Ex-Pinterest Team Reinvents Email With ‘Extra’

When was the last time email felt exciting? For most people, it hasn’t — not since the early days of Gmail. Over the years, startups have tried to fix the inbox, but most simply added features on top of the same old system. Now, a new app called Extra is taking a different approach — by rebuilding email from the ground up.

Created by former designers and engineers from Pinterest, Extra is the first product from BuildForever, a consumer tech startup aiming to rethink everyday digital tools. And this time, the inbox might finally feel manageable — even enjoyable.

A Fresh Take on the Inbox

Extra throws out traditional email elements like subject lines, folders, and tags. Instead, it organizes your inbox around your daily life. At the center of the experience is the “Today” tab — a real-time dashboard that surfaces what actually matters.

Rather than scrolling through endless messages, users see a clear overview of tasks, updates, and useful information. Emails are automatically sorted into categories like travel, finance, family, and newsletters, turning chaos into a personalized system that adapts to each user.

Built From a Real Problem

The idea for Extra came from a familiar frustration. BuildForever CEO Naveen Gavini, who previously spent over a decade at Pinterest, struggled to manage his personal inbox after long workdays filled with emails.

Important messages would get buried, tasks were missed, and inbox overload became the norm. Extra aims to solve that core issue by restructuring how information is presented — not just adding more tools.

AI That Works in the Background

While artificial intelligence powers much of Extra, the company isn’t marketing it as an “AI app.” That’s intentional. Gavini believes most users don’t want complex AI assistants — they just want simple problems solved.

Behind the scenes, AI analyzes emails, understands context, and organizes content automatically. There’s also an assistant that can help users search emails, unsubscribe from unwanted senders, or even reply using voice commands.

Turning Email Into Action

Extra’s “Today” tab acts like a smart to-do list. It highlights what needs attention, what’s happening now, and what’s simply useful to know. Users can swipe through tasks, open files, click links, or mark items as done.

There’s also a “Daily Cleanup” feature that makes decluttering easy. Users can quickly unsubscribe from unwanted emails or delete entire threads, saving both time and storage.

Other tabs bring a fresh twist to common email categories:

• News presents newsletters like a modern reading app, similar to Apple News
• Events pulls out plans and suggests local activities
• Shop turns promotional emails into a visual storefront

The result is an inbox that feels less like work — and more like a curated feed.

Early Success and What’s Next

Extra is already showing promising results. Beta users have collectively unsubscribed from over 2 million emails per year, while more than 4 million emails have been converted into simplified summaries.

Currently, the app works with Gmail accounts and is available on iOS and the web. BuildForever may expand support to other email providers and even launch its own email service in the future.

Backed by Big Names

The startup has raised $9.5 million in seed funding from investors including Abstract, Felicis, and Kevin Hartz. Notable backers also include Pinterest co-founders Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp, along with Paul Buchheit.

Email, Reimagined

With Extra, BuildForever isn’t just tweaking email — it’s redesigning how people interact with it. By blending thoughtful design with subtle AI, the company hopes to turn one of the internet’s most frustrating tools into something users actually enjoy.

And surprisingly, it might just work.

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