Minicor, an artificial intelligence startup co-founded by Nigerian software engineer Saheed Akinbile, has secured $3.8m in seed funding to help businesses connect AI applications with older software systems without replacing their existing infrastructure.
The San Francisco-based company plans to use the investment to develop technology that allows AI-powered applications to operate traditional desktop software, including systems that lack modern application programming interfaces (APIs).
The funding addresses a longstanding challenge for businesses seeking to adopt artificial intelligence, as many still depend on older applications to manage essential operations but face significant costs and technical difficulties when integrating them with newer technologies, Brandspur Banking News Desk reports.
The seed investment was led by Brad Gillespie of IA Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, Paul Graham, Pioneer Fund, Robinhood Ventures, Garage Capital, Rebel Fund, K5 Global and 20VC, alongside other individual investors.
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Founded by Akinbile and Faizaan Chishtie, Minicor is developing an automation platform that allows AI applications to interact with existing desktop programmes through their user interfaces.
Its technology converts desktop-based business processes into API endpoints, allowing other applications to access and execute tasks without requiring developers to build separate integrations for each software system.
This could be particularly useful for businesses whose operations depend on software that was developed before modern AI tools became widely available. Healthcare providers, financial institutions, automotive service companies and logistics operators are among the sectors identified as potential users.
Rather than requiring businesses to discard familiar systems, Minicor allows developers to describe the tasks they want automated while its infrastructure manages the interaction with the underlying software.
The platform combines AI agents with structured automation workflows. AI agents help create and repair these processes, while predefined instructions handle routine operations.
This arrangement is intended to make automated tasks more reliable than systems that depend entirely on AI agents interpreting computer screens and independently deciding what to do at every stage.
Such independent interactions can introduce delays, inconsistent results and higher computing costs, particularly when software must perform the same operations repeatedly.
Minicor is positioning its technology as an integration layer for AI startups and enterprise software providers seeking to connect their products with existing business applications.
The company’s approach could reduce the need for expensive software replacements or customised integrations, allowing businesses to introduce AI-driven operations while retaining infrastructure they already depend on.
The fundraising also comes against the backdrop of a sharp slowdown in Nigerian startup investment in September 2026.
Nine Nigerian startups raised a combined $11.3m during the month, compared with $364.1m secured by 20 companies in August, representing a 96.9 per cent decline in monthly funding.
Despite the broader contraction, Minicor’s $3.8m round demonstrates continued investor interest in artificial intelligence and enterprise technology, particularly solutions targeting practical problems businesses encounter when adopting emerging technologies.
Although headquartered in San Francisco, the company’s Nigerian co-founder adds another international technology venture to the growing profile of Nigerian software talent participating in the global AI ecosystem.
