ZOE Studios Co-founder and CEO Danielle Chen has announced that the studio has officially closed an angel funding round, describing it as a milestone that adds momentum behind its plan to build a “fresh, fun, and brilliantly modern casual chess experience” and scale a community around daily play.
Chen thanked a group of gaming leaders and investors backing the round, including John Wright, Phil Mansell, Dilpesh Parmar, Simon Hade, Maxime Demeure, Juha Paananen, Carolin Krenzer, and Brice Laville Saint-Martin. The size of the round was not disclosed.
A product built around approachability and habit-forming play
Chen framed ZOE’s goal as rethinking how chess is packaged for modern, casual audiences, less like a competitive test and more like a welcoming, repeatable daily experience. She said the studio is working toward a “category-defining product” supported by a “vibrant and growing community,” positioning chess as a timeless game that can fit naturally into everyday routines.
ZOE Studios was founded by Chen (CEO) and Itay Mashid (CPO), and the company currently has a team of 14.
The studio’s leadership has pointed to prior product and economy experience from mobile live operations, while Mashid has also described a long competitive chess background, including coaching experience, as part of the foundation for how the game teaches and onboards players.
What the raise unlocks next
Following the close, Chen said the company plans to move directly into a VC round, with an ambition to scale into one of the world’s most-played games.
Zoe Studios has a countdown on its website, set to reveal in 40 days.
