Social connection, reimagined

Your moments. Your people. Nobody else.

meet tsala—a better place to connect with the people, conversations, and communities that matter most to you. End-to-end encryption means no ads, no algorithms, no one watching.

Learn more about tsala (opens in a new tab)

tsala is in a small, closed beta.
We're letting friends and family groups in a few at a time.

tsalaTSAH-lah

friend; a person you know well and trust.

Plural: ditsala (friends) Setswana · noun

A phone showing the tsala app: a post in the Carter Family circle with a photo of a two-week-old baby, marked "Only Family can see this"

You're our customer, not our product.

Lekanyane Ventures builds private social networks for the people you actually know. Everything you post is encrypted on your phone or desktop before it reaches us. Only you and the people you share with have the keys to decrypt and view it, so we can't sell it or mine it. A small membership fee is our whole business model. No ads, ever.

We can't see it

End-to-end encryption means only you and the people you share with hold the keys. What we store is scrambled data we have no way to read.

You own it

Take everything with you, or delete it for good. We won't hold your memories hostage. People you share with can still save or screenshot what they see, and deleting a post can't remove copies they made.

A fair price

$12 a year. No ads, no algorithm built to keep you scrolling, and no billionaires deciding what you see.

We need to deliver your posts to the right people, so we maintain access to your account details and membership, which devices you use, the people in your circles, and when things are posted. We will never sell it or use it for ads. tsala explains it all in plain words at tsala.me.

Why we're called Lekanyane

Two African painted dogs standing in shallow water, looking straight at the camera

Lekanyane is the Setswana word for the African painted dog, also called the African wild dog. I was privileged to first see them in the wild nearly 30 years ago and have admired them ever since. They are one of nature's best examples of social intelligence, collective thriving, and interdependence. Much like the painted dog, I believe strength derives from the power of community.

At Lekanyane, we are reimagining social connection across our products and services by removing the ads, the algorithms, and the random strangers. Founded as a Public Benefit LLC (PBLLC), our management will be charged with balancing the financial responsibility to our owners with the impact of their decisions on every member of our community—especially our users.

However, this isn't enough—a charter is only as trustworthy as the owners and managers behind it. Our intention is to go significantly above and beyond what the public benefit statutes require so our users can trust we aren't going to change our mission down the road. We'll be sharing these details in the weeks ahead as we finalize them with our attorneys.

Jerry Aubin

Co-Founder and CEO

Questions

How is Lekanyane Ventures related to tsala.me (opens in a new tab)?

Lekanyane Ventures is the company. tsala is our first app: a private place to share life's moments with your family and friends. You can learn more and request an invite to our beta at tsala.me.

Can you read what I post?

No. The content of your posts, photos, videos, audio, comments, and messages is encrypted on your phone or desktop before it reaches us. Only you and the people you share with have the keys to decrypt and view it. To deliver your posts to the right people, we do see your account details and membership, which devices you use, the people in your circles, and when things are posted.

How do you make money?

Members pay a small yearly fee. That's it. We don't sell ads and we never sell your information.

Can I delete my account at any time?

Yes. You can take your things with you or delete them for good. People you share with can still save or screenshot what they see, and deleting a post can't remove copies they made.

How do I join?

tsala is currently in a small, closed beta. Request an invite at tsala.me and we'll let you know when it's your turn.

What else are you building?

tsala, for friends and family and communities, is our first app. More apps will follow, all built on one shared encrypted foundation, so the same privacy promise follows you from app to app.

We are in a small, closed beta. Click Join Us (opens in a new tab) to sign up for your invite.