Applications Open for $50,000 MEST Africa Challenge 2024 Focused on Agritech Startups

2024-08-27 10:26:17 | By Staff Writer


Agritech entrepreneurs in West Africa have a unique opportunity to accelerate their businesses with the launch of the 2024 MEST Africa Challenge. This prestigious competition, now in its sixth edition, offers early-stage startups the chance to compete for $50,000 in equity funding, along with access to a global network of resources and mentorship.


The MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) 2024, organized by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy, is specifically targeting agritech startups this year. The competition aims to identify and support innovative entrepreneurs who are addressing critical challenges in the agricultural sector across West Africa.


With the theme "Find Your Soil," the challenge emphasizes the importance of providing startups with the right environment, resources, and support to grow and succeed.


Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor at MEST Africa, highlighted the significance of this year's focus on agritech.

“'Find Your Soil' is a call to action for AgriTech innovators to discover the ideal environment where their vision can flourish. Through the MEST Africa Challenge, we aim to support this ecosystem by providing the necessary resources, visibility, and strategic support for these entrepreneurs to thrive,” he explained.


Eligibility for the competition is straightforward but competitive. The challenge is open to early-stage agritech startups that have been operational for three years or less. These startups must be generating a minimum of $5,000 in monthly recurring revenue, with evidence of this revenue over at least six months.


Additionally, startups should not have raised more than $1 million in cumulative funding. The competition is open to startups from 14 West African countries,

  1. Benin
  2. Cape Verde
  3. Côte D’Ivoire
  4. Gambia
  5. Ghana
  6. Guinea
  7. Guinea-Bissau
  8. Liberia
  9. Mauritania
  10. Nigeria
  11. Senegal
  12. Sierra Leone
  13. Mali
  14. Togo


The application process for the MEST Africa Challenge 2024 is conducted in five stages, beginning with an online application and culminating in a final demo day in Accra. The top 20 semi-finalists will be selected by October 14, 2024, with virtual semi-finals scheduled for October 29 and 30. The top five finalists will then advance to the final round.


Winning the MEST Africa Challenge offers more than just the $50,000 equity investment. Successful applicants will also gain access to MEST’s extensive portfolio resources, strategic partnerships, and a year of professional business coaching, all designed to help them scale their businesses and maximize their impact.


Since its inception, MEST Africa has invested over $30 million in training more than 2,000 entrepreneurs and launching 90 early-stage tech startups. This year’s challenge presents an unparalleled opportunity for agritech entrepreneurs to “Find Their Soil” and take their businesses to the next level.


Applications are open until October 4, 2024, so if you're an agritech entrepreneur ready to grow your startup, now is the time to apply and seize this transformative opportunity. Apply on this site