AI shopping agents startup, Azoma, has announced a $11.2 million Series A funding round led by Puma Growth Partners, with participation from dunnhumby, Twin Path, MaRS IAF, Rank Ventures and Ignite Ventures and Angels from Google DeepMind and Legora.

The round will fund the expansion of Azoma's platform across the AI personal assistants space such as ChatGPT Dots and Meta Muse; as well as the build out of its optimisation and attribution capabilities for enterprise consumer brands utilising dunnhumby data.

The cash will also support team growth with a particular focus on recruiting AI talent. Azoma works with consumer brands including L'Oréal, Unilever, Mars, Beiersdorf and Reckitt. The round follows a $4 million seed announced in December 2025.

Azoma was founded in 2022 by Max Sinclair, a former Amazon executive; and Timur Luguev, a PhD and Postdoctoral Researcher in machine learning. Sinclair comments: "Three hundred and fifty million people used Alexa for Shopping last year. Walmart customers who use their AI shopping assistant Sparky spend 40% more than those who don’t."

"Instinct, the personal AI Assistant that launched in August with zero marketing budget, already accounts for $1 billion in transactions, and is growing at a rate of 10% day over day. Agent-to-agent commerce has arrived faster than anyone expected. For our customers, this will be more transformational than the internet. Agentic commerce will be on a par with how electrification birthed or transformed these enterprise consumer brands."

Henri Songeur, Investment Director at Puma Growth Partners, says: "We are delighted to be backing Max, Timur and the wider Azoma team as they capitalise on one of the fastest shifts we have seen in e-commerce. Azoma has built a defensible measurement solution in a category it helped create, with enterprise customers already in place. Their clients are at the very forefront of e-commerce, manage vast portfolios of staple household goods and are trusting Azoma to help optimise their approach to market. We look forward to supporting their next phase of growth."

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

AI will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world, have now closed for entries. Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2026 shortlists and finalists here.

We received a record number of entries this year and many fantastic examples of technology excellence driving transformative change across the global retail sector.

Congratulations to all those who made it through the initial submission process! It’s now over to our star studded judging panel who will decide the winners to be announced at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London. 

The event will be held on Wednesday, 4th November and consist of a drinks reception, three course meal, awards ceremony presided over by award winning stand-up comedian, presenter, actor and broadcaster, Aurie Styla, and after party until 1am.

Click here to book your place at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 4th November.