“Positive effects on everyday lives of people” Serena Williams’s venture raises $111 million for this noble cause.


“Positive effects on everyday lives of people” Serena Williams’s venture raises $111 million for this noble cause.

Serena Williams

Founder of Serena Ventures, Serena Williams, has announced an inaugural fund of $111 million collected over a period of nine years for the cause of Opportunity and Diversity. In an interview with CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ on March 1, the 23-time grand slam champion stated her reason for raising this fund. The reason is something she learned a long time back about the investments made to Women’s venture capital firms.

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The American tennis star, though has not been on the pro court for quite a while, she has yet to confirm her retirement. Serena’s last match was in the 2021 Wimbledon Championship, where she had to withdraw from the tournament due to a severe leg injury while playing in the first round.

Apart from her tennis career, Serena has her own Venture capital firm that she founded in 2014 along with Alison Rapaport Stillman for the purpose of societal development

Serena Williams’s first initiative towards diversity

Serena Williams
Serena Williams

After nine years, Serena Williams, along with all the members of Serena Ventures, have a grand total of $111 million raised for inaugurating the goal to invest in founders that help and support people in their everyday lives.

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“There is a lot of things going on in the world right now, so quite frankly the reason I started Serena ventures is because I feel like, the venture capital ecosystem really needs an inclusive player and a player with a platform to make the necessary intact change at scale. I like to use my brand to reach that need to fill that void the market has,” said Serena.

On March 3, while discussing with Christiane, Serena Williams stated the purpose of the raised fund. “Our fund really impacts lives and companies in everyday lives. What we try to invest in is companies that are really impacting the everyday lives of everyday people. Whether it’s in Fintech, in consumer goods or technology, we really just want to make a positive effect on impacting everyday lives of people.” When asked who they wouldn’t invest in, “It’s really about diversity, it’s about them not meeting what our mission and what we want to invest in.”

Early start of Serena Williams’s Venture

Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams

“When I met my husband, that was our first conversation. That’s how we met. Cause I have been investing for over nine years. I was talking about investments,” Said Serena in an interview with Amanpour and Company speaking about her husband Alexis Ohanian.

Serena has faced many issues throughout her tennis career. “I love my career. I love my tennis career, but what’s the next step for Serena? This is it.” She said, “This is something that I truly found a passion for and something that affects everyday lives.”

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She was at a seminar, and this woman was talking about how less than 2 percent of capital went to women’s ventures. This fact shocked Serena, letting her assume that maybe the woman misspoke, but after clarifying and verifying herself, she made it her goal to help more women and people of colour with their objective of making the world a better place.

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