Serena Williams Reveals Why She Invested in Start-Up Fintech Firm Esusu

Published 07/17/2021, 8:00 AM EDT

Be it her tennis career or entrepreneurial side, Serena Williams never shies away from taking chances.

While doing the percentages right on a tennis court, the 23-time Grand Slam champion would seldom miss out on a chance to fire a blinding cross-court winner when her opponent expects her to go down the line.

In business, it’s the same streak, the same urge to go off the beaten track that makes her invest in start-up firms peddling bright and unique business ideas.

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Serena Williams’ investment in Esusu

And adding to the growing list of start-ups that she has put her money on, Serena has now invested an undisclosed amount in Esusu, a start-up fintech firm enabling renters to grow and improve their credit by reporting their rent payments to credit bureaus.

Fintech, for the uninitiated, refers to computer programs and new-age technology supporting banks and other financial institutions.

The 39-year-old tennis superstar pumped in the money through Serena Ventures, her venture capital firm.

The start-up received the investment as part of its first funding round.

Serena says she supports ventures that are about empowering others

Speaking to CNBC about the new start-up that she has chosen to support, Serena said, “I started Serena Ventures to invest in diverse founders and early-stage companies that outperform and generate impact, while at the same time empowering others and creating opportunities. Esusu is definitely one of those companies.”

She added that at the core of the start-up’s business idea is the “financial inclusion” of working families as well as institutions.

“Esusu is really focused on credit building and creating pathways to financial inclusion not only for working families but for individuals as well,” the seven-time Wimbledon champion said.

Headquartered in New York City, Esusu already has funding support worth $14 million.

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Its previous funders include Global Good Fund, Next Play Ventures, and Zeal Capital.

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Serena Williams to Return at US Open 2021 Following Wimbledon Setback Says Agent

The American, meanwhile, is eyeing a return at the US Open after a freak injury saw her Wimbledon campaign go up in smoke.

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Priyabrata Chowdhury is a tennis author for EssentiallySports. He has been a print journalist for a decade, producing news pages for leading national dailies such as the Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express. His passion for sports eventually drove him to tennis writing.

Serena Williams Reveals Why She Invested in Start-Up Fintech Firm Esusu

Serena Williams’ investment in Esusu

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Serena says she supports ventures that are about empowering others