Who launched Phia? Details about Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni’s newly launched shopping app

Phoebe Gates, the youngest daughter of Bill Gates, and her Stanford University roommate, Sophia Kinanni's have launched an AI shopping app, called Phia.

The AI shopping app helps users find the best deal on items from over 40,000 stores, which also includes secondhand shops. The tool is easy to use, has no ads, and users can find the best deals in a single click.

As per People magazine, the app has been launched and can be downloaded for free on iPhones and as a Chrome browser extension. Sophia Kianni is also the president and founder of Climate Cardinals, while Phoebe is an active advocate for reproductive rights.

Exploring more details of the shopping app, Phia

The AI shopping app, Phia, blends the names of both the co-founders, Phoebe and Sophia. The app partners with thousands of brands to help its users find the best deals. The app also provides an option where users can create their shopping mood boards, stock up on the items they like, and then shop whenever the price drops.

According to the co-founders, shopping should not be hard, expensive, or take a lot of time; hence, with Phia, they aim to provide users a platform that will scan the best possible deal for them in a click.

In an interview with Fortune magazine, they spoke about their target audience. They said:

''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.''

In an interview with the New York Post, Phoebe spoke about what she feels regarding fashion and technology. She 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."

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was recently interviewed about helping Phoebe fund her business. He said:

''I thought, ‘Oh boy, she’s going to come and ask [for money].''

He then said that he would have funded the business if Phoebe had asked him to do so, and then added, saying that:

''And then I would have kept her on a short leash and be doing business reviews, which I would have found tricky, and I probably would have been overly nice but wondered if it was the right thing to do? Luckily, it never happened.''

As per the New York Times, the co-founders started the business with $100,000 from Soma Capital, $250,000 from a social entrepreneurship program through Stanford, and $500,000 from other investors. Phia's Instagram page is already thriving with reels, showing audiences how to use the app and find the best deals available in the market.

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