Venture capital group, The Players Fund, has added several notable athletes to its roster, including Jessica Ennis-Hill and Eni Aluko. The fund was previously backed by Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, and Ben Stokes, among others. With its new additions, the firm aims to empower athletes both on and off the field. The fund intends to teach participants about investment-related risks and grant them a significant say in their investment decisions. Football players Chris Smalling, Hector Bellerin, and Serge Gnabry are also among the group’s backers. In August, the fund was reportedly backed with £40m.
The venture capital group’s mission is to encourage athletes to have a meaningful impact on their investment decisions while teaching them about the associated risks. This approach aims to provide financial security and independence for the athletes both during and after their sports careers. Other athletes joining the fund along with Ennis-Hill and Aluko include United States sprinter Allyson Felix, and footballers Danielle Carter and Nikita Parris.
The Players Fund Managing Partner, Fergus Bell, expressed his excitement over the addition of these athletes, emphasizing their potential to instigate significant change within the athlete community and beyond. The athletes’ expertise will bring the fund closer to their goal of creating an influential athlete investor network, he added.
Jessica Ennis-Hill highlighted that joining the initiative alongside these talented women will put them in the position to drive meaningful change in venture capital and beyond. She emphasized her commitment to support founders of all backgrounds, particularly female entrepreneurs.
Earlier this year, Sports Pro Media reported that the fund would be formed through the merger of Smalling’s ForGood fund, 4Cast (backed by notable cricketers), and B-Engaged, a marketing agency.
