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: 12th May, 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
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