Mauritian Startup Black Swan Wins MEST Africa Challenge 2025, Secures USD 50 K

Mauritius-based fintech startup Black Swan has won the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge, securing USD 50 K in equity funding after emerging top at the Grand Finale in Cape Town. The competition, run by MEST Africa and powered by Absa Group, spotlights high-potential early-stage startups across the continent.

Co-founded by Derick Kazimoto, Black Swan is building a credit-intelligence platform aimed at “making Africa bankable” by converting fragmented, informal consumer and MSME data into real-time affordability insights for lenders. Its solution helps banks and fintechs unlock inclusive, data-driven credit for millions traditionally excluded from formal finance.

Selected from hundreds of applications across eight African markets, Black Swan now joins the MEST portfolio and will gain access to Absa business units for commercial pilots, positioning the startup to scale its technology and expand its impact across the continent.