Marissa Mayer Launches Dazzle with $8M Seed Round for AI Personal Assistant Development

Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has launched a new startup called Dazzle, focused on developing next-generation AI personal assistants. The company has raised $8 million in a seed funding round at a $35 million valuation.

The funding was led by Forerunner’s Kirsten Green, with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Greycroft, Offline Ventures, Slow Ventures, and Bling Capital. Mayer also contributed her own capital to the round. Green’s involvement is seen as a key endorsement, given her track record in backing major consumer brands.

Dazzle was formed following the closure of Mayer’s previous venture, Sunshine, a contact and photo management startup originally launched as Lumi Labs in 2018. Sunshine raised $20 million but struggled to gain traction, and its investors have received a 10% equity stake in Dazzle. Mayer said the Sunshine team began prototyping Dazzle in mid-2024, shifting focus after recognizing greater potential in AI-driven personal tools.

The new company remains in stealth mode, with its website currently password-protected. Dazzle is expected to emerge publicly early next year.