Letsoela Agro-Aviation is not even a year old and this young startup is already turning heads and gaining traction because of the bold, innovative technology it is employing to make a difference to Lesotho’s agricultural sector. Founder and managing director Lemohang Letsoela shares his journey with AfricArena’s Jabulile Sonya Ngwenya and his vision for the future.
From humble beginnings, launching his startup Letsoela Agro-Aviation with zero funds in July 2024, Lemohang Letsoela and his co-founder and chief operating officer Sindiso Jika have bold ambitions to transform this budding startup into a unicorn. This is laudable as this indicates that he is building his startup with a scaling model in mind. Given that the global agritech market is projected to reach US$54.17 billion by 2029, Letsoela Agro-Aviation is on track to achieve this.
Lemohang, who has a background in aeronautics tells AfricArena the idea for his startup germinated when he qualified for his private pilot licence. “It was a blend of opportunity and passion. When I obtained my Private Pilot License, I wanted to get into crop dusting. However, the barrier to entry, especially in a place like Lesotho, is very high. Last year, I was introduced to agri-drones, and since then, I’ve been hooked on precision farming technology and the opportunity to build something amazing in the agritech space. By existing in this field, the idea for AgroHub was born.”
He shares that his goal with Letsoela Agro-Aviation and AgroHub is “to transform agriculture in Africa by integrating drone technology and digital solutions to enhance efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.”
AgroHub, he says, is a super app for precision farming. It is “a comprehensive digital platform that streamlines farm management, logistics, and e-commerce for farmers.” AgroHub’s key features include AI-driven crop analytics for real-time monitoring, precision spraying service scheduling, a digital marketplace connecting farmers with suppliers, and supply chain tracking and payment processing.
Letsoela Agro-Aviation on the other hand specializes in drone-powered agricultural services and key services include aerial spraying: precision application of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides; crop Monitoring: high-resolution imaging for early pest and disease detection and field mapping: optimized planting and yield estimation.
“By combining automation, AI, and agritech, we empower farmers to reduce costs, maximize yields, and ensure food security across Lesotho and beyond,” says Lemohang.
He shares with AfricArena that the defining moment that showed him there was a need for the services he provides came in 2022 when Lesotho Prime Minister Sam Matekane declared a national food insecurity disaster. “This disaster highlighted that approximately 700,000 Basotho faced extreme hunger. This crisis underscored the urgent need to enhance our agricultural sector. Recognizing this, I saw an opportunity to introduce precision farming technology as a first mover in Lesotho. As the concept evolved, I realized that fostering community and centralizing solutions were pivotal for meaningful change, leading to the creation of AgroHub.”
Lemohang says winning the AfricArena Best Seed Startup Award at the AfricArena Grand Summit 2024 event was a game changer for them. It has helped them with credibility and validation, media exposure and brand visibility, investor interest, expanding networking and partnerships opportunities and increasing their motivation and team morale. “Winning the AfricArena Startup Award has been a turning point for us. It has opened doors, boosted our credibility, and given us the momentum we need to take Letsoela Agro-Aviation to the next level. We’re excited about the future and grateful for the recognition and opportunities that have come our way.
“Winning the award has given us instant credibility. It’s a stamp of approval from a highly respected platform, and it validates all the hard work we’ve put into building Letsoela Agro-Aviation. When we talk to investors, partners, or customers now, they take us more seriously because they know we’ve been recognized as a standout startup in our category. In addition to this, the award came with incredible media coverage, which has helped us get our name out there. We’ve been able to share our story with a much wider audience, and it’s opened doors to new opportunities. We’re using this visibility to build our brand and connect with people who believe in our mission,” he says.
And that’s not all, as the startup has received investor interest, which he says, is encouraging for “while we haven’t secured investment yet, winning the award has definitely put us on the radar of more investors. It’s given us a stronger position in conversations, and we’re using the award as a key talking point in our pitch deck. We’re confident that this recognition will help us close funding rounds as we continue to build traction.”
Lemohang adds that their award has expanded their horizons in terms of networking and partnerships. “AfricArena introduced us to an incredible network of founders, investors, and industry leaders. Winning the award has made it easier for us to connect with people who can help us grow. We’ve already started exploring partnerships and collaborations that align with our vision for Letsoela Agro-Aviation and AgroHub.”
He adds that lastly but not least, the award had an incredible impact on his team. “On a personal level, winning the award has been a huge morale booster for our team. It’s a reminder that we’re on the right track and that our hard work is paying off. It’s motivated us to keep pushing forward and aim even higher.”
He tells AfricArena that this motivation is critical to the startup’s success as passion moves them forward. No two days for this young startup are the same - “we don’t have a typical day because we are still on the grind, building Letsoela Agro-Aviation and AgroHub from the ground up. Every day is different, and we are committed to making every day count.”
He shares a snapshot of what their days look like at a glance. “In the mornings, we start by tackling the most urgent tasks, whether it is refining our MVP, following up with potential partners and so on. By midday, we’re deep in execution mode working on product development, engaging with farmers, or solving whatever challenges come our way. Come afternoon, we connect with the team or with our advisors to keep things moving forward and for this, networking and building relationships are key. In the evening we review progress, adjust plans, and prepare for the next day. It’s also a time for learning and staying updated on industry trends.”
“As the CEO of Letsoela Agro-Aviation, my passion lies in building a future where our products and services redefine agriculture across Africa. In the near future, our technology will be at the forefront of transforming farming practices, with products that include advanced drone systems for spraying, crop monitoring, and precision farming. AgroHub will play a central role in helping us expand our reach, serving as a launchpad for introducing our innovations to different regions,” says Lemohang. “We envision rolling out a range of tailored products that meet the diverse needs of African farmers, from small-scale operations to large commercial ventures. These products will combine cutting-edge drone technology with data analytics, offering farmers the tools they need to optimize yields, reduce costs, and implement sustainable practices. In the coming years, we will also expand our product line to include services like autonomous crop delivery, integrated pest management solutions, and AI-powered farming insights. Through these advancements, we aim to be not just a technology provider, but a key partner in empowering African farmers and improving food security across the continent.”
He says launching his startup with zero funds has been an adventure, learning curve and an eye opener. “Early last year, I read “The Power of Broke” and learned to creatively find ways to make things work with little to no money,” Lemohang shares. The result can be seen in his startup’s growth curve. “Currently, I employ a team of four people, soon to expand to six people - without paying anything out of pocket or from the business. They are part of the Youth Apprenticeship Program, with their salaries fully covered by the Lesotho Government for two years,” says Lemohang. He says that this is just an example of how they have managed to operate their startup without direct costs. He shares that the best advice one of his mentors, Tshepang Thabane, founder of Green Yards gave him was, "You don't need money to start your business, just start." This is a great case study for founders to learn from.
The biggest challenges which they have experienced in raising funds, has been limited capital which they overcame through bootstrapping with early revenue, awards and prepping for investors through refining their business and financial model; encouraging market adoption through running pilots and giving Agritech training to farmers to build trust; market adoption which was encouraged through pilot projects; challenges in tech development was overcome by partnering with Vodacom and Chenosis for support and while launching AgroHub’s beta to test core features before scaling; finding the right talent and team which was overcome by mixing local agricultural scientists with advisors to fill skill gaps and in order to stay on top of regulations, they ensure they are compliant with drone laws and advocate for agritech-friendly policies.
To date, he says the largest amount of funds they have secured is $25,000 in AWS credits. “We plan to use these AWS credits exclusively for scaling AgroHub. Beyond that, we’ve been bootstrapping Lemohang Letsoela and AgroHub, relying on our own resources and revenue to fund our growth. This approach has allowed us to maintain full control over our vision while proving the viability of our business model.”
Lemohang shares that his startup’s most recent business achievement is “reaching an 80% completion milestone for our AgroHub MVP. AgroHub is our super app—a comprehensive platform for precision farming, logistics, and e-commerce that connects farmers, distributors, and consumers. In our prototype, you'll see a dynamic community feed that delivers real-time agricultural updates and fosters engagement among users. This feed is a key feature that helps build a vibrant, informed farming community. While core functionalities like service scheduling and the digital marketplace are in place, payment processing remains to be integrated. This milestone reinforces our commitment to transforming agriculture and empowering farmers across the region.”
Lemohang says that in 2025, “we are looking at raising US$300,000 to initiate and scale our operations.” These funds will be allocated to research and development, expanding and rolling out the beta version of their AgroHub so they can develop and launch the full version of the app with advanced features including predictive analytics and market insights; acquisition of drones and accessories to expand the company’s drone solution for spraying; surveying and crop management; a work vehicle and rig station for field operations to enhance mobility and efficiency; working capital for labour, logistics and marketing to drive adoption and market penetration; collateral and administrative expenses to support operational and legal needs.
Lemohang says, in return for this investment, we offer equity in Letsoela Agro-Aviation, providing investors with an opportunity to be part of Africa’s agritech transformation.”
The funding winter impacted everyone, and some strategies they used to cope included looking at non-dilutive resources;; barter partnerships; lean execution; strategic milestones and ensuring they remain investor ready at all times. “We’ve stayed lean, validated our model, and positioned ourselves to scale once revenue kicks in. There are no shortcuts for us as we have a relentless focus on proving value,” Lemohang says.
A visionary at heart, Lemohang tells AfricArena they are not resting on their laurels as they are thinking big and winning the award is just the beginning. We will focus on strengthening our MVP, leverage our network and connections, focus on traction and think big as “our goal is to grow Letsoela Agro-Aviation and AgroHub into a unicorn. This award has given us the confidence and visibility to aim for that.”
He says his advice to budding agritech founders is to “Start with dirt, not dreams. Agriculture is about roots—literally and metaphorically. Get your hands dirty: talk to farmers, walk the fields, and solve their problems, not yours. Partner early with communities, and tech enablers to build trust and scale smart. Bootstrapping? Embrace it. Barter deals, and pilot projects to prove your model and finally lookout for AgroHub. We're building a community of everyone you're looking for.”
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