Marissa Mayer Bets on AI Assistants: Dazzle Secures $8M Funding with Venture Star Kirsten Green on Board

Tech industry veteran Marissa Mayer is making a bold return to the startup world with Dazzle, an AI-powered assistant platform that has just closed an $8 million seed round. The funding round, valued at $35 million, was led by renowned venture capitalist Kirsten Green of Forerunner Ventures, whose track record of backing breakout consumer companies like Warby Parker, Chime, and Dollar Shave Club adds significant credibility to the newly launched venture.

From Sunshine’s Ashes to Dazzle’s Promise

Mayer’s previous startup, Sunshine (originally launched as Lumi Labs in 2018), met with limited success despite her prominent profile. The company, which pivoted from contact management to photo-sharing and event management, never gained meaningful traction. Privacy concerns surrounding the app’s data-sourcing practices and feedback about its outdated design ultimately led to its shutdown. However, the $20 million that Sunshine raised from investors like Felicis and Norwest Venture Partners didn’t go to waste—those backers will receive 10% equity in Dazzle as compensation.

Reflecting on Sunshine’s challenges, Mayer acknowledged that the problems the company addressed were too “mundane” and lacked the scale needed for significant impact. “I don’t think we got it to the state of overall polish and accessibility that I really wanted,” she shared in recent comments.

The Timing is Right for Consumer AI

Green’s decision to lead the round signals growing confidence in consumer-facing AI applications. While enterprise AI dominated early adoption, consumer AI solutions are now emerging as the genuine growth opportunity. Dazzle’s focus on building next-generation AI personal assistants positions it squarely within this expanding category.

The funding syndicate extends beyond Forerunner, with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Greycroft, Offline Ventures, Slow Ventures, and Bling Capital. Notably, Mayer has also co-invested her own capital alongside the round.

Lessons from a Legendary Career

Before her ventures in personal software, Mayer was employee number 20 at Google, where she shaped Google Search’s user interface and shepherded the development of critical products like Google Maps and AdWords. Her subsequent role as Yahoo CEO gave her experience navigating transformational periods in tech. Drawing on these experiences, Mayer expressed her ambition: “I have had the rare privilege of being at two companies that really changed how people do things. I really aspire to build a product that has that kind of impact again.”

According to Mayer, prototyping for Dazzle began last summer when the Sunshine team recognized the opportunity before them. The shift in focus felt immediate—what emerged from these experiments generated significantly greater enthusiasm and potential than their prior work had.

What’s Next

Dazzle is expected to launch publicly in early 2025, though its website remains password-protected as the team prepares for its debut. The combination of Mayer’s pedigree, Green’s venture acumen, and the broader momentum behind consumer AI positions Dazzle as a potential player in the next wave of AI-driven applications.