Happy Holidays from MEST Africa!
Dear MEST Community,
We’d like to thank each and every one of you for being a part of MEST Africa’s success in 2019.
MEST Africa is built on the idea that talent is everywhere, but the opportunity is not. At MEST, our success is not based on our organization alone but instead goes hand-in-hand with the success of the entrepreneurs and startups we support. Through our Training Program, Incubator, Community, Marketing, Business Development, Recruitment, and Operations teams, we are constantly striving to provide the necessary tools, resources, and encouragement to create successful African tech entrepreneurs. In 2019, we celebrated portfolio companies Nvoicia winning Seedstars Ghana 2019, Complete Farmer being chosen for Village Capital Africa Accelerator, Kweza launching operations in South Africa, CodeLn launching its online marketplace for African tech talent, to name just a few.
MEST Africa trains, mentors, and funds the next generation of world-class software entrepreneurs from across the continent. This year, success looked like a record-breaking $1.1M investment into 11 new companies entering the MEST Portfolio, welcoming 56 entrepreneurs from across 14 countries to the MEST Training Program Class of 2020, full revamps of two of our Hub spaces in Accra and Nairobi, and our biggest MEST Alumni reunion to date. Our portfolio companies are actively working across the continent in key markets including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. We executed programs with partners such as Airbus, GIZ, and IFC, and, now more than ever, we are focusing on expanding the number of growth opportunities we offer to our entire community. Thank you all for being a part of these achievements!
Although 2019 was full of many wonderful highlights, we also said goodbye to some beloved, long-time staff members as they began their next chapters. As we like to say, “Once a MESTer, always a MESTer.” MEST would also like to commemorate the loss of Jason Spindler, who we will always hold in our hearts as cherished members of our community.
After reflecting on this past year, we look toward the future. 2020 promises new opportunities for learning, engaging, and connecting. MEST looks forward to collaborating with the entire African tech ecosystem more than ever, as we all support aspiring entrepreneurs and enable their startups to succeed across the continent and beyond.
We thank you for contributing your passion, ideas, and energy to the MEST Community these past twelve months, and we look forward to another incredible year with you all!
Cheers,
Ashwin Ravichandran
Managing Director
MEST Africa
