The Wabi AI Agent startup, founded by Replika creator Eugenia Kuyda, has raised $55 million at a $1.25 billion valuation, entering unicorn territory after its recent public launch. The company announced the funding on October 29, 2026, with IVP leading the round and a roster of top-tier investors and star angels joining in.
What Was Announced?
The round values Wabi at $1.25 billion, with IVP leading and participation from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Forerunner, the Amazon Alexa Fund, and angel investors including Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, and Alex Pall of The Chainsmokers.
The company said the new funding will support continued product development and expansion following strong interest in its recent public launch. “Eugenia has a unique sense for where AI is headed and a track record of great taste in building it,” said Alex Lim, general partner at IVP. “She has a clear vision for how people will interact with AI, one that goes far beyond the text box or command line. Wabi is the expression of that vision, and we’re thrilled to support her.”
Graphic: GPTOnline
From App Builder to AI Messenger
Wabi originally launched as a tool for building apps with prompts, but last month the startup announced a pivot of sorts toward becoming an AI messenger, internally called Wabi 2.0. The idea now is that the personal agent builds the interfaces users need to get things done as part of its role, generating personalized mini-apps on demand for tasks like meal planning, tracking local restaurants, planning date nights, building fitness plans, or designing trivia games.
Where most AI assistants are built for one person typing into one chat, Wabi is betting the next era of personal AI happens between people. “AI shouldn’t just save people time. It should help them spend it better, doing more of what they love, with the people they love,” said Kuyda. “We believe Wabi has the power to become an operating system for life, a place where your people, your tools, and your AI come together to help you do more of what matters.”
According to the company, couples can keep a running list of new restaurants to try and check them off together, families can share a weekly meal plan that turns into a grocery list, and friends can build trivia games for milestone birthdays or trackers for their book club. Wabi also helps with everyday responsibilities, from coordinating family schedules and helping children with homework to booking appointments and planning trips. The app is available on iOS, Android, and Mac, with Windows coming soon.
Graphic: GPTOnline
Why It Matters
The financing lands at a moment when money is piling into AI agents. Instinct raised another billion dollars in September at a $10 billion valuation, and Tolan, which makes a plush Muppet-styled AI companion, just pulled in $30 million, TechCrunch noted.
Kuyda’s track record matters here as much as the funding number. Replika proved she can get people emotionally attached to a chat interface; Wabi 2.0 is a bet that the same instinct extends to an assistant that spins up throwaway apps on demand instead of just talking. A $1.25 billion valuation for a product that pivoted its core concept a month ago shows investors are pricing in the founder and the category, not a proven usage pattern.
“Eugenia Kuyda is one of the most incredible consumer thinkers I know,” said Anish Acharya, general partner at a16z. “She was early and right about AI companions, and she thinks deeply about what people actually want. Eugenia knows personal agents need more than just a chat interface, so she’s building Wabi as a shared place to plan, play and get things done together.”
