Bill Gates says he's glad daughter Phoebe never asked him to fund her startup, fearing strained relationship.

Bill Gates says he's glad daughter Phoebe never asked him to fund her startup, fearing strained relationship.

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist, has shared his sentiments about his daughter Phoebe's entrepreneurial venture, revealing that he is glad she didn't seek funding from him to launch her startup, Phia. The Gates family has a history of entrepreneurship, with Bill himself dropping out of Harvard to found Microsoft. Phoebe, the youngest of the Gates children, followed in her father's footsteps but without the need for his financial backing.

Phoebe Gates, who graduated from Stanford in 2024 with a degree in human biology, co-founded Phia, an e-commerce tool that offers price comparisons for clothing across 40,000 linked sites. The startup launched on April 24, 2025, aiming to bring users the best deals. In an interview with The New York Times, Bill Gates expressed his relief that Phoebe didn't ask for his financial assistance. "I thought, 'Oh boy, she's going to come and ask,'" he said. "I would have backed her business, but my help would've come with strings — and that would have made things complicated."

Bill Gates acknowledged that he would have been overly nice but wondered if it was the right thing to do. He admitted that he probably would have kept her on a short leash and conducted business reviews, which he found tricky. "Luckily, it never happened," he said. Phoebe Gates secured over half a million dollars in funding from a VC firm and angel investors, demonstrating her ability to attract investment without relying on her father's financial backing.

Phoebe Gates' journey is a testament to her determination and independence. She has shown that she can succeed on her own merits, without the need for her family's wealth or influence. Her startup, Phia, is tapping into a large market, with millions of consumers looking for the best deals on clothing. Phoebe's experience also highlights the potential for AI-driven solutions in the e-commerce space, as her startup uses AI to curate deals and connect users with the best prices.

In another development, an AI matchmaking app, Sitch, raised $2 million in pre-seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz's startup accelerator, A16z Speedrun. The startup launched in New York City in November 2024 and plans to expand to other US cities. Sitch uses AI to connect singles, offering voice-based AI tools as part of its platform shift. The AI matchmaker chatbot, built using OpenAI, is trained on real-life introductions made by the co-founders, Nandini Mullaji and Chad DePue. Sitch's AI-driven approach aims to democratize the matchmaking experience and bring it to the masses, offering users a more personalized and human-like experience.

These two developments illustrate the growing interest in AI-driven solutions in both the e-commerce and dating industries. As AI continues to advance, it is likely to play an increasingly significant role in these sectors, transforming the way businesses operate and interact with consumers.

References:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bill-gates-says-hes-glad-165005760.html
[2] https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-dating-app-sitch-raised-two-million-match-singles-2025-4