Is Phoebe Gates’s Phia the Most Celeb-Backed Shopping Startup of All Time?
Phia, an AI shopping app co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, aims to revolutionize online shopping with its innovative browser extension. The app has attracted a significant number of celebrity investors, raising $35.5 million in its Series A funding round, bringing total funding to $43.5 million. With 1.5 million users and a focus on personalized shopping experiences, Phia is positioning itself as a leader in the competitive AI shopping market.
- ▪Phia was launched in April 2025 and offers a browser extension that helps users find better prices and alternatives while shopping online.
- ▪The app has raised $35.5 million in its Series A funding round, which included a diverse group of celebrity investors.
- ▪Phia currently has 1.5 million users and partners with 9,600 brands, claiming a 50% lower return rate on purchases made through its extension.
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TechnologyIs Phoebe Gates’s Phia the Most Celeb-Backed Shopping Startup of All Time?By Hilary MilnesMay 29, 2026Sophia Kianni and Phoebe Gates.Photo: Timothy O’ConnellSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this storyPhia, the AI shopping app launched in April 2025 by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, wants to win the AI shopping race.Phia’s browser extension tool scrapes the internet while you shop, offering alternatives to whatever product you’re looking at, like a similar item at a better price or the same pair of pants available secondhand on Ebay; it’s designed to be a smarter shopping companion. Now, more than a year in, Phia is rolling out new tools that match its bigger ambitions to be a full, soup-to-nuts AI shopping platform.
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