by Zane Cherniak
In a world where every new tech product promises to “disrupt” or “revolutionize,” Lulai is doing something refreshingly rare: shutting up and doing the work.
Developed by Toronto-based tech entrepreneur Roberto Mena, Lulai is an AI shopping assistant that doesn’t come with a hype reel or a Silicon Valley pitch deck. Instead, Lulai offers something simple but elusive in e-commerce: an experience that actually feels like shopping — not searching.
At its core, Lulai is an AI-powered guide that helps online shoppers in real-time, gently nudging them toward what they’re looking for without the usual maze of filters and menus. Rather than coldly categorizing clicks, Lulai listens. It watches how users browse, hesitating here, doubling back there — and responds with subtle, well-timed questions designed to guide, not prod.
Lulai’s development was supported through the HELIX program at Seneca Polytechnic, which offers emerging entrepreneurs the resources and guidance needed to take innovative ideas like Mena’s from concept to reality.
“HELIX was super helpful in getting the idea off the ground,” Mena says. “It gave me a place to figure things out and connect with people who had the experience I didn’t.”
A Quiet Fix for a Loud Problem
Lulai lands at a time when “conversational commerce” is once again being hailed as the future of online shopping. Amazon, Shopify, and others have been experimenting with chatbots and predictive tools for years — and yet, consumers still find the experience robotic, clunky, or annoying.
Mena isn’t trying to be the loudest voice in that space. He just wants to make online shopping less annoying.
“The goal isn’t to mimic a real salesperson,” he says. “It’s to reduce friction — to give people the kind of help they’d normally get without forcing them to work for it.”
In practice, that might mean a user browsing sneakers is gently asked, “Planning to run in these or just wear them around?” Or, “Do you like leather or mesh?” The questions aren’t random. They’re triggered by what the user’s shown interest in, and it never feels like a pop-up ad.
No Buzzwords, No Bloat
Unlike much of the AI world, Lulai isn’t banking on buzzwords or billion-dollar rounds.
Mena has kept the team compact thus far, w a few designers, developers, and testers — with a focus on real-world usability over press releases.
There’s no “vision statement” or pre-launch hype campaign. Just a product quietly evolving through feedback, user testing, and iteration.
“We didn’t want to cram in generative features just because it’s trendy,” Mena says. “Sometimes less tech is the better tech.”
Built Around People, Not Just Code
Mena’s background in both UX design and backend systems has shaped Lulai’s model. Retailers can plug it into existing platforms and tweak the assistant’s tone to match their brand — whether that means fun and chatty or minimal and reserved.
“Some stores want a playful voice. Others want something more formal,” Mena explains. “Lulai isn’t a character, it’s more like a mirror.”
That customization — and restraint — is a big part of what’s winning over early testers. One skincare company in Vancouver said Lulai helped reduce bounce rates without touching their branding.
“It’s not pushy,” the store’s founder said. “It just… knows when to help.”
Lulai’s development was supported through the HELIX program at Seneca, which offers emerging entrepreneurs the resources and guidance needed to take innovative ideas like Mena’s from concept to reality.
Playing the Long Game
There’s no mobile app yet. No voice assistant integration. No slick pricing model. And Mena is fine with that.
“The tech will catch up,” he says. “The hard part is getting the experience right.”
For now, Lulai is onboarding retailers one by one — collecting feedback, tweaking the experience, and focusing on subtle improvements over splashy features.
Whether it scales or stays boutique, Lulai’s philosophy is clear: the best tech doesn’t shout. It disappears into the background and just makes everything feel smoother.
“It’s okay if no one notices Lulai,” Mena says. “If we’ve done it right, people shouldn’t even know it’s there.”
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