Title: Minicor Raises $3.8 Million to Connect AI Tools With Legacy Business Software

Nigerian co-founded AI startup Minicor has raised $3.8 million in seed funding to help businesses connect modern AI applications with older business software.

The San Francisco-based startup, co-founded by Nigerian software engineer Saheed Akinbile and Faizaan Chishtie, announced the raise on October 14, 2026, in a statement seen by Nairametrics.

The Minicor funding round 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, 20VC and several other individual investors.

What the Nigerian AI startup does

Minicor is tackling one of the biggest barriers to enterprise AI adoption. Many companies, especially in healthcare, finance and logistics, still run on legacy desktop software that lacks modern APIs. Without an API, new AI tools cannot talk to the old systems.

Imagine trying to plug a Type-C charger into an old Nokia phone — they simply do not connect. That is the problem many businesses face today.

Minicor builds automation infrastructure that bridges that gap. Its platform allows developers to convert desktop workflows into API endpoints that AI applications can access and execute. Instead of requiring companies to replace their entire system, Minicor’s technology enables AI agents to interact directly with the existing software — clicking buttons and completing tasks just like a human would.

The company, which was selected for Y Combinator’s Spring 2026 batch after seven applications, said its platform has already recorded over 2.5 million automation executions.

Why this funding matters

This Minicor funding is important because it targets the unsexy but critical part of AI adoption. While many startups are focused on building chatbots, Minicor is fixing how AI actually gets implemented inside real businesses.

For the market, it shows investor confidence in infrastructure plays. Minicor competes in a space that includes large players like UiPath and Microsoft Power Automate, and this capital will help it scale its platform and onboard more enterprise customers.

What it says about African AI interest

For Africa’s tech ecosystem, this deal sends a strong message. Despite a slowdown in funding for startups on the continent, global investors are still backing African founders building global solutions.

This Nigerian AI startup story also highlights a shift in the narrative. African talent is moving beyond fintech and e-commerce into deep tech and AI infrastructure. The fact that a Nigerian-born founder is building technology to solve legacy software AI integration for companies worldwide shows the growing role of African engineers in the global AI race.