TLDR:
Key Points:
- Serena Williams shared her work with her venture capital fund, Serena Ventures.
- She has invested in 14 companies that have reached unicorn status.
Serena Williams recently took the time to discuss her work as an investor with her venture capital fund, Serena Ventures. In an eight-minute TikTok video, she explained her focus on investing in women, people of color, and diversity. Williams has been investing for 14 years, even while pursuing her tennis career, and has a personal portfolio with over 85 companies. She highlighted the 14 unicorn companies she has invested in, which have reached valuations of $1 billion or more.
One of the companies she mentioned, MasterClass, inspired her to further pursue VC funding after seeing its early success. Williams discovered the lack of funding going to women and people of color in the VC world and decided to actively invest in underrepresented founders. Since launching Serena Ventures, 79% of the portfolio consists of underrepresented founders, with a focus on women and people of color.
Among her investments is the company Parfait, a Black-woman-owned wig customization platform that offers AI-backed virtual experiences for women. Williams emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion, ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table for success. In addition to her work in investing, Williams also volunteers at her daughter’s school and continues to pursue her passions, such as applying makeup.
