From Engineering to Legal Innovation: The Birth of Lexi
Harshit Garg and Kiran Mohan, both computer science engineering graduates from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), embarked on divergent career trajectories after their studies. Garg pursued postgraduate legal studies in Melbourne, Australia, ultimately becoming a barrister, while Mohan remained in Singapore to work as a software engineer. Their paths converged in Singapore in 2025, leading to a pivotal conversation that revealed a significant gap in the legal industry: the slow adoption of artificial intelligence compared to other sectors.
Identifying a Market Need and Founding Lexi
This insight became the foundation for Lexi, a legal-tech startup that has since captured the attention of the prestigious international accelerator, Y Combinator. Lexi stands out as the first Indian legal-tech company to receive backing from Y Combinator, focusing on developing AI-powered legal associates to assist lawyers. According to Garg, co-founder and CEO, their journey began with extensive research involving discussions with approximately 200 lawyers and law firms across India, Australia, and Singapore.
"In India, we engaged with legal professionals from district courts, high courts, and the Supreme Court," Garg explained. "We discovered that the majority of legal services were still being performed manually. Many lawyers expressed challenges in taking on new cases or clients due to the time-consuming nature of document preparation. This highlighted a clear opportunity for automation to streamline drafting processes, with AI offering a comprehensive solution."
Leveraging Expertise and Securing Funding
Both founders brought specialized skills to the table. Their university background in AI, combined with industry experience, proved invaluable. Garg had previously founded an online ticket-booking platform before relocating to Australia, while Mohan led a team in Singapore focused on blockchain infrastructure, security products, and scaling AI applications. In June 2025, they made the bold decision to leave their jobs and return to India to launch Lexi, a name derived from the Latin word for law.
Garg, hailing from a family with two generations of lawyers in Punjab, took charge of the legal aspects, while Mohan, from Chennai, managed the technology side. "After launching, we applied to Y Combinator in the United States," Garg shared. "Securing funding from this accelerator is notoriously challenging, requiring a convincing pitch in just ten minutes online. We succeeded and raised $500,000 in our initial funding round."
Growth and Expansion of the Startup
Today, Lexi is headquartered in Chennai and operates in India, Singapore, and San Francisco. The startup has onboarded more than 100 law firms and lawyers, handling over 7,000 cases. Over the past six months, the company has secured an additional $500,000 from various sources, including venture capital firms. "We plan to raise another $2 million this year to scale our product and sales efforts globally," Mohan added.
Unique Selling Proposition in a Competitive AI Landscape
In an era flooded with AI options, many of which are open-access, Lexi distinguishes itself through its targeted approach. Mohan emphasized that large law firms typically employ teams of associates for tasks like contract review, case law research, and drafting. "We empower every lawyer with that same level of support through our AI-powered associates," he said. "Privacy is paramount; all documents on Lexi are protected with end-to-end encryption and accessible only to the lawyer. We never use customer data to train our models."
Efficiency and Future Plans
Garg highlighted the platform's efficiency, noting that tasks such as drafting rental agreements, which can take hours or days manually, can be completed in under two minutes. "This applies to notices, affidavits, and other legal documents as well," he stated. "Our AI associates feature separate models tailored to the legal systems of India, Singapore, and the US, with access to lakhs of court judgments at the touch of a button."
Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its capabilities further into the case lifecycle. "Currently, our AI agents handle research, drafting, and contract analysis, but we are enhancing the platform to enable end-to-end case management," Garg concluded.
