Techbytes: Five Zambian start-ups make Absa’s MEST Africa challenge top 20

Absa Bank has reportedly unveiled the top 20 finalists for the MEST Africa Challenge 2025, featuring five innovative start-ups from Zambia among the continent’s most promising ventures.

The annual competition celebrates breakthrough solutions in FinTech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digital inclusion, with one winner set to receive US$50,000 in seed funding.

According to a statement, this year’s challenge spanned eight of Absa’s nine Regional Operations (ARO) markets — Botswana, Uganda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, and Ghana — all represented in the top 20, underscoring Africa’s expanding pool of entrepreneurial talent.

“Our partnership with MEST Africa reflects Absa’s commitment to empowering the next generation of innovators and building more accessible, relevant financial solutions,” said Tawanda Chatikobo, Head of Digital for Absa Regional Operations, Retail and Business Banking.

“We congratulate the top 20 finalists and commend all participants for their creativity and drive,” Chatikobo said.

The shortlisted ventures are pioneering solutions in digital financial inclusion, alternative lending, AI-driven fraud prevention, digital payments, and InsureTech.

“Each of these founders represents a unique path toward reimagining how finance works for Africans,” said Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor at MEST Africa.

“Their ideas combine technology with empathy — solving real challenges within their own communities,” Ravichandran said.

According to the statement, the competition will narrow to 10 finalists who will compete in the grand finale in November, where one start-up will win the US$50,000 investment and a chance to collaborate with Absa on real-world innovation projects.

“Through this challenge, we’re seeing solutions that are not only innovative but also aligned with Africa’s evolving technology landscape,” noted Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation for ARO Technology.

“These ideas have the potential to accelerate digital transformation and unlock new value for our customers,”
Absa reaffirmed, saying that its continued investment in emerging start-ups supports its mission to strengthen Africa’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) — the backbone of the continent’s economy,” Dutuma said.

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