Phoebe Gates wants her $185M AI startup to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name'
Fortune • • general
Key Points:
- Phoebe Gates is determined to build her startup, Phia, independently without relying on her family name or privilege, emphasizing merit-based success in Silicon Valley.
- Phia, co-founded with her Stanford roommate Sophia Kianni, is an AI shopping assistant that helps users find better prices by comparing retail and resale sites in real time, targeting young, savvy female shoppers.
- Since its 2025 launch, Phia has rapidly grown, securing $35 million in funding and reaching a valuation of about $185 million, with investors including Notable Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and Khosla Ventures.
- Gates has faced investor skepticism and personal questions about balancing entrepreneurship and potential motherhood, but she draws strength from advice by her mother,
