Phoebe Gates, daughter of tech mogul Bill Gates, has ventured into the fashion tech industry with the launch of ‘Phia,’ an AI-driven shopping platform aimed at transforming how consumers approach sustainable fashion. Co-founded with her former Stanford roommate and climate activist, Sophia Kianni, Phia serves as a comprehensive tool for comparing prices across over 40,000 retail and secondhand websites, including platforms like The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, ThredUp, StockX, eBay, and Poshmark.
Phia’s standout feature, the “Should I Buy This?” button, allows users to assess the fairness of a product’s price and discover more affordable alternatives, promoting informed and eco-conscious purchasing decisions. By aggregating data from approximately 250 million listings, the app not only aids in finding the best deals but also encourages the adoption of secondhand fashion, addressing the industry’s significant environmental footprint.
Demonstrating a commitment to independence, Phoebe Gates secured initial funding through a $250,000 grant from a Stanford entrepreneurship program and raised an additional $500,000 from venture capitalists and angel investors, consciously choosing not to seek financial assistance from her father. Phia is available as a free iOS app and Chrome browser extension, catering to a generation of consumers seeking sustainable and cost-effective fashion solutions.
