Serena Ventures participated in a series B investment round for the 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, and other investors included Warner Bros. Discovery and Alex Morgan’s Trybe Ventures. This latest investment brings the value of Unrivaled to $340 million, which is a historic figure for a young league. The basketball league is transforming women’s sports by offering female players six-figure salaries, according to Front Office Sports. Athletes earned $220,000 last season, compared to the average of $66,000 to $150,000 in the WNBA. About Unrivaled Unrivaled launched
Serena and Venus Williams are launching the Williams Family Excellence Program, a new initiative to support under-resourced communities with academic support, career pathways, and mentorship. Launched in partnership with the USTA Foundation, the program will help young people prepare for their lives both on and off the court. “This initiative stands as a living legacy to the Williams family—a tribute not only to Venus and Serena’s extraordinary achievements on the court, but to the unwavering determination, sacrifice, and resilience that define their family’s journey,” Kathleen Wu, President of the USTA
Serena Williams has joined an initiative created by Reckitt to support up to 200 health and hygiene start-ups founded by women and under-represented entrepreneurs. The initiative, called Reckitt Catalyst, is a five-year commitment with up to £10 million ($13.7 million) to provide entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship, and expertise from Reckitt leaders and Serena Williams. Since 2020, the company has helped 60 entrepreneurs across 13 countries, allowing business owners to unlock access to health, clean water, and sanitation for one million people, as stated in a press release. What is Reckitt
For the first time in history, the FDA has approved a device that allows people to screen for cervical cancer from home. Teal Health launched the Teal Wand, a prescription device that lets patients self-collect samples and mail them to labs to receive the same testing that they would receive from a professional doctor. In January, it was announced that Serena Ventures, Williams’ VC firm, participated in a $10 million seed funding round for Teal Health. How will the kit work? Once a user requests a kit, a vetting process to confirm eligibility is
Khloe Kardashian has announced the launch of her new food company, Khloud, and its first product, protein popcorn. Its investors include Serena Ventures, William Morris Endeavor (WME), and Shrug Capital. TechCrunch reported that Kris Jenner and Kardashian hoped to raise $10 million for a business called Khloud in December. K5 Global also invested in the brand, and its associate partner, Jessica Bixby, said the company went on to raise an oversubscribed $12 million round. Popcorn made with protein The Kardashians came up with the idea of Khloud after she struggled
Serena Ventures—Williams’ VC firm participated in a $10 million seed funding for Teal Health – a women’s health startup founded by Kara Egan (CEO) and Dr. Avnesh Thakor. The company, founded in 2020, was formed to create an at-home-self collect cervical cancer screening kit, which is under FDA review for the time being. During Thakor’s medical experience, he witnessed inadequate change in cervical cancer screenings and formed a self-collect prototype. “Teal Wand™ will provide women with an alternative to the traditional screening method with stirrups and a speculum, making it easier for
In this episode of Techish Podcast, Abadesi and Michael discuss Ticketmaster is corrupt Finding balance as a content creator Serena Williams investments – 14 out of 60 are now unicorns Founder Mode and more! Listen to the episode You can find the Techish podcast on Spotify, Apple, and all good podcast apps. Watch On YouTube
On July 6, 2024, Serena Williams discussed her journey in founding WYN Beauty at the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola. Participating in Beautycon’s “Passion to Profit” panel series, Williams discussed her journey with the vegan makeup brand she launched this year. A Journey Rooted in Passion Williams shared that her interest in beauty began during her childhood in Compton, California. Inspired by her mother’s minimal yet impeccable approach to beauty, Williams developed a fascination with makeup. “You kind of had to be fabulous growing up in Compton,”
Serena Williams, a legendary tennis champion, is making her mark in the tech investment world with her venture capital fund, Serena Ventures. Serena Ventures Following her retirement in September 2022, Williams has focused on the investment sector. With over 14 years of investment experience, she established Serena Ventures in 2014, a venture capital fund to empower women and underrepresented founders. This strategic move was born from Williams’ observation of the glaring lack of venture capital flowing toward specific demographics. As highlighted on its website, her venture proudly supports a diverse array of
Karat’s Brillant Black Minds has welcomed new partners to its program, joining investors such as Serena Williams, levelling the playing field for Black software engineers. Brillant Black Minds Brilliant Black Minds was co-founded in 2021 and launched as a solution for Black engineers lacking access and resources to excel in the tech industry. The Brillant Black Minds program aims to bridge this gap through mentorship, networking opportunities, and more. The program recently received investment from tennis champion Serena Williams to help aspiring Black engineers enter the tech industry and change the narrative. “We’re focused on
