TLDR:
- Serena Williams has invested in 14 startups that have now reached unicorn status.
- Her venture capital fund, Serena Ventures, primarily invests in women, people of colour, and underrepresented founders.
US tennis star Serena Williams has retired from the game to focus on her venture capital fund, Serena Ventures, which she founded in 2014 to address the underfunding of women, people of colour, and underrepresented founders in the entrepreneurial world. From the 85 companies Serena Ventures has invested in, 79% are underrepresented founders. Williams revealed that fourteen companies invested in by Serena Ventures have reached unicorn status, with a valuation of over $1 billion USD. She believes that diversifying investments leads to better outcomes and advocates for everyone to have a seat at the table. Williams, as a Black woman, has a personal connection to investing in women-led and POC-led businesses and feels that they have an advantage due to the need to work harder and fight for opportunities. This story is not unique to the US, as Australia also struggles with funding disparities for women founders, with only 4% of startup funding going to women-founded startups. Serena Williams’ efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion in the entrepreneurial space serve as inspiration and a call to action for change in investment practices.
