By Sydney Lake
Publication Date: 2026-02-21 12:33:00
Phoebe Gates wants to build her AI shopping company while keeping one thing out of her pitch deck: her last name. The 23-year-old youngest daughter of billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates and philanthropist Melinda French Gates recently raised $35 million for Phia, which is now worth around $185 million.
But she is determined for the company to stand on its own two feet and remain “unattached to my privilege or my last name,” Phoebe Gates said Yahoo Finance‘S Opening bid unfiltered Podcast in an episode released on Thursday.
“I have a chip on my shoulder,” she said, describing her drive to prove she can win private equity in Silicon Valley based on merit, not inheritance or legacies.
Phoebe Gates’ comments come as her father’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein come to light again, even though representatives for Bill Gates have repeatedly denied his involvement and any related allegations. Phoebe Gates did not comment on the allegations, but French Gates…
