Jenny Wang, a 28-year-old technologist with a deep love for fashion, has spent years dreaming about one idea: a personal stylist that lives in your pocket — one smart enough to know your wardrobe, your calendar, the weather outside, and even your budget. It’s a vision she kept returning to, even when the technology wasn’t quite ready.
Wang’s startup, Alta, is finally turning that vision into reality — and today, she’s unveiling an impressive $11 million seed round led by Menlo Ventures. The platform is something out of Clueless: an AI-powered fashion assistant that not only recommends outfits but lets you virtually try them on through a personalized digital avatar.
Let’s say you’re getting ready for a big conference like TechCrunch Disrupt. Alta can suggest polished looks, curate a custom lookbook, and even help you mix and match your own wardrobe with new items — all from your phone. Upload your closet by snapping photos, forwarding receipts, or tapping into Alta’s fashion database.
While other startups like Whering and Cladwell are also exploring AI styling, Wang believes Alta offers something different — something future-ready. “There are players like Google Shopping and Pinterest exploring AI,” she said, “but the experiences consumers will truly crave demand new technical foundations and interfaces.”
She’s backed by some big names — including Meredith Koop, Michelle Obama’s longtime stylist, who helped train Alta’s AI to understand taste and intention.
The investor lineup reads like a who’s who of tech and fashion:
- Benchstrength
- Algaé Ventures (linked to fashion royalty: the Arnaults of LVMH)
- Phenomenal Ventures (founded by Meena Harris, niece of Kamala Harris)
- Anthropic’s venture arm, Anthology Fund
- Plus angel investors like DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, supermodels Jasmine Tookes and Karlie Kloss, Rent the Runway co-founder Jenny Fleiss, and Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra
Wang, a Harvard-trained engineer, isn’t just the founder — she’s still deep in the codebase. Her journey has crisscrossed tech and fashion: she interned at DoorDash, advised brands on technology, and even helped on Karlie Kloss’s “Kode With Klossy” podcast.
“This is truly the company I’ve always wanted to build,” Wang said. “And I’m learning from our team every day.”
With the new funding, Alta plans to grow its team, deepen its research, and refine its in-house AI models based on feedback from its growing user base. It’s already partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to offer Alta to members, and global expansion is underway — with support from LVMH and Zita d’Hautville, a tech influencer and angel investor.
Wang recently moved from San Francisco to New York to be closer to the fashion capital of the world — and to Europe. “NYC is just a shorter flight to Paris,” she laughed.
Alta is also working with tidying guru Marie Kondo to expand into Oceania and the Pacific. Next up? Collaborating directly with retailers across the globe.
“New York is the epicenter of so many exciting AI consumer startups,” Wang said. “We’re building a team that’s not only technically sharp but truly obsessed with style.”
For Wang, Alta isn’t just a startup. It’s the product of years of passion, patience, and vision — and it’s finally, beautifully, taking shape.
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