Stockholm startup Newly just landed over $2 million in funding to crack open one of tech’s toughest doors: native mobile app development. The platform lets users build, iterate, and launch fully functional, compliant mobile apps without writing a single line of code.1 If you have ever dreamed of putting your own app on the App Store but gave up because of the cost, this story is worth your time.
What Newly Does and Why It Matters Now
Newly, formerly known as Natively, is a Stockholm-based mobile app development company.1 Its AI-powered platform lets you build native iOS and Android apps with just a prompt, no coding required.2
What makes it stand out? The platform is built with React Native and Expo, meaning apps compile to real iOS and Android native code, not webviews.2 That is a big deal. Most no-code tools produce web-wrapped apps that feel slow and limited. Newly produces the real thing.
Users get full access to their app’s source code, can export, modify, and deploy anywhere, with zero vendor lock-in.2 For founders worried about being trapped on one platform, that is a genuine game changer.
The process is surprisingly simple. Describe your idea in plain English, and the AI handles the rest, from design to deployment.2
AI powered native mobile app builder startup funding 2026
Who Backed the $2M Round
The round was led by PSV Tech, with participation from Karaoke Club, Wave Ventures, Inception Fund, Foundry Ventures, Tiny Supercomputing Investment Company, and a group of prominent angel investors, including Fredrik Bjork, Mattias Miksche, Sebastian Knutsson, Peter Carlsson, Joseph Michael, Wilhelm Bohlin, Alfred Wahlforss, and Mandeep Singh.1
PSV Tech is not a small name in the Nordic startup world. The firm focuses on investing in Nordic startups at the pre-Seed and Seed stages, particularly in AI, software, and digital infrastructure.3 With roots in Denmark’s technical university ecosystem, PSV Tech aims to strengthen Europe’s ability to develop and retain its own tech infrastructure.3
Their investors were clearly impressed. “We were particularly impressed by how quickly teams can go from idea to a production-ready native app. By dramatically reducing both the technical expertise and the cost traditionally required to build native apps, Newly opens native app development to a much wider range of builders.”4
The Problem Newly Is Solving
Here is the harsh reality of building a native mobile app the traditional way:
| Factor | Traditional Development | With Newly |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $30,000 to $500,000+ | Starting at $5/month |
| Timeline | 3 to 12 months | Hours to days |
| Team Required | 5 to 6 specialists | Just you |
| Code Ownership | Varies by contract | Full ownership |
Native app development costs in the USA generally range from $30,000 to $150,000 or more, depending on app complexity, platform requirements, and integrations.5 For most solo founders, small businesses, and early-stage startups, that is simply not possible.
CEO Timothy Lindblom put it bluntly: “The mobile app has always been what founders wanted but couldn’t afford to build. We’ve made that excuse obsolete and opened the door for the 99% to start building and launching apps too.”4
The complexity of building for iOS and Android, navigating app store requirements, and maintaining performance at scale has continued to limit development to specialized teams.1 While AI tools have already made it easy to spin up websites, landing pages, and SaaS tools in hours, native mobile apps remained the final frontier.
Where Newly Fits in the No-Code Boom
The timing could not be better. In 2026, the no-code market has exploded to over $21 billion.6 Gartner forecasts the low-code development technologies market to exceed $30 billion in 2026, making it one of technology’s fastest-expanding segments.7
By 2026, 80% of low-code users will be outside formal IT departments, completing the transformation of app development from a technical function to a business one.8
The AI app builder space is already packed with well-funded players. Lovable hit $206M ARR in November 2025, while Replit reached an estimated $253M ARR by October 2025.9 But most of those platforms focus on web apps, not native mobile apps.
That distinction is where Newly carves its niche. The company is building the first truly accessible mobile app development tool, combining the speed of no-code with the power of real code when needed, opening the door for the estimated 99.5% of people who currently cannot build mobile apps on their own.10
In a recent podcast appearance, Timothy Lindblom shared that the platform has scaled to nearly one million apps built in just five months.11 That kind of traction at this stage signals serious demand.
What Comes Next for Newly
The company plans to use the new funding to further develop its platform and expand beyond mobile into other native formats, including desktop software, augmented reality experiences, and wearable applications.1
That roadmap is ambitious but logical. If Newly can crack native mobile, extending to wearables and AR is a natural next step as those platforms grow. Gartner predicts AI agent adoption will reach 40% of enterprise applications by 2026.12 Newly’s agentic AI approach positions it well for that wave.
Lindblom describes the shift as one that reduces development timelines “from months to hours.”1 If the platform delivers on that promise at scale, it could reshape how millions of people think about bringing a mobile app to life.
For founders, creators, and small business owners sitting on an app idea, the barriers just got a whole lot lower. A world where anyone can describe an idea and hold a real, native app in their hands within hours is not some far-off vision anymore. It is happening right now, out of Stockholm, one prompt at a time.
What do you think about AI tools like Newly making native app development available to everyone? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and share this story with someone who has been sitting on an app idea.
