Courtesy of The Positive Community
Serena Williams spent more than two decades changing the way the world viewed women in sports. Since stepping away from competitive tennis, she has increasingly turned her attention to entrepreneurship and investing, with a particular emphasis on founders who historically have had less access to investment capital.
Through Serena Ventures, Williams is building a business legacy that extends beyond championships and trophies.
The venture capital firm was created around an idea Williams has repeatedly emphasized: Talented entrepreneurs should have access to capital regardless of gender, race or background.
That mission addresses a long standing disparity in venture capital, where women and entrepreneurs of color, particularly Black founders, have historically received a small share of available investment dollars.
One company connected to Serena Ventures is MasterClass, the online education platform that offers classes taught by prominent people in their fields. Williams herself became a MasterClass instructor, sharing lessons drawn from her experiences in tennis, competition and success.
The investment illustrates a connection between education and opportunity that runs through Williams’ broader business interests—access to knowledge can help create access to opportunity.
Williams has also invested in Esusu, a financial technology company founded by Wemimo Abbey and Samir Goel. The company helps renters have their rental payments reported to credit bureaus, potentially allowing people to establish or strengthen their credit histories.
Credit can have far-reaching consequences, affecting a person’s ability to qualify for a mortgage, obtain a loan or access other financial opportunities. For renters who have consistently paid their rent but have limited credit histories, reporting those payments can provide another way to demonstrate financial responsibility.
Williams’ investment in Esusu reflects an interest that extends beyond traditional consumer brands to businesses addressing financial inclusion and wealth-building.
Her investment philosophy also reflects lessons from her own career.
Williams and her sister, Venus, entered professional tennis and ultimately became two of the sport’s most recognizable figures. Their success also provided highly visible examples of Black women reaching the highest levels of a sport in which relatively few Black athletes had achieved comparable prominence.
Serena Williams has carried that experience into the investment world, where women and minorities have also historically been underrepresented.
Rather than only calling attention to those disparities, Williams is using Serena Ventures to invest directly in businesses and their founders.
There is also an educational value in that visibility. Young Black women can see Williams not only as one of history’s most accomplished athletes, but also as an investor evaluating companies and helping determine which entrepreneurs and ideas receive financial backing.
Her transition is part of a broader movement of professional athletes building businesses and investment portfolios beyond sports. Williams, however, has made expanding opportunity a significant part of her investment strategy.
Her post-tennis career demonstrates another lesson for young people: Success in one profession does not have to define an entire career.
The championships established Williams’ place in sports history. Investing is providing her another way to influence the future by helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas into businesses and potentially opening doors for others along the way.
(This story originally appeared in The Positive Community.)
