MEST Africa and Absa Announce Top 10 Finalists for the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge

The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa), in partnership with Absa, has unveiled the Top 10 finalists for the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) 2025, a leading Pan-African pitch competition supporting early-stage technology startups driving digital innovation across the continent.

Following two days of intensive semi-final pitches held on 28 and 29 October, ten innovative ventures emerged from a highly competitive pool of applicants across eight African markets. All finalists demonstrated strong potential to scale, while delivering meaningful impact in FinTech and digital financial solutions.

The Top 10 finalists are:

• mystocks.africa (Botswana)
• Credify Africa Inc (Uganda)
• Logistify AI (Kenya)
• Kutana Technologies Ltd (Ghana)
• Investa Farm (Kenya)
• Black Swan (Mauritius)
• Mighty Finance Solution Inc (Zambia)
• Devdraft AI (Zambia)
• Kanzu Finance Ltd (Uganda)
• Farmsky (Kenya)

“Each year, the Challenge grows not only in reach but in the depth of innovation it attracts,” said Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor and MAC Lead at MEST Africa. “We’re seeing founders build financial systems that are inclusive, intelligent, and unmistakably African. The Top 10 exemplify the kind of purposeful innovation driving Africa’s next wave of growth.”

Now in its seventh edition, the MEST Africa Challenge focuses on FinTech ventures and startups building embedded financial solutions across eight of Absa’s priority markets: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Uganda and Zambia.

“Our ambition is to reimagine financial services through technology, and the innovations presented by these FinTechs showcase what’s possible,” said Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation for Technology at Absa Regional Operations. “Many of the solutions have the potential to enhance customer experience, drive efficiency, and strengthen digital transformation. We look forward to exploring partnerships that deliver value at scale.”

The finalists will now progress to the Grand Finale in Cape Town on 26 November 2025, where one winner will receive:

• USD $50,000 in equity investment
• Access to MEST Africa’s global network of mentors, partners and investors
• An opportunity to collaborate with Absa on technology development and commercial rollout

“What stands out in the Top 10 is how digital solutions are being applied to real market challenges,” said Tawanda Chatikobo, Head of Digital – ARO RBB. “From AI-driven insights to seamless payments, these innovations prove that technology is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for financial inclusion and efficiency.”

Since its founding in 2008, MEST Africa has trained more than 2,000 entrepreneurs and invested in over 90 technology startups across the continent. The annual MEST Africa Challenge remains a flagship initiative supporting high-potential African innovators.

For more information on MAC 2025, visit: https://Meltwater.org/MAC