AI-Powered Code Mapper by Lightstrike Raises $1.1 Million CAD in Pre-Seed Funding

Calgary-based startup Lightstrike has successfully raised $1.1 million CAD in pre-seed funding to support its expansion across North America. The funding round, which closed on Halloween, was led by Sprout Fund, an Edmonton-based venture capital firm, with additional backing from The Binnacle Group, Weave VC, and two family offices from Alberta. A number of angel investors also participated in the round, including founding team members from the tech company Robinhood, EY Comply, and Daglar Çizmeci, the CEO and chairman of ACT Airlines. Vernon Briggs, CEO of Lightstrike, noted that these investors have played a pivotal role in helping the startup refine its product-market fit in a competitive and complex market.

Founded earlier this year by James Cuff, CTO, and Vernon Briggs, CEO, Lightstrike emerged from the expertise of its founders, who previously led the IT services company Fliwheel in Calgary. Briggs mentioned that Fliwheel created the opportunity for Lightstrike, with the two co-founders leveraging their prior experience and technical team to develop a sophisticated AI-powered tool aimed at optimizing enterprise application management. To scale the startup’s product offering, the company plans to acquire Fliwheel and integrate its tech team into Lightstrike’s growing workforce.

Lightstrike’s core technology centers on AI-powered application mapping. By ingesting the source code of corporate applications, the platform analyzes and labels the inter-app interactions before creating a visual map of the dependencies between various systems. This mapping helps enterprises understand the complex relationships between their applications and how a failure in one system can cascade and affect others. Briggs highlighted the growing threat posed by application and platform failures, which are increasing in scale and impact. The ability to map these connections in real time is crucial for preventing costly disruptions that can affect customers and broader economies.

Another key feature of Lightstrike’s platform is its integration with large language models, powered by cloud services like AWS and Azure. The platform allows users to interact with the system in natural, plain English, making it easier for both technical and non-technical users to search for specific parts of application code or modify system configurations without deep technical expertise. This user-friendly interface positions Lightstrike as a versatile tool for enterprises seeking to simplify complex application management processes.

Despite being in the early stages of its operations, Lightstrike is already generating revenue through its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. The company has secured several prominent customers in industries such as supply chain and financial services across North America. While Briggs has declined to disclose the identities of these customers due to confidentiality agreements, the fact that Lightstrike has attracted major enterprises signals the growing demand for its innovative solution.

Looking ahead, Briggs acknowledged the remarkable progress Lightstrike has made but emphasized the high expectations the company has for its future growth. The startup is now focusing on expanding its product offering and scaling its operations over the next 12 to 18 months. With the new funding in hand, Lightstrike plans to enhance its technology, further refine its AI tools, and strengthen its market presence across North America. The next phase of development is crucial for the company as it looks to establish itself as a leading player in the enterprise application management space.