There isn’t much that Serena Williams can’t do. Not only has she been making major moves on the tennis court, but she’s quietly built an impressive tech portfolio. Recently, Williams decided to finally reveal her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures.
“I launched Serena Ventures with the mission of giving opportunities to founders across an array of industries,” Williams said in an Instagram post. “Serena Ventures invests in companies that embrace diverse leadership, individual empowerment, creativity and opportunity.”
Serena Ventures was originally founded in 2014 and has quietly funded over 30 companies led by women and underrepresented groups. The companies range across the beauty, food and retail industries.
Mayvenn Hair, an online hair extension company, and women-focused co-working space, The Wing, are on the list of Serena Ventures-funded companies.
In December, The Wing closed a $75 million funding round that included Serena Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Upfront Ventures, Airbnb and WeWork. The company made headlines early this year after changing its membership rules that previously excluded men from joining. The company amended its requirements after a legal battle and in an effort to be more inclusive with the LGBTQ community.
Williams has been busy building out her portfolio since November. She now serves on SurveyMonkey and PoshMark’s board of directors. Just last month the tennis star announced that she would serve as an investor in Bumble Fund, by the dating app Bumble.
Willams and partner, Alison Rapaport — a former J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Multi-Asset Solutions team member — are the only employees listed for Serena Ventures.
Serena Ventures is the latest firm established with the goal of assisting minority and women founders. As Williams leads the way for other athletes and celebrities to build out their businesses and portfolios, Serena Ventures will bolster up communities that are underfunded in the venture capital space.
