Observed Signal · Jun 30, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Acti launches agentic smartphone keyboard
Acti, a Singapore-based startup, launched an "agentic" keyboard app for iOS and Android that embeds AI agents directly into users' smartphone keyboards. The keyboard can perform multi-step actions (called Skills) inside any app — from translating text to inserting live data — and is powered by Google's Gemini models. Acti uses a local-first architecture so personal context stays on-device by default, only sending data off-device when users invoke external processing. The company has closed $5.3 million in seed funding led by BITKRAFT Ventures and plans subscription monetization for premium models and higher usage limits.
A new distribution surface for AI agents embedded in keyboards could change how consumers access agentic capabilities across apps; uses major LLMs (Gemini) and raises privacy and UI-distribution considerations for the AI/app ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Acti launched an agentic keyboard app for iOS and Android.
- Acti is headquartered in Singapore.
- The keyboard is powered by Google’s Gemini models.
- Acti closed $5.3 million in seed funding in a round led by BITKRAFT Ventures.
- Acti uses a local-first model where personal context remains on the device by default.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mapped“Under the hood, Acti is powered by Google’s Gemini models, which Wang said were chosen for their balance of intelligence, speed, reliability...”
“Wang says he was encouraged to work on a new keyboard for the AI era after previously spending a decade at Baidu, growing its Facemoji Keybo...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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