The MEST AI Startup Programme is an incubator by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) that funds and supports early-stage AI startups founded by African entrepreneurs, providing training, mentorship, and networking to help them scale. It exists to foster tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa, with a focus on AI-driven solutions.

- Founder must be African (e.g., Nigerian) and based in Africa or willing to relocate. - Startup must be AI-focused, with a clear application of AI/ML in the product or service. - Stage: early-stage (pre-seed/seed) with a prototype or MVP; proof-of-concept is a plus. - Team: strong technical and business capabilities; solo founders are considered but team dynamics matter. - Scalability: potential for large market impact and growth. - Coachability: openness to mentorship and program structure. - Innovation: novelty of the AI application and competitive advantage. - Business model: clarity on revenue generation and market fit.

Past cohorts include African founders building AI solutions across sectors like fintech, healthtech, agritech, and logistics. Typical winners are early-stage startups with a working prototype, a clear AI component, and a founder with strong domain expertise. Named examples are not available on the page, but MEST has a track record of supporting ventures like those in their alumni network.

The ideal applicant is an African founder with a technical background, building an AI-first startup with a validated prototype and a clear path to market. They should be coachable, have a scalable business model, and be ready to commit to an intensive incubation program.