Building the Future of Enterprise Search
Founded by the creator of OpenSearch, with decades of experience in Apache Lucene and Elasticsearch. We're on a mission to deliver fast, efficient, and flexible search and analytics that returns control to customers.
Our Mission
To democratize enterprise search and AI retrieval by providing powerful, open source technology that organizations can deploy on their own terms. We believe the best search infrastructure should be accessible to everyone, not locked behind proprietary walls.
Our Vision
A world where every organization can leverage AI-native search capabilities without vendor lock-in. We envision search infrastructure that's as flexible as it is powerful - running anywhere from edge devices to global cloud deployments, fully under customer control.
Built by Open Source Veterans
Lucenia was founded in early 2024 by Dr. Nick Knize, a long-time contributor to Apache Lucene with over a decade of experience building search and analytics systems at the core of Elasticsearch and OpenSearch.
Having witnessed firsthand the challenges organizations face with vendor lock-in and proprietary licensing changes, Dr. Knize set out to create a new kind of search company - one built as a Public Benefit Corporation, committed to keeping the core technology open and accessible.
Backed by Open Core Ventures and Amity Ventures, Lucenia combines decades of search expertise with a fresh approach to enterprise software: powerful AI-native capabilities delivered through a hybrid model that gives customers true control over their infrastructure.
Our Values
Open Source First
We believe in the power of open source. Our core platform is built on Apache Lucene and available under Apache 2.0 license, ensuring transparency and community-driven innovation.
Customer Control
We return control to our customers with a hybrid deployment approach. Deploy on-premises, in your cloud, or use our managed service - the choice is yours.
Community Driven
Built by contributors with decades of experience in search technology. We actively collaborate with the open source community to push the boundaries of what's possible.
Public Benefit
As a Public Benefit Corporation, we're committed to creating value not just for shareholders, but for the broader community and ecosystem we serve.
Meet the Founder
Nicholas Knize, PhD
Founder & CEODr. Nicholas Knize is the creator of OpenSearch and brings over a decade of experience in search and analytics, having contributed significantly to Apache Lucene and Elasticsearch. His deep expertise in distributed systems, geospatial search, and information retrieval forms the technical foundation of Lucenia.
"Organizations shouldn't have to choose between accessible AI capabilities and reasonable infrastructure costs. Our mission is to ensure that making data searchable and retrievable for AI remains economically viable for everyone, not just those with the deepest pockets."
Company Milestones
Company Founded
Dr. Nick Knize incorporates Lucenia Inc. as a public benefit company with funding from Open Core Ventures and Amity Ventures.
Core Platform Development
Development begins on the next-generation search and analytics engine built on Apache Lucene foundations.
Lucenia 0.1 Release
First public release of Lucenia with core search functionality and OpenSearch compatibility.
Enterprise Features Launch
Introduction of enterprise security features, multi-tenancy support, and managed cloud offerings.
Product Market Fit
Achieved product market fit with enterprise customers adopting Lucenia for AI-native search and retrieval workloads.
Seed Raise
Completed seed funding round to accelerate platform development and expand go-to-market efforts.
Market Expansion
Expanding market presence with new enterprise partnerships and global reach.
Lucenia at a Glance
Join Us on Our Journey
Whether you're looking to adopt Lucenia for your organization or join our team, we'd love to hear from you.