12-month graduate-level training

Application Deadline:29th April, 2021

MEST offers a 12-month graduate-level training to aspiring entrepreneurs across the African continent.

The entrepreneurial training program in business, communications and software development includes extensive hands-on project work, culminating in a final pitch and the chance to receive seed investment and grow businesses.

The successful world-class training program is run with the help of an internationally recognized faculty. Our teaching fellows hail from some of the best universities around the world like Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, etc. We also offer our entrepreneurs-in-training (EITs) the opportunity to be mentored by real-life Entrepreneurs, CEOs and other executives from all over the world. Guest lectures have been executives of Uber, Facebook, Safaricom, Samsung, Interswitch, and many more.

Since inception in 2008, MEST has invested over $22m in training over 350 individual entrepreneurs and funded 60+ software companies across Africa. MEST entrepreneurs have developed solutions addressing local, regional and global markets, received follow-on funding from global investors, and gotten into top accelerator programs such as Y-combinator, 500 startups and TechStars.

As COVID-19 has changed the way organizations operate around the world, causing travel restrictions and moving many workplaces to adopt digital solutions, the Training Program for 2022 will focus on entrepreneurs who live in Ghana and Nigeria.

Benefits

The MEST Training Program is fully-sponsored and requires no financial payments to MEST. This is a full-time program that requires you to be available to attend all classes and sessions.

Candidate Profile

A degree from a top university or Technical College or equivalent experience with at least two (2) years corporate and startup experience (preferred)
Deep skills in either communications, business or software development (from the onset or acquired during the Pre-Learning stage)
Young persons crazy about tech and entrepreneurship, and how to use technology to achieve business results
Should be ready to commit to a full residential program for a whole year
Disciplined, motivated self-starter who can work and deliver on assignments and projects – demonstrate this by completing the required Pre-Learning courses and MEST’s rigorous recruitment process
An entrepreneurial spirit and strong desire to start a company
Ability to communicate candidly and persuasively
Ability to work well in teams, proven academic or professional excellence
Demonstrated leadership abilities
Confident and independent thinking
Excellent people skills

Curriculum Overview

Building Sustainable Teams
Market Research
Product Development and Innovation
Revenue and Business Modeling
Branding and Communications
Marketing and Growth Hacking
Financial Management and Investments
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Metrics and Measurements
Sales and Traction (achieving product/market fit)
Preparing for investments

Application steps

Step 1. Complete all these pre-learning courses:

Note: On completion of your first course on the IBM Digital Nation Africa portal, you will be guided to create an account on youracclaim.com. Once this is done, all subsequent badges earned from courses 1 – 7 will be automatically posted on to Acclaim. You can grab your profile link by clicking on the profile icon and selecting ‘view my profile’.

Step 2. Take an Aptitude Test

You are required to take the Aptitude Test as your score will be requested when filling your application form and will determine your move to the next stage. Please follow this link to take the test.

Step 3. Complete the MEST Training Program Application Form

Please follow this link to complete the application form.

Applications close on April, 29th 2021. All assessments and the application form must be completed and submitted by this date. Selected candidates will be contacted for individual and group interviews.

Important Dates

Applications open: 1st March, 2021
Applications close: 29th April, 2021
Program starts: 1st September 2021
Program ends: 31st August 2022

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the MEST Africa Entrepreneurial Training Program 2021/2022

Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Africa Entrepreneurial Training Program 2021/2022 for young African Entrepreneurs (Fully Sponsored)