As a player, Venus Williams changed the sport of tennis. She also has a business savvy that rivals her forehand. Boardroom takes a closer look at the biggest investments in her vast portfolio.
Venus Williams covets the competition of tennis. A recent run on the WTA circuit led her to Queens yet again, putting the two-time US Open champ in primetime. Onlookers couldn’t ignore her bright pink ensemble, emblazoned with her own EleVen logo.
Williams has undoubtedly changed the sport of tennis. However, her impact extends far beyond the court. At the prime of her career, Venus attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, taking home an associates degree in fashion design in 2007. She then went on to deepen her studies through a joint program between the WTA and Indiana East University, where she earned her bachelors degree in 2015.
Along the way, Williams has positioned herself as an early stage investor, a founder of multiple business, and an award-winning film producer, all while maintaining her place on the WTA circuit. Additionally, she has been a fierce champion for pay equity, leading the charge for equal prize money at Wimbledon, and in 2021, she expanded these efforts in partnership with EleVen to target pay disparity across all industries.
Let’s take a closer look at the Venus Williams business portfolio.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
Venus Williams Business & Investments Overview
NOTE: This list is Boardroom’s curation of a selection of Venus Williams businesses and ventures and is not to be considered exhaustive.
EleVen
- Type: Clothing company
- Role: Founder
- Founded: 2006
- Fun fact: In 2020, EleVen expanded its offerings, launching a mineral SPF line.
V Starr
- Type: Interior Design Firm
- Role: Founder
- Founded: 2002
- Fun Fact: Venus and V Starr designed her sister Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian’s South Florida home. In 2021, the house got the Architectural Digest treatment, showcasing the sisters’ collaborative project.
Happy Viking
- Type: Plant-Based Superfood Nutrition Company
- Role: Founder
- Founded: 2020
- Fun fact: Venus became interested in plant-based nutrition following an autoimmune diagnosis in 2011. In August 2022, the company closed a funding round that drew a number of big-name investors, including Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant’s 35V, Peloton Vice President of Fitness Programming Robin Arzón, and LPGA Champion Michelle Wie West.
Lacoste
- Type: Clothing company
- Role: Global Ambassador
- Partnership Began: 2022
- Fun fact: Williams and Lacoste launched their partnership with a feature in the March 2022 edition of British Vogue. In the interview, Williams credited the brand’s founder René Lacoste as one of her inspirations for the way she blended fashion and function and changed the game for country club apparel.
Asutra
- Type: Health, wellness, and beauty brand
- Role: Part Owner & Chief Brand Officer
- Partnership Began: 2019
- Fun fact: In August 2023, Asutra teamed up with United Airlines to provide premium products for first-class travelers flying coast to coast.
LA Golf Club
- Type: TMRW Golf League Franchise
- Role: Investor
- Invested: 2023
- Fun fact: Williams was among the first part-owners announced for the revolutionary golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. She joins her sister, Ohanian, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and more.
Miami Dolphins
- Type: NFL Team
- Role: Minority Investor
- Invested: 2009
- Fun Fact: Venus invested in the team alongside her sister, cumulatively amassing a 1% stake in the team. Together, the Williams sisters made history, becoming the first-ever Black women to invest in an NFL franchise. Today, the team is worth $5.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Topspin Consumer Partners
- Type: Private Equity Firm
- Role: Operating Partner
- Joined: 2023
- Fun fact: Williams had worked alongside the private equity firm for years prior to forming their official relationship.
Read More:
