Serena Williams Makes Bold $25K Move to Help Fans ‘Dream Bigger’ With Her Multi-million Dollars’ Venture

Serena Williams is used to lifting trophies, but these days, she’s building something even bigger off the court. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champ and full-time mom to Olympia and Adira has added a few more titles to her name: venture capitalist, investor, and philanthropist. The American tennis icon has long inspired fans with her countless victories and fearless comebacks on the tennis court. Off the court, she’s using that same drive to uplift others. Now, she’s stepping up in yet another powerful way.

After retiring in 2022, Williams began pouring her energy into Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund she originally launched in 2014. The mission? To shake up a system that leaves many women and people of color behind. Williams discovered that only 2% of venture capital dollars go to women founders and just 1% to Black founders, so she decided to change that.

Since then, Serena Ventures has backed more than 20 companies, and Serena herself has made dozens of angel investments. That’s not just talk. She’s putting real money where her heart is. According to Williams, the portfolio of companies backed by Serena Ventures is made up of 68% women and people of color. “We don’t care what you look like, but we hear your story if you’re a woman, we hear your story if you’re a person of color, and a lot of people that look like me don’t even get their story heard,” she said.

That mindset is what brought her to one particular startup, Esusu. In 2021, Williams invested in Esusu, a fintech company based in New York City. The company helps renters build and improve their credit by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus. Its co-founders, Abbey Wemimo and Samir Goel, launched the platform in 2018 after watching their own immigrant families struggle with rent and credit in the U.S.

Now, the 43-year-old is teaming up with the brand to take her impact even further. This time, it’s a giveaway. A big one. She’s giving one lucky person $25,000 through a partnership with Esusu. “I’m partnering with Emyesusu to give away $25,000 – life-changing money to help you breathe easier, dream bigger, and build a better future,” she wrote on her Instagram story.

And yes, this isn’t just a solo act. The entire Williams-Ohanian family is all-in when it comes to investing.

Serena Williams celebrates new investment as she dons blue

Just last month, Serena Williams turned heads in royal blue at Wembley Stadium during the Women’s FA Cup final. She was there with husband Alexis Ohanian and daughter Olympia, celebrating a huge family moment, another major investment in women’s sports.

Ohanian had just announced he was joining Chelsea F.C. Women as both an investor and a board member. “I’ve bet big on women’s sports before—and I’m doing it again,” Ohanian wrote on social media. “I’m proud to announce that I’m joining [Chelsea F.C. Women] as an investor and board member. I’m honored for the chance to help this iconic club become America’s favorite [Women’s Super League] team and much, much more.”

According to ABC, the deal involved Ohanian purchasing a 10% stake in the team for about 20 million pounds, or roughly $26.5 million. Despite the new ties to Chelsea, Serena Williams has only one goal. “Any color goes,” she said, showing support for female athletes no matter the jersey.

But that’s not the only pitch the family’s invested in. Serena and Alexis are founding investors in Angel City FC, one of the newest teams in the National Women’s Soccer League in the U.S. That passion for women’s sports goes north, too, because earlier this year, Williams was also announced as a minority owner of the Toronto WNBA team. The franchise will make its league debut next year.

From the court to the boardroom, Serena Williams continues to build a legacy that’s as powerful as her backhand. She may have hung up her racket, but the next chapter of her life is just heating up.