Minicor raises $3.8 million to connect AI with legacy software

Bridging the software gap

Minicor, a San Francisco-based startup co-founded by Nigerian software engineer Saheed Akinbile, recently secured $3.8 million in seed funding. The company disclosed this investment in a statement seen by Nairametrics. This capital is intended to help businesses overcome a major hurdle in adopting artificial intelligence.

Many large organizations rely on older software applications to manage their most critical daily operations. These legacy systems often lack modern application programming interfaces, or APIs, which are the standard tools used to let different software programs talk to each other. Because of this lack of connectivity, many companies find it difficult or too expensive to use new AI technologies with their existing tools.

The funding round was led by Brad Gillespie of IA Ventures. Other participants in the round included Y Combinator, Paul Graham, Pioneer Fund, Robinhood Ventures, Garage Capital, Rebel Fund, K5 Global, and 20VC. The investment highlights a specific interest in solving infrastructure challenges that currently slow down the adoption of emerging technologies.

How the platform works

Minicor is building a framework that enables AI-driven programs to engage with traditional desktop software. Instead of forcing a company to replace its old software, the platform creates a bridge. It allows developers to convert specific desktop workflows into API endpoints that other applications can then access and execute.

The technology combines AI agents with predefined automation processes to manage these workflows. AI agents are used to create and repair the workflows, while the routine operations are carried out through structured automation steps. This hybrid approach is designed to solve problems that occur when AI agents try to interpret computer screens independently.

By using structured steps for routine tasks, the system avoids some of the issues common with fully independent AI agents. These issues include execution delays, inconsistent behavior, and higher computing costs. Minicor aims to make the interaction between AI and legacy software more predictable and efficient for businesses that need reliable results for repetitive tasks.

Targeting high-stakes industries

The company is specifically looking for AI startups and enterprise software vendors that need to link their products with existing business applications. Its potential customer base includes industries where legacy software remains deeply embedded in everyday operations. These sectors include healthcare, financial services, automotive services, and logistics.

In these fields, software systems are often used to manage sensitive data and complex movements. Replacing these systems can be a massive undertaking that takes years and involves significant risk. Minicor's core idea is that companies should be able to use artificial intelligence without having to discard the software systems they have built up over many years.

By providing an integration layer, Minicor hopes to make enterprise AI adoption easier and less expensive for these organizations. The goal is to allow companies to keep their reliable, existing tools while still gaining the benefits of modern AI. This approach addresses the practical reality of how most large-scale businesses actually operate today.

Funding trends in Nigeria

The $3.8 million funding round for Minicor comes at a time of significant change in the Nigerian startup ecosystem. According to Nairametrics, Nigerian startup funding saw a sharp decline in September 2026. Only nine startups raised a combined $11.3 million during that month, which was a 96.9% decrease from the $364.1 million secured by 20 companies in August.

This represents a drop in monthly funding of about $352.8 million. Despite this broad slowdown in fundraising activity, investors are still finding reasons to back specific types of companies. They continue to support startups across various sectors, including fintech, mobility, semiconductor technology, and cybersecurity.

Minicor’s latest round suggests that interest remains high for artificial intelligence and enterprise technology. Investors are specifically looking for solutions that address the infrastructure challenges affecting business adoption. Even as the overall funding environment shifts, companies that solve core technical problems for large-scale industries continue to attract capital.