In a significant move within the AI and startup ecosystem, website-building platform Wix has acquired AI-powered coding startup Base 44 for $80 million in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition has gained widespread attention for its unusual context — Base 44 was a solo-founded, bootstrapped company launched just six months ago by Israeli developer Maor Shlomo.
Founded in early 2025, Base 44 quickly gained traction with its AI platform that automates code generation. The tool enables users to convert simple natural language prompts into deployable code, streamlining the development process for both professional developers and non-technical users seeking faster product deployment.
Solo Founder, Major Exit
At just 26 years old, Shlomo built Base 44 independently, with no venture capital or external team. His approach focused entirely on solving developer pain points through product performance and speed. Operating with a lean structure and limited resources, Shlomo relied on product utility and virality to grow his user base organically.
The startup’s rapid growth and product-market fit attracted Wix, which has been expanding its AI capabilities to enhance developer tools and streamline digital experiences. Base 44 stood out not just for its advanced technology but also for the agility with which it responded to real-time developer needs.
Wix CEO Avishai Abrahami described the acquisition as a "strategic leap" that will strengthen the company’s suite of offerings. “Maor has built something exceptional. We believe Base 44 will help accelerate our vision of frictionless web development,” he said in a statement.
A Strategic Fit for Wix’s Ecosystem
Wix plans to integrate Base 44’s technology into its existing development ecosystem, particularly the Velo platform — Wix’s full-stack development environment. This move will allow users to generate production-ready applications with minimal manual coding, making sophisticated development accessible to a broader segment of users, including small businesses, entrepreneurs, and marketers.
Wix has also indicated that Base 44’s core capabilities could play a key role in reducing time-to-market for client-facing applications. Developers using Wix may soon benefit from real-time AI assistance, allowing for more efficient prototyping, deployment, and iteration.
Industry experts see this acquisition as a part of Wix's larger AI strategy. As competition intensifies among platforms offering low-code and no-code solutions, integrating intelligent tools becomes a differentiator.
AI Coding Tools Attract Growing Interest
The acquisition highlights the increasing importance of AI-powered development tools in the software and Martech industries. Platforms like GitHub Copilot, Replit’s Ghostwriter, and OpenAI’s Codex have shown the potential of AI in speeding up coding tasks and reducing complexity. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global AI coding assistant market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 25% from 2024 to 2030.
Base 44’s success, despite its short lifespan and lean structure, demonstrates how a focused, utility-driven product can capture market attention — and acquisition interest — even in a competitive space.
Wix’s strategy reflects a broader industry shift toward automated digital experience creation, combining low-code functionality with generative AI to improve accessibility and efficiency.
What This Means for the Martech and Startup Ecosystem
The Base 44 acquisition is likely to serve as a signal to other early-stage and bootstrapped AI startups that significant exits are possible without conventional scaling routes. In a funding environment where venture capital remains cautious, strategic acquisitions based on product utility and market demand are becoming increasingly viable.
For the Martech ecosystem, this development underlines the convergence of AI, no-code platforms, and web development. Businesses are increasingly looking for solutions that enable faster go-to-market strategies with reduced technical overhead. Integrations like these are expected to transform how digital products are conceived, built, and maintained.
Analysts suggest that we can expect more activity in this space, particularly from larger tech firms seeking to enhance their platform capabilities through AI innovation. As tools like Base 44 demonstrate their commercial and operational impact, the bar will be raised for how Martech platforms evolve.
Wix’s move may also prompt competitors in the website and app-building space to explore similar acquisitions, as the race to embed AI-first developer tools continues.