Addis Ababa-based agricultural technology startup Lersha has received the Heifer Prize for Smallholder Agricultural Transformation at the MIT Solve 2026 Challenge Finals. The announcement was made in New York during the convergence of the UN General Assembly and Climate Week. The award secures Lersha a place in the 2026 Solver Class and provides US$100,000 in unrestricted funding.
MIT Solve 2026 and the Global Challenge
MIT Solve, a social impact initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, marked its 10th anniversary with this year's global challenge. Over the past decade, the platform has run more than 110 challenges, processed over 30,000 applications from 190 countries, and mobilized more than US$90 million for 470 solutions. MIT Solve also reports that 92% of teams selected in the past five years remain operational.
The 2026 challenge focused on scale-ready solutions, defined as stable products or services demonstrating early market success that can scale responsibly over the next decade. Judges selected 10 winners from more than 1,000 applications across 110 countries. In addition to US$100,000 in unrestricted funding, each Solver team receives a pitch to investors, covered travel expenses, pro bono legal support, discounted technology services, and access to a global network of past Solver teams.
Selection Criteria and Peer Innovators
Submissions were assessed on five criteria: potential for impact, feasibility, innovative approach, human-centered design, and scalability. Lersha joins a cohort of peer innovators that includes Kara Solar, Karya, Rocket Learning, and BioIQ. Additional prize funding for the event was provided by sponsors such as E Ink, Collegium, and the Philips Foundation.
Lersha's Phygital Agricultural Model
Founded in 2018 by Abrhame Endrias and operated by Green Agro Solution PLC, Lersha operates across multiple Ethiopian regions and maintains a liaison office in Nairobi, Kenya. The company combines web and mobile applications with a network of on-the-ground field agents and a centralized call center. This phygital model provides smallholder farmers with access to agricultural inputs, mechanization services, financial resources, market linkages, and climate and weather advisory services.
A cornerstone of Lersha's approach is its closed-loop financing model, which integrates farmers, banks, insurers, input suppliers, and agricultural buyers. Instead of dispersing cash, Lersha provides financing directly through inputs and mechanization services. Repayment is built into the backend of the process through produce aggregation and sales, effectively securing loans against the actual harvest.
Impact Metrics and Market Context
The systemic gap Lersha is addressing is significant because agriculture supports more than 80% of livelihoods in Ethiopia, yet the sector receives only 8% of formal lending. According to its MIT Solve submission, the platform has onboarded approximately 380,000 farmers through a network of more than 4,000 field agents. The company reports early-stage metrics that include a 100% repayment rate, a 24% gain in farming productivity, and a 30% increase in farmer incomes, although these figures are self-reported.
Looking ahead, Lersha aims to scale its network to support 1 million active farmers by 2030. The recognition from MIT Solve and Heifer International validates its model as a scalable response to Ethiopia's agricultural financing gap. With new funding and global visibility, the company is positioned to deepen its impact across smallholder farming communities.