The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa), in partnership with Absa, has revealed the ten startups participating in the Grand Finale of the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge (MAC).
Taking place in Cape Town on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, the competition will see one startup walk away with a $50,000 equity investment and access to a global network of mentors and investors.
The announcement follows two days of rigorous semi-final pitches held on October 28 and 29, where young innovators from eight African countries showcased products bolstering financial technology across the continent.
Ten startups stood out for their creativity, impact potential, and market readiness.
The finalists include:
- 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); and
- Farmsky (Kenya).
According to Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor and MAC lead at MEST Africa, this year’s cohort represents a new phase of African innovation. “Each year, the Challenge grows not only in reach but in the depth of innovation it attracts. 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 year, the MEST Africa Challenge focuses on FinTech ventures and startups embedding financial solutions into technology systems.
The 2025 edition covers eight of Absa’s nine priority markets, which include Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Uganda, and Zambia, targeting businesses that enhance financial inclusion and digital transformation.
For Absa, the partnership shows its drive to enhance banking through technology. “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 (ARO).
“Many of the solutions are directly relevant to our business, with the potential to enhance customer experience, drive efficiency, and accelerate transformation. We’re excited about the opportunity to turn some of these ideas into meaningful partnerships that deliver value at scale.”
MEST Africa’s long-standing focus on entrepreneurship development has impacted the continent’s tech sector since 2008, having trained over 2,000 entrepreneurs and invested in more than 90 startups.
“What stands out in the Top 10 is how digital innovation is being applied to real market challenges,” said Tawanda Chatikobo, head of Digital – ARO RBB. “From AI-driven insights to seamless payments, these solutions demonstrate how technology can unlock access, efficiency, and financial inclusion. Digital solutions are no longer a luxury – they have become an imperative for the financial sector.”
The 2025 MEST Africa Challenge finale will support the organisation’s mission to enable scalable African ventures, helping them transform industries and drive inclusive growth across the continent.
