Phoebe Gates' Unique Approach to Startup Hiring
Phoebe Gates, the co-CEO of the artificial intelligence-powered shopping assistant Phia, has revealed her signature interview question that she asks candidates for every role at her startup. The youngest daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and philanthropist Melinda French Gates explained that this question helps her understand how applicants approach problem-solving rather than testing their factual knowledge.
The Signature Interview Question
Speaking on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Yahoo Finance, Gates shared: "I stole this from another founder. 'How much do you think California state spends on healthcare? And do a bottoms-up approach for how you would build that out.'" She emphasized that this question is asked across all departments at Phia, regardless of the position being filled.
"I'll ask that for every single role. I'll ask that for sales, I'll ask that for marketing, I'll ask that for engineering," Gates noted. The goal is not to check whether candidates know the correct figure but to evaluate "how someone goes through a logical approach to solving that question."
Additional Questions for Specific Roles
As Phia expands, Phoebe Gates said she uses additional questions during the hiring process. When interviewing sales candidates specifically, she asks about the "craziest" thing they have done to close a deal. "That teaches you a lot about how far they'll go, how dedicated they are to do something," she explained.
Phia's Impressive Growth Trajectory
The 23-year-old entrepreneur recently raised $35 million in Series A funding for Phia, the AI shopping agent she co-founded in April 2025 with her Stanford University roommate, Sophia Kianni. Since its launch, the startup has attracted more than 1 million users and reported an elevenfold increase in revenue.
The company is currently valued at approximately $185 million. Phia operates as both a mobile app and browser extension designed to help shoppers reduce spending by displaying resale and secondhand alternatives to the products they are browsing.
Independent Funding and Parental Support
Gates also clarified that Phia has not taken funding from her parents, stating "I have a chip on my shoulder" during the same podcast interview. She added that one of the key lessons she has learned from her parents is how to build strong teams.
"From my dad, I've really learned that your team is the core of what you're building. You can't do anything without an incredible team," she emphasized.
Instead of investing financially in the venture, Bill Gates has contributed his time and experience to support his daughter's startup. Shortly after the company's launch in 2025, the tech billionaire shared on LinkedIn that he was assisting the team with customer service efforts in the early stages.
Announcing his involvement with Phia, Gates wrote: "I've entered the startup world again." He elaborated: "When your daughter asks if you'd be willing to work a shift in customer service at her startup, the only right answer is yes. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how technology can make systems more efficient, equitable, and accessible. But I've learned over the years that the best way to understand how something works, or where it breaks, is to go straight to the people using it. That's why I'll be joining the Phia customer experience team for a day this week."
The Philosophy Behind the Hiring Approach
Phoebe Gates' interview strategy reflects a growing trend in startup hiring that prioritizes problem-solving abilities and logical thinking over specific domain knowledge. By asking the same foundational question across all departments, she ensures consistency in evaluating candidates' analytical capabilities.
This approach allows her to identify individuals who can think critically and approach complex problems systematically—skills that are particularly valuable in the fast-paced environment of an AI startup. The additional role-specific questions then provide deeper insights into candidates' dedication and creativity in their respective fields.
As Phia continues to grow and expand its user base, this thoughtful hiring methodology will likely play a crucial role in building the strong team that both Phoebe and her father emphasize as essential to startup success.
