Fresh off her return to the spotlight through a new partnership with Heineken 0.0 ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open, tennis icon Serena Williams is looking to change shake things up at her much-touted venture capital firm.
Making Changes
The 23-time Grand Slam champion has rebranded her venture capital firm from Serena Ventures to Starfire Ventures. She has not explained the reasoning being the rebranding.
The move comes after the firm built an impressive track record, investing in 16 unicorns, which are privately held startups valued at more than $1 billion, and completing five successful exits since launching its inaugural $111 million fund.
“I felt like Serena Ventures is great, but I wanted it to be bigger than me,” Williams said in an interview on the “Rapid Response” podcast on July 29. “There are so many amazing people on the team, and there’s so much that we do. I felt like when you put a name on something, it can limit what you do.
Starfire Ventures’ portfolio includes fintech company Esusu, high-protein snack brand Khloud, supply-chain platform Calico, health care startup HUED, and e-commerce company Rebel, among dozens of other investments.
Nearly 70 percent of the firm’s portfolio companies are led by women or people of color, reflecting Williams’ longstanding goal to back founders who have traditionally struggled to secure venture capital funding.
Speaking with Fast Company, she said she wants Starfire Ventures to discover the next trillion-dollar company.
Serena Williams has amassed over $500 million in total career earnings, featuring roughly $94.9 million in on-court prize money and more than $400 million from off-court endorsements, according to Sportico. Today, her net worth is estimated to be around $300 million.
The business announcement comes as Williams prepares for another high-profile appearance at the U.S. Open through a new partnership with Heineken 0.0. The campaign gives fans a chance to win seats in the brand’s hospitality suite by submitting ticket stubs from her past U.S. Open matches, while limited-edition collectible cans commemorating her six U.S. Open singles titles will also be available during the tournament, USA Today reports. The Open runs Aug. 23 to Sept. 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City.
