June 27th 2025.
Serena Williams, the legendary 23-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, has taken on an exciting and meaningful new role as a mentor. In this position, she will be lending her expertise and support to promising startups that are dedicated to improving hygiene, maternal care, and health equity. This aligns perfectly with her commitment to uplifting underrepresented women-led businesses, a cause she has been championing for years.
The opportunity to become the first-ever entrepreneur-in-residence at Reckitt, a British consumer health company known for brands like Lysol, Durex, and Enfamil, was a natural fit for Williams. She will be using her extensive knowledge and experience to guide and nurture startups in the fields of hygiene, maternal care, and health equity, all of which are close to her heart. Williams firmly believes that with the right support and resources, bold and innovative ideas can tackle some of the world's most pressing healthcare challenges.
In an interview with Fortune at Cannes Lions, Williams shared, "This includes mentorship, funding, and strong belief." It's no secret that female-led startups receive significantly less funding compared to their male counterparts, with studies showing that they often outperform them. This stark disparity is what fuels Serena Ventures' mission to invest in underfunded startups founded by women and people of color. In a TikTok post last year, Williams passionately explained her motivation, saying, "Somewhere along the line, I learned that less than two percent of VC money went to women. When I first heard that, I actually thought that was a misquote – I thought that can't be real. When I first started investing, I learned that that was true, and that was actually something that was happening, and so I knew right then and there that one day I wanted to raise a fund or raise money and invest in women."
Her new role at Reckitt coincides with the launch of their Reckitt Catalyst program, a £10 million initiative that aims to support up to 200 underrepresented founders by 2030. This program will work towards improving access to health and hygiene for five million people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through scalable, community-driven solutions. Williams shared, "We realized we had the same thesis, [which is] that when you invest in women, when you invest in overlooked markets, the returns are there. It's not charity. It's smart business."
As a successful athlete and entrepreneur, Williams is well aware of the gaps that many women-led companies fill, particularly in offering products and services tailored to the needs of women and children. However, despite the growing demand for such initiatives, these companies often struggle to secure funding and support. Williams is determined to change this narrative and shine a spotlight on the importance of investing in these essential markets. "Hygiene is routinely overlooked in venture," she explained. "It's not flashy. But it's foundational, especially for women, mothers, and children. These are essential markets that drive real impact and real returns."
In her new role as entrepreneur-in-residence, Williams will provide invaluable mentorship to Reckitt Catalyst entrepreneurs, utilizing her vast network and connections to help them grow their impact and credibility. She firmly believes that relationships are the key to success in the world of venture capital, and she wants to extend this access to the founders who may not have access to the usual power circles. "A 30-minute conversation can unlock new partnerships or investment opportunities," she shared. "I want to offer that access to founders who aren't part of the usual power circles."
This new role is just the latest addition to Williams' impressive resume, which includes her successful tennis career, her own investment firm, Serena Ventures, and her popular fashion line, Serena. With her expertise, passion, and determination, there's no doubt that Williams will continue to make a significant impact in the world of entrepreneurship and beyond.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
