Cape town: Mauritian startup Black Swan has emerged victorious in the MEST Africa Challenge 2025, following a high-energy Grand Finale at Innovation City, Cape Town on November 26, 2025. The competition, led by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) and powered by Absa Group, is a leading Pan-African pitch competition that offers early-stage startups a platform to secure funding, mentorship, and global visibility.According to African Press Organization, the 2025 edition focused on FinTech, highlighting startups that drive financial inclusion, smarter payments, and digital transformation across Africa's economies. Co-founded by Derick Kazimoto, Black Swan aims to "Make Africa Bankable" by converting fragmented data into instant credit intelligence. This innovation allows for precise affordability assessments and inclusive lending, helping financial institutions assess real risks and unlock new growth pathways.Kazimoto, Co-founder and CEO of Black Swan, emphasized the challenge tha t millions of consumers and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) face due to fragmented and informal data, which traditional lenders cannot verify. This data invisibility hinders capable borrowers and limits credit growth. Kazimoto highlighted the shift in Africa from informal, collateral-heavy lending to data-driven credit, transforming how banks and FinTechs operate.The MEST Africa Challenge 2025 attracted numerous applications from Absa priority markets, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Mauritius. After a rigorous selection process, ten startups advanced to the Cape Town finale, where they pitched to a panel of judges comprising investors, Absa executives, and industry leaders.Black Swan's victory was attributed to their solution addressing a clear market need and showing potential to complement existing services across the markets. The Grand Finale celebrated Africa's ingenuity, with founders presenting scalable solutions to challenges in paym ents, credit, insurance, and trade finance.Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor at MEST Africa, congratulated Black Swan and all finalists, noting a shift towards scalability and prioritizing compliance, interoperability, and cross-border readiness. The Challenge highlighted FinTech's role in empowering sectors like agriculture, energy, and trade, emphasizing local solutions with global adaptability.As the 2025 winner, Black Swan will receive a US $50,000 equity investment, entry into the MEST Portfolio, and the chance to pilot commercial solutions with Absa business units across Africa, aiding in scaling their technology and expanding impact.Tawanda Chatikobo, Head of Digital for Absa Regional Operations, noted that the Challenge revealed opportunities to enhance customer experiences through thoughtful innovation. Black Swan's solution aligns with the evolving needs of people and businesses to manage finances more simply and accessibly.Now in its seventh year, the MEST Africa Challenge continues to serve as a launchpad for early-stage founders, providing visibility, mentorship, and access to growth partners. Tamu Dutuma, Head of Strategy and Transformation for Technology at Absa Regional Operations, praised Black Swan's technical discipline and approach to scaling responsibly.Since 2008, MEST Africa has trained and supported over 2,000 entrepreneurs and invested in over 90 startups. The MEST Africa Challenge remains its flagship competition, identifying and supporting high-potential technology ventures across the continent.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026