Phia, an AI-powered shopping platform, has raised $35 million in a funding round to accelerate its vision of creating an intelligent, personalized e-commerce experience. The round was led by prominent investors, though individual backers have not been publicly disclosed. The company was co-founded by Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill Gates, and Sophia Kianni, an environmental tech entrepreneur and AI enthusiast.
Phia uses artificial intelligence to curate products, optimize deals, and provide shoppers with predictive recommendations across online retail platforms. The founders aim to transform online shopping into a more interactive, efficient, and tailored experience by combining natural language understanding with real-time pricing and inventory insights.
The funding announcement drew attention not only because of its size but also due to Bill Gates’ public interest in the platform, reportedly saying, “I have entered the chat” in reference to his daughter’s venture. This early endorsement adds both credibility and visibility to the startup as it navigates the competitive AI-driven e-commerce landscape. (Times of India)
The $35 million will fund product development, AI model enhancements, and expansion of the engineering and marketing teams. Phia represents the next wave of AI startups aiming to redefine consumer experiences through machine learning, predictive analytics, and autonomous personalization tools.
With this funding, Phia is positioning itself to become a next-generation AI shopping unicorn, blending cutting-edge technology with market-ready applications in retail.
