MEST trains new Ghanaian ‘techpreneurs’ for global market

A new crop of Ghanaian entrepreneurs are set to establish their own technology start-ups after graduating from the Meltwater Group school here in Accra last week.

Numbering up to 12, the Class of 2013 software entrepreneurs graduated from the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) after a two-year programme in software development, entrepreneurship, finance and communications.

“The objective for us is to create globally successful software entrepreneurs,” Jorn Lyseggen, Founder and CEO of Meltwater Group told ghanabusinessnews.com in an interview.

This is the fifth batch of trainees from MEST since its establishment in 2008, and the non-profit making entity has so far invested over $1.5 million in tech start-ups in the Ghanaian capital.

According to MEST, the graduating class received knowledge from faculty and teaching fellows with in-depth international experience. MBA consultants from Oxford University as well as guest lecturers contributed to preparing the graduates for the global market.

The Class of 2013 is said to have pitched its business ideas to the MEST Incubator investment board for funding and a place in the MEST incubator.

Mr Lyseggen told ghanabusinessnews.com “they’ve already got funding” to create their companies and they will have access to global advisors and mentors.

He indicated that MEST equally distributes talent and not opportunities. “We hope to create role models that in turn inspire the upcoming generation to become successful software entrepreneurs,” Mr Lyseggen added.

The MEST Incubator currently hosts ten start-ups out of 13 formed by 139 entrepreneurs who have had training from the school.

Mr Lyseggen also said there are plans to expand the incubator to accommodate new and future start-ups.

Some MEST start-ups that have gained global recognition. They are Saya which became one of seven finalists at the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield in US; mPawa which is also one of five Lions@frica companies to pitch at DEMO in San Francisco in October 2013.

Others are ClaimSync, Dropifi and NandiMobile.

By Ekow Quandzie