MEST Opens 2027 AI Startup Programme Applications in Accra With Up to $100,000 at Stake
Updated
Updated · - Disrupt Africa · May 25
MEST Opens 2027 AI Startup Programme Applications in Accra With Up to $100,000 at Stake
3 articles · Updated · - Disrupt Africa · May 25
MEST has opened applications for the second edition of its AI Startup Programme, targeting African founders aged 21-35 in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya for the 2027 intake.
The fully funded programme runs for 7 months of training in Accra, followed by a 4-month incubation phase for top ventures to refine products, gain traction and sharpen go-to-market plans.
Startups that complete incubation can pitch for pre-seed investment of up to $100,000 and join MEST's portfolio.
MEST says the programme is meant to help African entrepreneurs build AI companies that can compete globally, drawing training support from experts linked to OpenAI, Perplexity, Google and Meltwater.
The launch extends MEST's 18-year push to train and back software founders across Africa as it retools its flagship support around the fast-growing AI sector.
Beyond the $100k prize, what is MEST's strategy for scaling its AI startups globally?
Does Africa's 'adoption over sophistication' AI strategy risk long-term technological dependency?