Pan-African entrepreneurial training program, seed fund, and incubator Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) announced a partnership with Mettā Nairobi to offer incubator space for Kenya-based MEST alumni, as part of efforts to strengthen its presence across the continent.
MEST alumni in Nairobi will receive access to working space, events and Mettā’s global network.
In the past few years, MEST has expanded the recruitment for its training program beyond Ghana to include Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and, Ivory Coast.
MEST has also invested in over 40 African startups. The Nairobi space will act as an extension of the flagship Accra incubator, offering support to graduates beyond the MEST training program.
“MEST’s scope and resources for incubator companies and alumni has been focused on Pan-African expansion and scaling.
This partnership with Metta only adds to that value proposition, enabling a clear network effect with a like-minded African ecosystem player that has global roots,” said Katie Sarro, MEST Director of Partnerships.
“We’re extremely excited to put our combined expertise together to support MEST alumni currently doing business in Nairobi or those looking to expand to East Africa in the near future.”
Mettā is a global entrepreneur network that connects people, ideas, and resources. So far, it has branches in Hong Kong and Nairobi.
“With Mettā and MEST both having founders at the centre of their operations and DNA, it was easy to come together and partner to have the MEST cohort call Mettā home,” said Mettā’s General Manager Maurice Otieno. “MEST and Mettā have always been happy working together. This is just a culmination of our wonderful relationship.”
“MEST is doing a great job spreading the wings of entrepreneurship and technology all over Africa and the world.
And, with Nairobi being at the forefront of technology innovation in Africa, we can only be happy welcoming MEST to Kenya through the partnership with Mettā and under the leadership of Aaron Fu”, said Stella Ngugi, a Nairobi based MEST Class of 2017 alumna and CEO of Jobonics.
“As recent alumni, we are confident that this new partnership will enable all alumni and, members of the MEST & Mettā networks to work together to achieve the common agenda of advancing Africa and the world through the use of software. The world is a small village. And MEST proves this true.”
In order to offer MEST companies and alumni a similar level of support to what they had at MEST Accra in their respective countries, MEST has doubled down on its expansion plans for its Incubation arm to the rest of the continent. Additional Incubator launches are planned in key African markets later in 2017.
