The rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) has simplified the process for developers to create chatbots. Major companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have introduced applications like ChatGPT, Bard, and Bing Chat, yet many non-tech-savvy users may still be unfamiliar with these tools. In response, Spain-based Luzia is bringing AI chatbot technology to a wider audience through a WhatsApp-based platform.
Founded in 2023 by Álvaro Martínez Higes, Javier Andrés, and Carlos Pérez, Luzia aims to tap into the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking chatbot market. Using Luzia is straightforward: simply add the chatbot as a contact on your phone and begin chatting via WhatsApp or Telegram.
Luzia has achieved remarkable engagement, with over 17 million users interacting with the bot and 8 million active each month. Although specific daily user statistics weren't disclosed, the startup reports handling an impressive 13 million requests daily.
According to Martínez Higes, many users tend to share Luzia with friends, encouraging them to also engage with the chatbot. The platform uses your phone number to determine your location, initiating conversations in either Spanish or Portuguese. As the company expands into the U.S. market, Luzia will also accommodate English speakers, but it defaults to Spanish if that's the language of the user.
Currently, Luzia serves users in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, and the United States. The goal is to introduce the bot to those who may be unaware of AI technology. Many new users liken Luzia to voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. While the app includes a brief onboarding message outlining its capabilities, Luzia isn’t actively providing educational prompts about its features.
To enhance interactions, Luzia integrates various models including GPT 3.5/4, Llama, and Kandinsky. Users can request Luzia to generate email text, answer queries, transcribe voice notes or audio files, and even create images based on text prompts.
Recently, Luzia secured $10 million in Series A funding, led by Khosla Ventures, with contributions from notable investors like Basketball Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, A* Capital, Abstract Ventures, FJ Labs, Globo Ventures, and others. Prior to this round, Luzia raised $3 million in funding.
For now, the company is keeping the bot free while concentrating on growth and providing value to users. Martínez Higes stated, “We have explored monetization strategies such as unlocking unlimited messages and enhanced features through paid plans. However, this approach quickly becomes commoditized in the industry. If we’d taken that route, we would not have survived.”
Adina Tecklu, a partner at Khosla Ventures, remarked that Luzia is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the personal assistant market. She emphasized the substantial opportunity that lies within the Latin American and Iberian Peninsula markets, saying, “I have been observing this space for some time—how AI can effectively enhance consumer interactions. With Luzia, we recognized a strong team that deeply understands its consumer base, resulting in exciting early traction. Their product clearly resonates with Spanish and Portuguese users, and such early user engagement is impressive.”
This year, Khosla Ventures has backed various startups in the AI and LLM space, including the reading coach app Ello and the conversational learning app Quazel.
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