Ace transfer. Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, is doubling down on her subsequent chapter of backing the sorts of founders typically ignored by conventional enterprise capital: girls, individuals of shade, and entrepreneurs fixing vital challenges in underserved markets.
Final week, the tennis legend and investor was named the first-ever entrepreneur-in-residence at Reckitt, the British shopper well being big behind manufacturers like Lysol, Durex, and Enfamil. On this new function, Williams will assist mentor and scale startups centered on hygiene, maternal care, and well being fairness—sectors that stay chronically underfunded regardless of rising demand. Ladies-led startups obtain lower than 3% of world enterprise funding regardless of analysis displaying they persistently outperform male-led corporations.
“Daring, modern concepts can clear up a few of the world’s most urgent healthcare challenges if given the precise assist to thrive,” Williams advised me at Cannes Lions. “This contains mentorship, funding, and robust perception.”
Her appointment coincides with the launch of Reckitt Catalyst, a £10 million initiative aimed toward supporting as much as 200 underrepresented founders by 2030. The purpose is to enhance entry to well being and hygiene for 5 million individuals by scalable, domestically led options throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
For Williams, the partnership is each tactical and deeply aligned. “We realized we had the identical thesis, [which is] that once you spend money on girls, once you spend money on ignored markets, the returns are there,” she mentioned. “It’s not charity. It’s sensible enterprise.”
Since stepping away from tennis, Williams has constructed one of the crucial profitable enterprise funding observe information amongst athlete-turned-investors. She launched Serena Ventures in 2014 with a deal with various founders, elevating a $111 million inaugural fund. On the time, she entered a enterprise ecosystem the place solely 5% of VCs had been Black, and a fair smaller share had been Black girls. Earlier than formally launching the fund, Williams mentioned she had already backed about six unicorns. Right now, she says her portfolio contains greater than 14 billion-dollar corporations and a number of other decacorns.
“I wished to show to myself that I may discover the businesses and that I had the connections to take a position,” she mentioned. “Now we’re scaling.”
Serena Ventures has primarily invested in early-stage healthcare, fintech, and shopper expertise corporations. By means of her new partnership with Reckitt, Williams is now doubling down on sectors that are typically ignored by Silicon Valley. “Hygiene is routinely ignored in enterprise,” she mentioned. “It’s not flashy. But it surely’s foundational, particularly for ladies, moms, and kids. These are important markets that drive actual influence and actual returns.”
Her function will mix mentorship with entry to a community. Williams will advise Catalyst entrepreneurs whereas serving to them broaden their attain and credibility by strategic introductions. “On the finish of the day, enterprise is about relationships,” she mentioned. “A 30-minute dialog can unlock new partnerships or funding alternatives. I wish to provide that entry to founders who aren’t a part of the standard energy circles.”
She has already began connecting Catalyst founders with corporations in her current portfolio. “Once you give girls a possibility, we frequently work twice as laborious as a result of we’ve been underestimated from the beginning,” she mentioned, including, “This isn’t about taking something away from male founders. It’s about increasing the pie.”
Ruth Umoh
ruth.umoh@fortune.com
The Most Highly effective Ladies Day by day publication is Fortune’s every day briefing for and concerning the girls main the enterprise world. Right now’s version was curated by Sara Braun. Subscribe right here.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
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– Tennis time. The Tennis Channel formally prolonged its cope with the Ladies’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA), and can broadcast over 2,000 matches on its cable TV community and streaming service every season. Whereas the phrases of the deal weren’t disclosed, Marina Storti, CEO of WTA Ventures, acknowledged that there’s a “substantial enhance within the rights charges.” The brand new settlement lasts by 2032. CNBC
– Ladies and weight reduction. Ladies are being prescribed GLP-1 medicine, akin to Ozempic and Mounjaro, at increased charges than males, in keeping with current information from FAIR Well being. The info additionally revealed that girls between 40 and 64 have made up the very best share of GLP-1 prescriptions since 2019. Roughly 19% of girls prescribed GLP-1s acquired off-brand prescriptions for weight reduction, whereas 9% of males did. Axios
– Miracle mile. Religion Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic champion from Kenya, is trying to develop into the primary girl to finish a mile in underneath 4 minutes right now at a closed-course occasion in Paris. With a purpose to declare the title, she’ll must shave a minimum of eight seconds off her present world file of 4:07.64. “I feel it would cement my legacy and in addition give hope to different girls that the whole lot is feasible,” Kipyegon mentioned. Wall Avenue Journal
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Paula Oyibo is stepping down as CFO of Ulta Magnificence.
Orau, a nonprofit group centered on the intersection of academia, authorities, and business, appointed Meghan F. Millwood as its president and CEO. She most not too long ago served because the chief human assets officer at Orau.
Wyze, a house expertise firm, introduced the appointment of Melissa Kirmayer Eamer as president and chief working officer. She most not too long ago labored because the CEO of Fashionable Age, a longevity-focused well being clinic, which she based.
Orion, a wealthtech options supplier, appointed Valli Nachiappan as its new CTO. She most not too long ago was the vp of engineering at Zendesk.
Staar Surgical Firm, a supplier of ophthalmic surgical procedure options, introduced its appointment of Deborah Andrews as CFO. She has served as interim CFO since March 2025, and beforehand served as the corporate’s CFO from 2007-2013 and 2017-2020.
Trilliad, a development companies supplier for B2B enterprises, named Sarah Strassheim as its new CFO. She most not too long ago was the worldwide CFO at Merkle.
Ualett, a fintech platform for gig economic system staff, has appointed Andrea Martin as product supervisor. She most not too long ago was a product proprietor at Businessolver.
Authenticom, an information administration firm, introduced Daybreak Romvari as director of demand technology. She most not too long ago served as chief content material officer at Yotta.
PayPal introduced the appointment of Deirdre Stanley to the corporate’s board of administrators. She most not too long ago served as the chief vp and basic counsel of The Estée Lauder Firms.
PathGuide Applied sciences, a supplier of warehouse administration and transport options, appointed Pelageya (Poulina) Kostenko to its board of administrators. She at the moment companies as VP of finance.
ON MY RADAR
Usha Vance’s new life in Trump’s Washington New York Instances
High e-commerce veteran Julie Bornstein unveils Daydream—an AI-powered buying agent that’s 25 years within the making Fortune
Teenagers and tweens are obsessive about this skincare model for infants—now it brings in $100 million a 12 months Forbes
PARTING WORDS
“Muscle isn’t one thing to be feared.”
— Skilled bodybuilder and creator Anne Marie Chaker on the well being advantages of weightlifting for ladies
