenge
To qualify, startups had to meet the following requirements:
- Early-stage agritech startup
- Minimum $5,000 monthly recurring revenue
- $0–$1M funding raised
- 3 years or less in operation
- At least 6 months of recurring revenue
- Operate in one of the 14 eligible countries
- At least 2 founding team members
- Pitch in English
Although Delaware registration was preferred, it was not mandatory.
Because the competition emphasized traction and scalability, only startups demonstrating measurable impact progressed to later stages.
Timeline of the MEST Africa Challenge 2024
- Applications opened: 26 August 2024
- Applications closed: 4 October 2024
- Top 20 announced: 14 October 2024
- Virtual semi-finals: 29–30 October 2024
- In-person finals: Date announced later
The competition concluded with SAYeTECH securing $50,000 in funding, further proving the program’s credibility and impact.
How the MEST Africa Challenge Strengthens Agritech
This year, the MEST Africa Challenge introduced a strong agritech focus. Because agriculture drives employment and food security across West Africa, innovative solutions in this sector remain critical.
Through technology-driven farming, supply chain optimization and data-powered agriculture, startups can unlock sustainable growth. Therefore, this pitch competition positioned itself as a catalyst for long-term transformation.
