By Susan Olalere 
Kenya-based logistics startup Leta has secured $5 million in seed funding to revolutionize delivery operations across Africa. The funding round, led by Speedinvest, with backing from Google’s Africa Investment Fund and Equator, marks a significant step in addressing the continent’s high logistics costs.
With Africa’s transport expenses being four times the global average, Leta’s AI-powered platform aims to streamline logistics, ensuring businesses move goods faster and at a lower cost.
How Leta is Changing the Logistics Game
Leta’s technology optimizes route planning, vehicle utilization, and delivery scheduling, helping businesses cut costs without reducing efficiency. Unlike traditional logistics solutions that rely on manual dispatching, Leta integrates directly with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Point-of-Sale (POS), and Order Management Systems (OMS). This enables real-time tracking of Stock-Keeping Units (SKUs), pricing, and customer details, ensuring seamless operations.
CEO Nick Joshi highlights how the system automates dispatching by selecting the nearest vehicle for deliveries and determining the best First-In, First-Out (FIFO) or Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) loading method. The AI continuously refines its real-time maps based on traffic, roadblocks, and unpredictable disruptions, ensuring the most efficient delivery routes.
“For instance, if our system detects a roundabout where trucks frequently get stuck, it flags that route as a problem area,” says Joshi. “This helps businesses avoid delays caused by floods, police stops, or construction.”
Why Google Invested in Leta
One of Leta’s strongest features is its real-time mapping system, which provides more accurate road and address data than Google Maps in some regions. Joshi points out that Google Maps hasn’t updated parts of Nairobi since 2022, whereas Leta continuously refines its data from live customer deliveries. This innovation is one of the key reasons Google’s Africa Investment Fund is backing the startup.
Additionally, Leta’s software helps businesses cut fleet sizes while maintaining delivery capacity, reducing fuel consumption and emissions—a key factor in Equator’s decision to invest.
Growth and Future Plans
Since its last funding round in 2022, Leta has expanded its operations across Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, scaling from 500,000 deliveries to 4.5 million and increasing managed vehicle capacity from 2,000 to 7,400. The startup currently optimizes over 10,000 daily trips for major clients, including KFC, Diageo, EABL, and Gilani.
Leta’s revenue has grown fivefold through its per-delivery pricing model, and with this new funding, it aims to double its revenue by expanding across Africa and the Middle East. The company is also piloting fintech solutions, such as fuel cards for delivery partners and asset financing for vehicles and devices, positioning itself as a key player in Africa’s logistics and financial ecosystem.
A New Era for African Logistics
As Africa’s demand for efficient, cost-effective logistics grows, Leta is setting the standard for AI-powered supply chain solutions. With Google’s backing and a strong market presence, the startup is well-positioned to redefine how goods move across the continent, ultimately driving economic growth and reducing costs for businesses and consumers alike.
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