)
The retired Tennis legend made an astonishing revelation via her TikTok channel.
Before announcing her retirement as a professional tennis player in September 2022, Serena Williams had since been neck-deep in the world of investment.
Building on over a decade of experience, Williams established Serena Ventures in 2014, a venture capital fund dedicated to supporting women and underrepresented founders.
However, the 42-year-old Ohio-born tennis legend recently made an astonishing revelation about her business enterprise.
)
16:13 - 11.03.2024
Roger Federer and Serena Williams shine at Oscar 2024 awards
2 Legendary tennis stars Roger Federer and Serena Williams arrived at the Oscar 2024 Awards in style.
Serena Williams on bridging the Investment gap
)
In a recent TikTok video, Williams expressed her motivation behind Serena Ventures, highlighting the stark underrepresentation of certain demographics in venture capital funding.
With a portfolio boasting 79% underrepresented founders, including 54% women founders and 47% Black founders, Williams says she is actively working to address this disparity.
"I invest in a lot of companies, early companies, and I’ve always done this... It’s super important for me to make a plan B while I was doing my plan A," Williams emphasized in her video.
)
17:26 - 18.11.2023
Serena Williams: Tennis Legend set to be inducted into WTA's National Women's Hall of Fame
Serena Williams will receive another honour as she is set to be inducted into WTA's Hall of Fame for class of 2024.
Serena Williams says she has invested in 14 companies who have achieved Unicorn status
)
Williams' dedication seems to have paid off, with 14 companies in her portfolio reaching unicorn status, each valued at over $1 billion.
"I’ve invested, in my personal portfolio, in over 85 companies [maybe], and I also have about 14 unicorns," the 23-time Grand slam champion proudly announced on TikTok.
As per Fortune's definition, a unicorn is a privately held startup valued at $1 billion or more.
These companies are typically labeled as "innovative" or "disruptive" and are anticipated to experience rapid growth.
As per a report from, AFROTECH, Serena Williams’ investment portfolio includes healthcare startup HUED andParfait, an artificial intelligence-powered platform specializing in customizable wig products, both led by Black women.
Williams also detailed her investment in MasterClass, an edtech startup, which was valued at $2.75 billion in 2021, as per CNBC.
)
“I remember finding that company with like eight people in a small room in a garage in San Francisco. And I just fell in love with what they were doing and what they were building,” she explained on TikTok.
Beyond MasterClass, Williams has also provided financial backing for plant-based meat substitute company Impossible Foods, subscription-based weight-loss app Noom, and Karat, which helps companies hire top engineering talent.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)