KWELY wins The 2022 MEST Africa Challenge

MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training program, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. It was founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen. MEST is a 12-month program that provides critical skills training in software development, business, and communications to Africa’s burgeoning tech talent. It also provides seed funding for the best ideas coming out of the program and continues to support the growth and development of its portfolio companies.

The 2022 MEST Africa Challenge was the fourth of its kind. This year, it called for technology startups in 5 African markets – Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa in the pan-African tech-startup pitch competition. The competion, held in Accra, culminated a four-month period of shortlisting over 500 tech startups from 5 African countries.Kwely, the digital made-in-Africa products distribution platform founded by Birame Sock, a Senegalese entrepreneur was announced winner of the competition on December 1 2022. The Senegalese startup emerged as the winner out of four other startup finalists from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, making it the First Senegalese Female-founded tech startup to join the MEST Portfolio.

Winning the MEST Africa Challenge really means a lot to me and the Kwely Team. The journey of an entrepreneur is never easy but it really is a passion from my heart. Getting this recognition gives us the push and confidence that we need to forge ahead. When things get difficult, it is important to remember that we have a network of amazing people around us who are rooting for us.

– Birame Sock, founder and CEO of Kwely.