Kenyan logistics startup Leta secures $5M to scale AI-powered platform

Nairobi-based logistics startup Leta raised $5 million in seed funding to enhance its AI-driven logistics optimization platform.

The funding round was led by Speedinvest, with participation from Google’s Africa Investment Fund and climate-focused fund Equator. The investment aims to further develop Leta’s technology, which streamlines delivery operations, reduces costs, and enhances efficiency for businesses across Africa.

Leta was founded in 2021 by Nick Joshi, an entrepreneur with extensive experience in logistics and supply chain management. The company was established to tackle Africa’s long-standing logistics inefficiencies by leveraging technology to reduce operational costs and improve delivery accuracy. 

In many African markets, logistics costs contribute significantly to product prices, sometimes accounting for as much as 75% of retail prices. Leta’s platform is designed to combat these inefficiencies by automating dispatch planning and optimising vehicle usage. By doing so, businesses can reduce fleet sizes without compromising delivery efficiency, thereby lowering fuel consumption and emissions.

Leta’s AI-powered routing system integrates with business ERP, POS, and OMS systems, allowing real-time data analysis to match shipments with the most suitable vehicles and optimize loading strategies. The system continuously updates based on real-time road conditions, helping businesses navigate disruptions such as construction, flooding, or traffic checkpoints.

Since securing a $3 millionpre-seed round in 2022, Leta has expanded operations across Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The company has attracted major corporate clients, including KFC, Diageo, EABL, and Gilani. The platform currently optimises over 10,000 trips per day and has facilitated 4.5 million deliveries, a significant increase from 500,000 deliveries in 2022.

Leta’s fleet management capabilities have also grown, now overseeing 7,400 vehicles, up from 2,000 two years ago. This expansion has resulted in a fivefold increase in revenue over the same period.

Leta competes with startups across Africa, including Bwala and Duhqa. Beyond logistics, Leta is venturing into embedded finance, piloting services including fuel cards, vehicle financing, and supply chain financing for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) merchants. This diversification aims to strengthen supply chains and enhance operational efficiency for businesses across Africa.

One of Leta’s key advantages is its real-time mapping technology, which has proven more up-to-date than Google Maps in certain African cities. This capability likely contributed to Google’s investment in the startup, as the tech giant looks to improve its logistics-related data services in emerging markets.

With this new funding, Leta aims to double its revenues and expand further into Africa and the Middle East. Unlike traditional asset-heavy logistics models, Leta’s software-driven approach offers businesses a scalable and cost-effective alternative.

Last updated: April 23, 2026