Serena Williams has done it again. Only this time, the wins are coming from a boardroom instead of a tennis court. The retired tennis legend has built an investment portfolio that now includes more than 85 companies. Her venture fund focuses on women and underrepresented founders across industries like healthcare, artificial intelligence, and education. The results are turning heads.
Williams discovered MasterClass when the company was still operating out of a small garage in San Francisco. That bet paid off big. The platform later reached a valuation of $2.75 billion. The success story is not an exception. Her fund has backed dozens of startups led by founders who traditional venture capital firms often overlook. The approach is simple: find brilliant people with great ideas and get out of their way.
Twenty-three Grand Slam singles titles. Four Olympic gold medals. And now a reputation as one of the most thoughtful investors in the game. Williams has said she wants her money to do more than just grow. She wants it to open doors that have historically stayed closed. By prioritizing women and underrepresented founders, she is reshaping who gets to build the future.
From AI startups to healthcare innovators to education platforms, the 85-plus companies in her portfolio span nearly every sector. Some have gone public. Others have been acquired. Many are still growing. But the common thread is founder-first investing. Williams is not just writing checks. She is betting on people who look like the world actually looks.
