LumenUs is a new startup founded by Sara Tashakorinia that aims to ease the overwhelming administrative burden families face after the death of a loved one. After losing her husband in an accident and spending hundreds of hours on paperwork, Tashakorinia sought a better solution. LumenUs uses AI technology to handle many of the tedious, non-emotional tasks such as filing tax forms, processing insurance claims, and closing bank accounts, thus allowing grieving families to focus on healing rather than bureaucracy.

The platform guides users through a tailored onboarding process where they provide details about their personal, legal, and financial situation following a death. Based on this information, LumenUs prioritizes tasks by urgency to help users navigate what often feels like an insurmountable to-do list. The service also helps uncover unclaimed benefits like life insurance payouts, potentially recovering billions of dollars that go uncollected each year. Automating these processes with AI aims to save time and reduce stress during a difficult period.

Tashakorinia’s background in cybersecurity, combined with expertise from co-founders Sajad Mirzaei and Larry Keeley as well as input from clinicians and social workers, ensures that the platform is both secure and sensitive to users’ needs. LumenUs focuses initially on the immediate aftermath of death but aspires to support people throughout the longer grieving journey. The startup will launch its early access version in October and is currently part of the Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.

By addressing a painful, overlooked challenge with technology, LumenUs reflects a growing trend of startups blending AI with empathetic service design. This innovation could transform how people manage the practical demands following a loss, reducing frustration and financial hardship. As LumenUs prepares to enter the market, it stands out for its mission to simplify one of life’s hardest transitions through automation and thoughtful user experience.