By Mandere Onyinkwa
An artificial intelligence startup with operations in Nairobi has secured fresh funding to accelerate the growth of its platform designed to help businesses integrate AI into their daily operations.
Lua announced it has raised $5.8 million (approximately KSh 748 million) in a funding round led by Norrsken22, with participation from global investors including Flourish Ventures, 20VC, P1 Ventures, Enza Capital, Phosphor Capital and Y Combinator.
The company, founded by Lorcan O’Cathain and Stefan Kruger, is building what it describes as an operating system for “human-agent collaboration,” enabling businesses—regardless of technical expertise—to create and manage AI-powered digital workers.
“The companies that will win over the next few years are the ones that build their agent workforce with the same intentionality they bring to their human workforce,” said O’Cathain, the company’s CEO.
He noted that many firms struggle to adopt AI due to technical barriers or rigid tools that fail to match how teams operate.
“Lua is built on the opposite principle: teams own their agents, own their outcomes, and build compounding efficiency over time,” he added.
Since launching its platform in October 2025, Lua says it has recorded rapid growth, with revenue increasing by nearly 30 percent week-on-week.
The firm also revealed that in February 2026 alone, more AI agents were built on its platform than in all previous months combined.
Several Kenyan businesses are already using Lua’s technology to deploy custom AI agents on platforms such as WhatsApp and company websites.
These agents are helping automate processes including insurance claims, loan applications and customer onboarding.
According to the company, its platform allows both technical and non-technical teams to collaborate seamlessly, with tools that enable quick deployment of AI systems capable of working alongside human staff.
“We are thrilled to support Lua. The founders fundamentally understand how agent and human workforces need to collaborate to get work done,” said Lexi Novitske, General Partner at Norrsken22.
She added that Lua’s global footprint and experience across Africa, Asia, the United States and Europe positions it strongly for growth.
The startup plans to use the new funding to expand its developer community and grow its “Lua Implementation Network,” a group of partners deploying its AI solutions across different markets.
Lua’s expansion comes at a time when Kenyan businesses are increasingly turning to AI-driven tools to improve efficiency, cut costs and enhance customer engagement, signalling a growing appetite for advanced digital solutions in the local market.Bottom of Form
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