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Serena Williams has long been recognized as one of the greatest athletes of her generation. Now she is steadily building her presence in the venture capital world. Her latest move, investing alongside institutional and celebrity backers in women’s 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled, has helped push the league’s valuation to $340 million.
Unrivaled’s valuation jumps with financing
The Series B round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners and included Warner Bros. Discovery, Alex Morgan’s Trybe Ventures and Williams herself. Unrivaled did not disclose individual contributions, but the financing marks a sharp rise for the startup, which was valued at $95 million just a year ago.
Founded in 2023, Unrivaled gives professional women’s basketball players a chance to compete in the offseason, when many typically head overseas for additional pay. The model has attracted a growing lineup of investors, from tennis icon Billie Jean King and NBA star Stephen Curry to tennis champion Coco Gauff and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. The league’s growth reflects the broader surge in interest and commercial value around women’s sports.
Serena Williams builds wealth beyond tennis
Williams’ investment in Unrivaled follows a string of recent deals. Two months ago, she joined other high-profile backers in a $32 million funding round for Nara Organics, a startup producing what it calls the first USDA-certified, FDA-registered organic whole milk infant formula to meet both U.S. and European standards.
Her latest moves underscore how her influence stretches well beyond the tennis court. Over the course of her career, Williams earned an estimated $470 million in prize money, endorsements and business ventures since turning pro in 1995. Today, her focus is increasingly on private equity and venture investments.
Backing women and minority-led startups
Through Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund she launched in 2017, Williams has raised $111 million and invested in more than 60 companies. Roughly 78 percent of those businesses are led by women or people of color, a figure that highlights her stated goal of giving underrepresented founders better access to capital.
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