Phoebe Gates, youngest daughter of tech billionaire Bill Gates, launches AI shopping app with Stanford roommate

As of April 24, Phia has officially exited the pre-launch phase and is available for free download on iOS and as a Chrome extension, according to People magazine.

Designed to make online shopping more efficient and cost-effective, Phia uses AI to compare prices across over 40,000 retail and secondhand sites. "It’s been exciting to bring a vision to life that caters directly to customer needs, and combines innovation with our passion," Phoebe, 22, and Kianni, 23, said in a joint statement. "Shopping for the things you love shouldn’t be hard, expensive, or a waste of time. That’s why we built Phia – to make finding the best deal effortless."

The name "Phia" blends elements of both founders' names. They described the app as "Google Flights for fashion," offering a streamlined, ad-free experience that helps users find the best prices with a single click. "Our target consumer is a young woman who’s hustling. She shops like a genius, but she doesn’t want to waste her time doing it," Phoebe said in an interview with Fortune magazine.

Phoebe Gates and Phia's co-founder Sophia Kianni. Photo from X

Although they only recently graduated from Stanford, both founders have already built impressive résumés. Kianni, founder of Climate Cardinals, the world's largest youth-led climate nonprofit, is also the youngest advisor to the United Nations. Phoebe, meanwhile, interned at British Vogue and has become an active advocate for reproductive rights, speaking at events such as Global Citizen and being named Reproductive Freedom for All’s Champion of the Year in 2023.

Earlier this month, her father made it clear that he does not expect her and her two siblings Jennifer, 29, and Rory, 25, to follow him into Microsoft or the tech industry. "You know, it’s not a dynasty. I’m not asking them to run Microsoft," Phoebe told Raj Shamani on his podcast, "Figuring Out." "I wanna give them a chance to have their own earnings and success, be significant and not overshadowed by the incredible luck and good fortune I had."

In an interview with the New York Post, Phoebe said: "This entire industry of fashion tech is fascinating to me. Women are spending a huge amount of money on shopping, and the fact we’re not delivering a personalized experience to them that’s good for their wallets and the world is crazy to me."

Although she appreciates her family's support, Phoebe emphasized that Phia is an independent venture. "We don’t want this to be something that’s funded by my family – we want this to be a real company," she said. "That’s really important for us ... while I have a ton of privilege coming from my family, it’s about having a product that stands on its own."

She said that from a young age, it was clear she and her siblings were expected to build their own careers. "Seeing the example that my parents led with the foundation and their own work has been an incredible example to me. There was never an expectation that we were gonna not work the rest of our lives."