MEST Express has opened application for early-stage Ghanaian startups to upscale their operations through the MEST Express accelerator program.

MEST Express accelerator program is a 20-week program which is targeted at equipping early stage Ghanaian startup with required skills and resources.

MEST Express is one of three programmes, alongside Pre-MEST and MEST Scale. The programs are run in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

The accelerator programme is targeted at equipping early-stage ventures with skills and resources required to accelerate their growth, and offers free training, mentorship, resources, and support to participating startups.

At the end of the accelerator programme, participants in each cohort would participate in a pitching session where the most performing ventures will receive equity-free grant funding.

Felix Darko, MEST Express programme manager, commented on the motive behind the program, he said:

“Securing investment is extremely difficult for early-stage startups. This is why we are introducing a strong focus on investment readiness and fundraising in our upcoming cohorts, with the view of connecting startups to sources of capital and preparing them to effectively deploy funds to grow their businesses.”

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The programme will involve two cohorts: virtual and in-person sessions. One cohort will hold in Accra, with in-person sessions held at the MEST campus.

In an effort to make entrepreneurial training more accessible to startups across Ghana, the other cohort will take place in Tamale at the HOPin Academy.

So far, the program has accelerated 18 startups spread across several industries.

Application is open till the 12th of July, 2021.

The program would run from the 26th of July to the 8th of December, 2021.

Interested applicants can apply by clicking here.