What’s Adalat AI, Indian non-profit bringing AI to courtrooms and why it matters to you
Backed by Y Combinator, Adalat AI has become the first Indian-founded non-profit in YC history as it builds AI tools for faster, paperless courts across India.
The organisation recently announced that it has been selected for Y Combinator’s F26 batch. It is the first nonprofit backed by YC in nearly five years and the first Indian-founded non-profit in YC history.
1/ Adalat AI is now backed by Y Combinator.
We’re the first nonprofit YC has backed in nearly five years — and the first Indian-founded nonprofit in YC history. pic.twitter.com/iZpk140lzd
— Adalat AI (YC F26) (@Adalat_AI) August 19, 2026
What is Adalat AI?
Adalat AI is a legal-tech non-profit focused on using AI to improve justice systems in developing countries. Its goal is to help reduce delays in courts and improve the quality of judicial processes.
Its platform includes courtroom speech recognition, case management software, paperless court systems and a WhatsApp interface that allows litigants to interact with the judicial process more easily.
The tools are built for real-world court conditions, including patchy internet connectivity, limited technical infrastructure, multiple Indian languages and heavily burdened court staff.
The organisation was founded by Utkarsh Saxena and Arghya Bhattacharya.
Why Did Y Combinator back a non-profit?
In its announcement on X, Adalat AI said Y Combinator made an exception because “justice delayed is justice denied.”
The organisation argues that millions of cases are delayed not because of weak laws, but because courts continue to rely on outdated operational systems. Its goal is to modernise those systems using AI while keeping the technology accessible for public institutions.
“Millions across India wait years for their day in court — not because of bad laws, but broken operations. We build the infrastructure to fix that,” it added.
How big is its reach?
According to Adalat AI, its technology is already being used across 11+ states and more than 6,000 courtrooms, covering roughly one-fourth of India’s district judiciary.
The nonprofit says Sikkim has become India’s first fully paperless state judiciary using its tools, while Kerala has adopted the platform statewide. Andhra Pradesh is expected to roll it out across the state in October.
What’s Next?
With Y Combinator’s backing, Adalat AI plans to expand its judicial technology across India and other countries in the Global South.
Founders Utkarsh Saxena and Arghya Bhattacharya will participate in YC’s San Francisco programme from September to December as the organisation looks to scale AI-powered justice technology beyond India.
Original source: https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/
