We are excited to announce that applications are open for the MEST Training Program 2022!
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.
Important Dates
- Applications open: 1st March, 2021
- Applications close: 29th April, 2021
- Program starts: 1st September 2021
- Program ends: 31st August 2022
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
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
Application steps
Step 1. Complete all these pre-learning courses:
- Intro to Agile
- Design Thinking for Beginners
- Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner
- Web development
- HTML & CSS
- Javascript
- Git
- Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
- Business Modeling Canvas
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.
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