OpenSesame Joins a16z Speedrun
Anthony Azrak and Jai Mansukhani, co-founders of the AI startup OpenSesame, have navigated a series of fortunate coincidences to establish their company at the forefront of agentic AI capabilities. Their journey began within the Next Canada accelerator, and as they collaborated with AI company Cohere for a hackathon, they caught the eye of Cohere’s CEO, Aidan Gomez, who invested after receiving a handwritten Christmas card complemented by a custom hockey jersey.
The duo subsequently connected with a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) during New York Tech Week, leading to their selection for the prestigious a16z Speedrun accelerator program without even submitting a formal application. Azrak expressed that this speedrun process evokes the spirit of earlier Y Combinator (YC) days, reflecting a culture steeped in innovation and entrepreneurship.
As the only Canadian startup chosen for the upcoming Speedrun cohort, OpenSesame will engage in a 12-week program offering $1 million USD (approximately $1.36 million CAD) in equity and extensive access to resources, including credits for software and AI tools, along with invaluable networking and mentorship opportunities.
Founded just over a year ago, the Toronto-based OpenSesame enables companies to embed agentic AI capabilities into their products through natural language prompts, allowing AI agents to autonomously interact on behalf of users. Mansukhani articulated their ambition, aiming for OpenSesame to become the equivalent of Canva for AI interfaces—creating an intuitive method for product integration without extensive infrastructure rewiring.
While the AI-as-a-service market becomes increasingly crowded, the co-founders have strategically narrowed their focus to cater to sectors reliant on legacy software, such as construction and insurance. The company has already amassed a client base of twelve, asserting its capability to seamlessly integrate with existing technological ecosystems—a solution directly addressing enterprise challenges related to AI adoption and technical talent shortages.
As OpenSesame prepares to maximize the benefits of a smaller cohort at a16z, contrasting sharply with YC’s more expansive groups, the founders remain focused on securing additional funding following the accelerator’s demo day. Besides Gomez’s backing, they have attracted investments from other notable figures, including those from Comma Capital and BDC Capital Seed Fund.
The possibility of relocating to the United States remains a topic of discussion for Azrak and Mansukhani, contingent on the interest generated from U.S.-based venture capitalists. In a previous encounter, Gomez emphasized the importance of Canadian founders resisting terms necessitating a move to the U.S., which resonated with the duo’s objectives of nurturing their roots in Canada. The founders acknowledge that while the Canadian fundraising ecosystem faces challenges, Canada continues to be a wellspring of tech talent.
Ultimately, Azrak conveyed their current state of ambivalence: 9They would prefer to remain in Canada but are keenly aware that persistent funding obstacles could hinder their growth trajectory. This uncertainty poses crucial questions regarding OpenSesame’s future as they strive to expand their vision and operations within the ever-evolving AI landscape.