How Serena Williams went from winning Grand Slams to writing big checks
AJC Her+Story
The 23-time Grand Slam winner has raised more than $110 million and invested in over 90 companies.
Former professional tennis player Serena Williams speaks during the Mission Investors Exchange 2026 National Conference at the Signia by Hilton on Monday, April 27, 2026, in Atlanta. Williams is the founder and managing partner of Serena Ventures. (Jason Getz/AJC)
Though Serena Williams has hung up her tennis racket, the sports legend is still taking big swings, this time as an investor.
The 23-time Grand Slam winner has backed more than 90 startups as an angel investor and now as managing partner of her own venture capital firm, Serena Ventures.
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Serena Williams (left) speaks with Carla Thompson Payton during the Mission Investors Exchange 2026 National Conference on Monday, April 27, 2026, in Atlanta. Though Williams has hung up her tennis racket, the sports legend is still taking big swings as an investor. (Jason Getz/AJC)
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Serena Williams, shown here during the 2017 Australian Open in Melbourne, says the outside expectation was that it was going to be easy for her to raise money, but she never had that attitude. (Jason Heidrich/Icon Sportswire via AP 2017)
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Mirtha Donastorg is a reporter on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s business team focusing on Black wealth, entrepreneurship, and minority-owned businesses as well as innovation at Atlanta’s HBCUs.
Mirtha Donastorg is a reporter on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s business team focusing on Black wealth, entrepreneurship, and minority-owned businesses as well as innovation at Atlanta’s HBCUs.




