MEST Announces Winners of it MEST Express 2020 Cohort

Three Ghanaian startups have been selected to receive equity-free grant funding and support from the MEST and Mastercard Foundation after emerging top performers from the beta 2020 cohort of the MEST Express accelerator program.

MEST is currently running 3 programs in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation through Young Africa Works, the program are MEST Express, Pre-MEST, and MEST Scale. A 10-year plan has been put in place to enable three million young Ghanaians to access dignified and fulfilling work.

MEST express aims to equip early-stage startups with the resources needed to accelerate their growth. With the 2021 cohort currently underway, MEST announced the winners of the 2020 beta cohort at a finals event held at its incubator space in Accra and broadcast virtually.

Bosea, a mobile technology and data science company that provides mobile loans in Ghana emerged winners and will receive $10,000 in grant funding towards the development of its Credify product.

Wegoo, a platform that supports small businesses with affordable and reliable on-demand delivery services, and Motito, which helps users pay for essential items over time were first and second runners-up respectively. Wegoo will receive $6,000 while Motito will receive $4,000 to support their operations.

According to Felix Darko, MEST Express program manager “When we launched the MEST Express program last year, we knew there was a need for an accelerator that was specifically designed to address the critical needs of startups in Ghana due to the effects of the pandemic. Seeing these companies’ growth over the past several months reinforces the fact that we are on the right track. I am very proud of the cohort and the grant winners. Bosea is a shining example that hard work, perseverance, and a clear vision can see you through the toughest times and even leave you stronger for it”.