She Refuses to Rely on the Gates Name. Now Her AI Shopping App Is Taking Off |
She Refuses to Rely on the Gates Name. Now Her AI Shopping App Is Taking Off
Phoebe Gates’ startup Phia has raised $185 million since it was founded in April.
BY AVA LEVINSON, NEWS WRITER
Phoebe Gates, cofounder of Phia. (Photo by Kimberly White via Getty Images)
Phoebe Gates is committed to proving her capability separate from her family name. The 23-year-old has raised $185 million in seed funding for AI shopping agent Phia, which she cofounded with her former Stanford University roommate Sophia Kianni.
Phia is a personal shopping assistant that advises users on whether or not to purchase a certain item based on the quality and price. The platform also uses AI technology to recommend similar items that are more affordable and environmentally sustainable.
“My primary motivation is to build something generational that has no ties to, you know, me, my privilege, or my last name,” Gates said on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast last week.
The startup has accepted no money from Gates’ parents, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and philanthropist Melinda French Gates. Gates said she has a “chip on her shoulder” for “not only proving myself, but building something novel and unique that consumers actually love.”
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Since its launch in April 2025, Phia has garnered over one million users and grown revenue elevenfold. The company raised $35 million in its most recent funding round, which was led by Notable Capital, with participation from Khosla Ventures and Kleiner Perkins.
“I have been so incredibly blessed with the life that I have been given, and I have so much privilege, that I want to take that and do something,” Gates said on the podcast. “I want to build something new, I want to create something of value, I want to bring talented people around the table at Phia and invest in their growth and their future of building an incredible company culture.”
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While her parents aren’t bankrolling her startup, Gates said they’ve provided value in other ways.