Phoebe Gates & Sophia Kianni
We are especially impressed with their achievements in the fashion tech ecosystem through development of their cutting-edge, smart shopping app, Phia. The duo created the app hoping to completely change the way people shop online. It puts second-hand alternatives at users’ fingertips and easy reach while they shop. Launched in April 2023, Phia has quickly gained traction, amassing over 10 million views across various social media platforms and attracting around 500,000 active users.
Sophia Kianni, the climate activist who founded the international nonprofit Climate Cardinals to fight climate disinformation, first met Phoebe Gates years ago. It’s this shared vision that got Christian and Anya to begin building Phia about a year after their first meeting. Kianni’s organization translates important climate change-related information into a variety of languages. This work is a natural fit with the sustainability goals that fuel Phia’s mission.
The app’s recent update, which rolled out last week, adds a new interactive search feature, letting shoppers dig through more than 300 million fashion products. This addition is indicative of their efforts to build a more intelligent, useful shopping experience.
In an entrepreneurial tour-de-force, Gates and Kianni managed to close an $8 million seed round in less than three-and-a-half weeks. The funding was originally led by Kleiner Perkins, and saw participation from celebrity investors Kris Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Other major supporters are billionaire Michael Rubin, Spanx founder and businesswoman Sara Blakely, and former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.
This notable support is indicative of investor’s deep conviction in Phia. They’re convinced the company is going to revolutionize how consumers interact with fashion. Michael Rubin, who has a strong background in e-commerce, expressed his enthusiasm for the app’s innovative approach:
“From there, they did end up introducing us to a ton of incredible people.” – Sophia Kianni
Phia originally started as a Chrome extension that helped users identify second-hand options when shopping online. This solid groundwork has given Gates and Kianni the ability to expand on their vision of incorporating modern technology into advancing social good right into our everyday shopping experiences.
“What excites me about Phia is how Phoebe and Sophia are bringing real innovation to the space by making shopping smarter and using technology to unlock a better experience for everyone.” – Michael Rubin
Both founders have fully adopted a digital-first perspective. Both in their internal operations and in the way they serve customers. Kianni thinks that this strategy is responsible for their explosive growth.
Phia’s popularity is further bolstered by its founders’ podcast, “The Burnouts,” which focuses on imparting career advice to young people, particularly women. This platform further directs all of this newly found interest into Phia. It gives the founders the chance to impart valuable wisdom on how they built their company.
“We’ve taken a very digital-first approach to pretty much everything,” – Sophia Kianni
Currently, Phia’s team includes 12 people. The founders are currently recruiting via social media platforms — a true testament to their dedication to tapping the newest communication infrastructure for hiring.
“I think it’s been part of the reason why we’ve seen such rapid traction.” – Sophia Kianni
Looking forward, Phoebe Gates imagines adding more to Phia’s arsenal, branching out from its current state-of-the-art tools and resources. Her long term plan is to make a tailor made shopping assistant. This assistant would sync with users’ calendars and provide personalized shopping suggestions.
As of now, Phia’s team consists of 12 individuals. The founders are actively hiring through social media channels, reflecting their commitment to leveraging modern communication methods for recruitment.
Looking ahead, Phoebe Gates envisions expanding Phia’s capabilities beyond its current offerings. She expresses a desire to develop a personalized shopping assistant that could sync with users’ calendars and provide tailored shopping recommendations.
