Birmingham Startup Luau Aims to Streamline Social Planning

Luau app helps busy individuals and families coordinate gatherings and events with ease.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 1:15am

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Birmingham-based entrepreneur Joshua Gilmer created the Luau app to solve the problem of event planning and logistics that often bog down hosts and guests, making in-person gatherings harder to pull off. Luau streamlines the party planning process by handling invites, RSVPs, reminders, and more, so users can focus on enjoying their social events.

Why it matters

In an era where social connections can drift due to busy schedules, Luau aims to make it easier for people to maintain their social lives and relationships. The app targets busy professionals, parents, and college students who struggle with the headaches of event planning, providing a solution that brings people together in the real world.

The details

Luau's features include crafting invitations, tracking RSVPs, sending reminders, and even offering PartyPass devices and NFC check-in capabilities for added convenience. The platform also has an AI agent named Kai that can answer guest questions and analyze a user's social life to reveal opportunities for growth. Gilmer sees Luau as a 'social life operating system' that goes beyond just event planning to tackle the deeper issue of relationship drift among adults.

  • Gilmer started working on the idea for Luau in late 2024.
  • Luau went through the 'idea validator' program Velocity at Birmingham's Innovation Depot.

The players

Joshua Gilmer

The Birmingham-based entrepreneur who created the Luau app to streamline event planning and help people maintain their social connections.

Luau

A startup app founded by Joshua Gilmer that aims to make it easier for busy individuals and families to coordinate gatherings and events.

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What they’re saying

“Birmingham is fast becoming an investment hub for future-of-family (FoF) tech. And FoF makes sense. Birmingham is family-friendly. Our culture isn't just an amazing food scene. It's little league games, play dates, and movie nights. A lot of people think Birmingham is construction, healthcare, and that we should stay in our wheelhouse. But I'd say we prioritize family, and see having kids not as something that is diminishing your life's potential, but cementing your life's legacy. We are uniquely cognizant of the pain points other parents feel (like logistical planning fatigue), and can build a better future for them.”

— Joshua Gilmer

What’s next

As Luau scales, Gilmer sees more opportunities to integrate the platform with other services like OpenTable, Airbnb, and babysitting apps to further streamline the event planning process.

The takeaway

Luau's mission to tackle the problem of relationship drift and make it easier for busy individuals and families to maintain their social connections resonates with the family-friendly culture of Birmingham, positioning the startup for success in addressing a widespread pain point.