From Singapore University to Global Legal Tech: The Lexi Startup Journey
Harshit Garg and Kiran Mohan, both computer science engineering graduates from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), embarked on divergent career paths after their studies. Garg pursued a postgraduate degree in legal studies in Melbourne, eventually becoming a barrister, while Mohan remained in Singapore to work as a software engineer. Their reunion in Singapore in 2025 sparked a transformative idea when they realized that the legal services industry globally had lagged behind other sectors in adopting artificial intelligence (AI). This insight led to the creation of Lexi, a pioneering legal-tech startup that has since captured the attention of the prestigious international accelerator, Y Combinator, securing its initial round of funding.
Founding Lexi: Bridging Law and Technology
Lexi stands as the first Indian legal-tech company to receive backing from Y Combinator, focused on developing AI-powered legal associates for lawyers, as highlighted by Garg, the co-founder and CEO. The founders conducted extensive research, engaging in discussions with approximately 200 lawyers and law firms across India, Australia, and Singapore. In India, their outreach spanned lawyers from district courts to the Supreme Court. They discovered that a significant majority of legal services were still performed manually, with many lawyers struggling to take on new cases or clients due to the time-intensive nature of document drafting. Mohan, the co-founder and CTO, noted that these processes could be automated to streamline document creation, with AI offering a comprehensive solution.
Background and Launch: Leveraging Expertise
Both founders leveraged their AI specialization from university and industry experience. Prior to moving to Australia, Garg had founded an online ticket-booking platform, while Mohan led a team in Singapore working on blockchain infrastructure, security products, and scaling AI applications. In June 2025, they resigned from their jobs and returned 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, focuses on the legal aspects, whereas Mohan, from Chennai, handles the technology side.
Funding and Growth: Securing Y Combinator Support
After launching, they applied to Y Combinator in the United States. Garg explained that securing funds from this accelerator is challenging, requiring a convincing pitch within a 10-minute online session. They succeeded, raising $0.5 million in their first round of fundraising. Today, the Chennai-headquartered startup operates in India, Singapore, and San Francisco. It has onboarded over 100 law firms and lawyers managing more than 7,000 cases. In the past six months, Lexi has raised an additional $0.5 million from various sources, including venture capital firms. Mohan added that they plan to raise another $2 million this year to scale the company across product development and sales.
Unique Selling Proposition: AI-Powered Legal Associates
In an era with numerous AI options, many of which are open access, Lexi distinguishes itself by providing AI-powered legal associates that mimic the capabilities of human legal teams. Mohan emphasized that leading law firms often have associates who review contracts, research case law, and prepare drafts continuously. Lexi aims to equip every lawyer with similar firepower through AI, while ensuring absolute privacy. All documents shared on the platform are protected with end-to-end encryption and are accessible only to the lawyer, with customer data never used to train their models.
Functionality and Future Plans: Enhancing Legal Workflows
Garg pointed out practical benefits, such as drafting rental agreements—which can take hours to days manually—in under two minutes. This efficiency extends to notices, affidavits, and other legal documents. The AI-powered legal associates feature separate models tailored for India, Singapore, and the US, accommodating their distinct legal systems. Additionally, the platform provides instant access to lakhs of judgment copies cited in courts. Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its capabilities deeper into the case lifecycle. Currently, AI agents handle research, drafting, and contract analysis, but Lexi is upgrading its platform to enable agents to manage cases end-to-end, further revolutionizing legal practice.
