The Swiss agricultural technology startup OneSoil lost its primary markets following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At that time, approximately 70 percent of its user base was located in Russia and Ukraine. The company ceased monetisation in Russia, faced three rounds of layoffs reducing its staff from about 80 to 30 employees, and saw the departure of all three co-founders. Consequently, the firm had to rapidly restructure its leadership and rethink its international strategy.
After facing intense competition in Latin American markets like Brazil and Argentina, OneSoil found unexpected success in Africa. South Africa became a major growth driver, making the African continent the company's second-largest revenue region after Europe. Moving away from a venture capital-driven growth model, the startup focused on financial sustainability. It achieved break-even in 2025 and reported a 106 percent revenue increase since 2024 compared to 2021, while securing an additional 1 million dollars in funding.
To make agricultural expertise more accessible, OneSoil introduced an AI agronomist feature to its mobile application. This system integrates satellite imagery, weather data, and crop recognition models. Unlike general-purpose models, the AI is designed to request additional evidence, such as photographs, before recommending crop treatments. The application currently serves around 140 thousand annual users who monitor approximately 70 million hectares globally. The company maintains that it does not sell farmers' personal data, aiming to build trust alongside technological advancement.