In a groundbreaking move for the tech industry, Eugenia Kuyda, the visionary founder of AI companion app Replika, has raised a staggering $20 million in pre-seed funding for her latest venture, Wabi.
Announced on November 5, 2025, Wabi is positioned as the 'YouTube of apps,' a social platform that allows users to create and share mini-apps instantly using simple prompts.
Revolutionizing App Creation with Wabi
This innovative concept aims to democratize app development, making it accessible to anyone with an idea, regardless of technical expertise.
Kuyda’s journey began with Replika in 2017, long before AI became a household term with tools like ChatGPT, establishing her as a pioneer in consumer AI.
A Legacy of Innovation in AI
Replika’s success in creating personalized AI companions showcased Kuyda’s ability to anticipate trends, and Wabi appears poised to follow in those footsteps with a focus on user-generated software.
The $20M pre-seed round is one of the largest of its kind, signaling strong investor confidence in Wabi’s potential to reshape how we interact with and create digital tools.
Potential Impact on the Tech Landscape
By enabling users to craft mini-apps tailored to their needs, Wabi could disrupt traditional app stores, offering a more dynamic and social alternative to platforms dominated by tech giants.
Historically, app development has been a barrier-heavy field, but Wabi’s prompt-based system could lower these barriers, fostering a wave of digital creativity among non-developers.
Looking ahead, Wabi might redefine personal technology, creating a future where customized apps are as commonplace as social media posts, potentially influencing industries beyond tech, such as education and entertainment.
However, challenges remain, including ensuring user privacy and managing the quality of user-generated content on such an open platform.
As Kuyda steps into this new chapter, the tech community watches eagerly to see if Wabi can replicate or even surpass Replika’s cultural and commercial impact.
For more details on the funding announcement, check out the original report on TechCrunch.
Maria Lourdes
