Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund backed and founded in 2017 by Serena Williams. Even with her success and her privilege, she knows shes held to a different standard as a Black woman. Most notably, she helped launch the African Leadership University, named one of Africas most innovative companies in 2016 by Fast Company, and founded Black Women in Venture Capital, a community of over 200 Black women in venture capital who envision an equitable VC system. The scorecard helps the firm remain objective in its evaluation process. } The former world no one tennis player and winner of 23 grand slam singles titles, Serena Williams, has her name written in golden words in the history of world tennis. I thought Id work in banking, then work as an associate and go to business school, but my best work has happened when I have hopped off the conveyor belt and took a risk. Moreover, in May 2021, the two soulmates looked chic as they attended their friend's wedding in Wailea-Makena. Marc attend Dan's game for the first time as an audience in August 2020 at Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Scarsdale, New York ( Source : instagram ). There is no surprise element that the primary reason why women and entrepreneurs of color struggle to access venture funding is the ignorant nature of VCs. Veronica is a proud Alumna of Howard University and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', I go up to her afterward and asked, Tell me about this 2 percent I know maybe you misspoke, Ms. Williams recounted. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner, Alison's role is Manager: Owner & Partner, Partner. I was talking about investments. Ms. Williamss husband is the Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. She is a founding partner at Serena Ventures after joining the capital fund company in 2018. Marc works as a credit approval principal at Thorofare Capital. She is a founding partner at Serena Ventures after joining the capital fund company in 2018. Dana: Fill in the blank: I wouldnt get through quarantine without. The firm, which announced an $111 million fund in March, already included a portfolio of 60 firms from Williams earliest investment activity; she wrote one of the first checks for Masterclass, and was also an early backer of According to Zola, Dan and his future wife Emma have set their wedding date for June 10, 2023, in the scenic landscape of Chicago. Impact can take many forms, she continues. ABOUT Lets just be honest, you know I couldnt just say Oh Im going to do this and have fun with it. Ive been watching a lot of reruns of reality shows. Either Stillman, Williams, or another member of the firm's six-person team will schedule an introductory call with the founder. Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund backed and founded in 2017 by Serena Williams. When she is not working on the Business Development team at Ada Support, she is avidly baking and elevating Black culinary creatives on Instagram , listening to a podcast, or digging into a good book. Alison graduated magna cum laude from the University of Still, one key factor the firm looks for in an investment opportunity is whether the company is tapping into a sizable market that it's excited about. However, Im a firm believer that success comes from focusing on the skills you want to develop and the people you want to work for rather than fixating on job titles. The two cherished couple, beaming happy in the early morning, enjoyed an excellent breakfast as she held a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle. That includes looking at digital learning as a supplement and a way to attack inequities in traditional education systems. Abena Anim-Somuah: Tell us how you met Serena and what drew you to work with her? Review address history and property records. The firm, which announced an $111 million fund in March, already included a portfolio of 60 firms from Williams earliest investment activity; she wrote one of the first checks for Masterclass, and was also an early backer of Dan Rapaport girlfriend Emma Light is engaged in October 2021. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', When Serena Williams announced her retirement earlier this month, there was plenty of talk of the tennis superstars 23 Grand Slam titles. She has been actively investing in a portfolio worth at least $10 million in more than 50 startups through Serena Ventures over the past 6 years. Sitting in a room for six months brainstorming to find a white space with a huge market opportunity is not the way to build a company. About Alison Stillman Goes By Allison Stillman Nashville, TN Age: 67 Full Name: Allison Stillman Current Home Address: 5329 Old Village Rd Nashville TN 37211 Serena Ventures. Now, with funding from limited partners including Norwest, CapitalG, Kapor Foundation, and LionTree, among others, Serena Ventures will be able to take its investments to the next level. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. Sales Partnership Solutions Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. That constant sense of regret for not having taken up golf at a younger age compelled him not to let his kids have the same mistake. Marc co-founded Jefferies and Co., where he toiled as director and executive vice chairperson from 1990 to 1995. You can also reach out to them oninfo@aysasia.com, Your email address will not be published. More than half of the firm's portfolio companies were founded by women, and more than three-fourths were founded by people from historically underrepresented backgrounds, according to the firm's website. There is no recent news or activity for this profile. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. We understand that what we see in the pitch deck is not what the product will look like later, and the product will go through a hundred iterations before it is out in the wild. They are finding new sectors to focus on, such as the rise of online education. However, we need to acknowledge there is a problem and strive to fix it. Amongst the portfolio of more than 50 companies, 60% of the founders are women or people of color. Business partners. Weve made some investments in the food and beverage space but are interested in the holistic wellness space as well. url: 'serena,williams,venture,capital,firm,raises,111,million', Managing partner Serena Williams and general partner Alison Rapaport Stillman have backed about 20 companies with Serena Ventures' first fund. Have a great Thursday. Dana Iverson is a contributing writer at All Raise. Its time we all play on the same court. In a December 2020 interview with the HBS Alumni Bulletin, Stillman describes the duos skill sets as different and super complementary. Their most recent diversity investment was on December 5, 2020, when Kiira Health raised. Alison graduated from Harvard Business School in March 2018 ( Source : instagram ). }); EVENTS div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', kw: 'mandc,black-venture-capitalists,newsletter-lead,serena-ventures,serena-williams,vc', Stillman said it scored companies in due diligence across a number of metrics. Stay up to date with what you want to know. She is also disarmingly authentic. But a number of news outlets also noted her involvement in early-stage investing and the key role played by Serena Ventures General Partner Alison Rapaport Stillman (MBA 2018), who joined forces with Williams in 2018. The firm, which announced an $111 million fund in March, already included a portfolio of 60 firms from Williams earliest investment activity; she wrote one of the first checks for Masterclass, and was also an early backer of Noom and Impossible Foods, among others. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. With Sheri and Marc's established careers, the Full Swing star enjoyed a secure upbringing and affluent lifestyle during childhood. Previously, Alison worked at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Multi- Asset Solutions and led the development of the firms Alternative Beta offering. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. During my time at Harvard Business School, I had the opportunity to work with Melo7 Tech Partners, where I was exposed to the world of VC. } tude.cmd.push(function() { And also, its very authentic. url: 'serena,williams,venture,capital,firm,raises,111,million', In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. Serena Williams in Hollywood in November. Entrepreneurs Summit Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman finds that VCs still ignore products and services made for audiences theyre not familiar with, even those representing massive markets. Dan with Alison, Robyn, Marc and Sheri celebrates Marc's birthday in Hawaii, February 2022 ( Source : instagram ). Like, look at what we have done.. Dan and Emma enjoying photogenic landscape in Snowmass Village, Colorado, July 2021 ( Source : instagram ). } WebAlison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. This isnt new for me, she says. The views expressed herein are as at the date of this summary and are subject to change without notice. And that needs to happen across the board.. For Williams, surrounding herself with other smart women was a no-brainer. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Anyone can read what you share. She comes to Serena Ventures from Equitable Advisors, where she worked as an Investment Operations Specialist. Serena Ventures' portfolio companies span a variety of industries, but Stillman said there were a few areas it had always been interested in. Veronica has dedicated her career to supporting founders who work to democratize access to a better life, and her unique perspective is informed by 10 years of experience as a strategy consultant, founder, and investor. Serena Williams raises $111 million for new venture fund. They may not be networked to them, and thats something that you can fix. An obvious solution is building a diverse team and creating internal opportunities for people with non-traditional VC backgrounds, which creates access to those wider networks. We had the pleasure of hearing from Alison on advice she would give to her younger self, her path to VC, and how she has stayed motivated during this time. url: 'serena,williams,venture,capital,firm,raises,111,million', WebDiscover any aliases as well as possible relatives and associates of Alison Rapaport Stillman. I just want people that believe in our mission and that want to be a part of something really amazing. Serena Ventures is led by world-class athlete, businesswoman, and philanthropist Serena Williams, and Alison Rapaport Stillman, who has previously worked at J.P. Morgan, Wasserman, and Melo7Tech Partners. Plenty of its portfolio companies come from Silicon Valley, but two of its most recent investments came from North Carolina and Wisconsin. Ive been on a bit of a skincare kick so I have been trying a lot of Kate Somervilles products. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. They had one problem: their brand didnt reflect who they were as a firm- or as people. Dan popped the question to Emma in Friday Harbor, Washington in October 2021 ( Source : instagram ). Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. Dan Rapaport sister is named Alison Rapaport Stillman. WebThe General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman, Serena Ventures. One recent investment they made is Fiveable, a woman-led Milwaukie edtech startup helping students prepare for AP exams by offering free online resources. Alison: We invest early in a market and a founder. We invest in diverse teams because we stand by the belief that diverse leadership and diverse thoughts have the best returns, both financially and socially. Nacho lover Subscribe to Newsletter Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman finds that VCs still ignore products and services made for audiences theyre not familiar with, even those representing massive markets. Her Instagram feed is overflowing with many images capturing the cherished moments of their romantic love life. In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. Williams first started investing a little over nine years ago because of what she calls a natural draw to technology and a desire to be involved with all of the startups she was seeing pop up in the space. We want to make sure that we dont necessarily neatly check a box. Management Looking at the VC industry more broadly, Alison doesnt see a diverse pipeline problem, but a networking issue. Serena Ventures was about to announce a historic $111 million raise that would change the world. As Analyst, Ashel assists with sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support initiatives at Serena Ventures. Williams understands firsthand the plight of founders of color. To raise a child it takes a village. I recently had to question a founder at a company because they were building a product for women and did not have any female or non-white representation at the executive level. Its been proven that the more diverse your team, the better you do, and companies are now starting to realize that, she says. Stillman said it's especially important for founders to be self-aware enough to know when they need to hire employees.
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