The Real Reason Serena Williams is Retiring From Tennis

The Real Reason Serena Williams is Retiring From Tennis

  • Serena Williams said she is retiring from Tennis to become a full-time investor in startups focusing primarily on women-owned businesses.
  • The tennis star already has a venture capital funding company named Serena Ventures which she uses to invest in firms.
  • Her mindset changed after attending a conference where she learned that only 2 per cent of women-owned businesses attract funding from VCs.

Tennis Star Serena Williams announced that she is quitting Tennis to concentrate on her venture capital funding.

In a Vogue Magazine, the legendary queen of the lawns said she was encouraged to start Serena Ventures firm after attending a conference organised by J.P. Morgan Chase a few years ago.

Serena Williams, Tennis Star
Serena Williams Credit: Bradley Kanaris / Stringer
Source: Getty Images

According to Insider, she learned that less than 2 per cent of all Venture Capital money went to women-owned businesses.

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According to her, someone who looks like her must start writing big cheques.

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She stated in the essay that 78 per cent of Serena Ventures' portfolio comprises companies begun by women and people of colour.

In March 2022, her company announced that it had raised about $111 million in outside funding to power early-stage startups.

Her company stated that the star brings Williams' champion mindset to its investing decisions.

Here are some of her investments

Lolli is a browser extension company that lets users win rewards in cash or bitcoin

  • MasterClass is an online education platform with classes taught by people who have found success in their fields.
  • Tonal is a home gym system that offers streamable classes
  • OURS calls itself "modern" premarital and couples counselling.
  • Clubhouse is an audio-only social media app where users can host or drop into "rooms,"
  • Daily Harvest is a subscription-based service that delivers healthy frozen foods and smoothies to your door.
  • Infinite Objects says it "prints video."
  • Hued is a digital healthcare startup aimed at addressing the needs of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations through education and access.
  • Banza is a line of chickpea-based gluten-free foods, including pasta, pizza, mac 'n' cheese and rice.
  • Billie is a direct-to-consumer subscription razor company that says it aims to do away with the Pink Tax.
  • Nestcoin says it aims to help people in Africa understand and adopt cryptocurrencies.
  • Bitski has been called the "Shopify for NFTs."
  • Fiveable is a free social network study platform for students.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Pascal Oparada avatar

Pascal Oparada (Business editor) For over a decade, Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy. He has worked in many media organizations such as Daily Independent, TheNiche newspaper, and the Nigerian Xpress. He is a 2018 PwC Media Excellence Award winner. Email:pascal.oparada@corp.legit.ng

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