Bill Gates daughter snags $30M for AI startup backed by celebs, Silicon Valley heavyweights | Latest Tech News
Bill Gates’ youngest daughter has clinched a blockbuster new funding spherical — vaulting her AI-driven purchasing startup into one of the most intently watched ventures in tech’s hottest class.
Phoebe Gates is raising $30 million for Phia, the AI purchasing agent she cofounded with Stanford classmate Sophia Kianni, according to a pitch deck seen by Bloomberg.
A company spokesperson confirmed the spherical, which is able to worth the New York–based startup at $180 million — a fast soar just months after Phia closed its first $8 million seed raise in September.
Bill Gates’ youngest daughter Phoebe Gates has clinched a blockbuster new funding spherical. Getty Images for Kering
The 23-year-old daughter of Bill and Melinda French Gates, who beforehand fessed to harboring anxiety about her “nepo baby” standing, has constructed Phia into a magnet for superstar and Silicon Valley capital.
Bill Gates and Phoebe Gates are pictured above in New York in June 2022. Getty Images for Kering
The deck reveals backers including Hailey Bieber, Kris Jenner, Sheryl Sandberg and Spanx founder Sara Blakely — a rarified roster for any startup, particularly one that’s less than a yr outdated.
Bill Gates has not invested, his daughter told Vogue, though the billionaire Microsoft co-founder has publicly supported the company’s mission .
Phoebe Gates is raising $30 million for Phia, the AI purchasing agent she cofounded with Stanford classmate Sophia Kianni. Brian Zak/NY Post
The new spherical shall be led by Notable Capital under managing associate Hans Tung, whose investment historical past consists of Anthropic and Airbnb.
Kleiner Perkins will also take part, along with Khosla Ventures under associate Keith Rabois, according to the pitch deck cited by Bloomberg.
Phia is pitching itself as the AI reply to what it calls the chaos of online purchasing — a market where customers lose time searching for offers while manufacturers fire advertisements at the fallacious people.
The company is building an AI-powered search engine that plugs into Chrome on desktop and Safari on cell.
Phoebe Gates boasts more than half a milion followers on Instagram. @phoebegates/Instagram
Users can search for merchandise, examine costs and observe real-time reductions across retailers and resale platforms.
Phia says the instrument has been downloaded 750,000 instances in the eight months through November.
Gates and Kianni started working on the concept in their Stanford dorm room, they told Vogue, beginning with a idea for a sensible tampon before pivoting to fashion tech — a shift that finally led to their AI purchasing engine.
The founders are browsing a wave of investor mania for so-called AI brokers — software program that performs repetitive digital duties mechanically and at scale.
Gates and Kianni started working on the concept from their Stanford dorm room. Getty Images for Business of Fashion
Phia’s deck compares the company to Harvey in legal tech, valued at $8 billion; Mercor in HR, which has a $10 billion valuation; and $30 billion Cursor, which develops software program development.
For Phoebe Gates, the daughter of one of the world’s most well-known billionaires, Phia marks a high-stakes, public take a look at of her own entrepreneurial chops.
Phoebe Gates is seen far proper alongside her mom, Melinda French Gates (middle), and sister Jennifer Gates Nassar. Getty Images for Gates Archive
The startup’s momentum follows a three-year dash through Stanford, where she earned a human biology degree in 2024 and deepened her focus on ladies’s health and global equity.
The Post has sought remark from Phia.
Phoebe is the youngest of three kids to Bill and Melinda Gates, who married in 1994 after assembly at Microsoft. The couple divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage.
The startup’s momentum follows a three-year dash through Stanford, where she earned a human biology degree in 2024. Getty Images for Global Citizen
The relationship unraveled in the years after Melinda raised considerations about Bill’s conferences with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Bill Gates later called his interactions with Epstein a “mistake that I deeply regret.”
As a consequence of their break up, Melinda Gates stop the Gates Foundation in May of last yr and acquired $12.5 billion for her own separate philanthropic work.
Bill Gates has repeatedly said he’ll depart his kids only a small portion of his wealth — “less than 1%” — arguing that handing down a huge inheritance wouldn’t be a “favor” to them.
Stay informed with the latest in tech! Our web site is your trusted source for breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, gadget launches, software program updates, cybersecurity, and digital innovation.
For recent insights, professional coverage, and trending tech updates, go to us commonly by clicking right here.
