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url: 'serena,williams,venture,capital,firm,raises,111,million', targeting: { Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner, Alison's role is Manager: Owner & Partner, Partner. Always ready for a new challenge, she started out by asking a lot of questions, then investing in a fund, and then becoming an angel investor. The latest Tweets from Alison Stillman (@alison_stillman). subcat: '', Abena: What traits stand out to you in a founding team? Alison Rapaport Stillman, General Partner, Serena Ventures (Image: Courtesy of Serena Ventures) For Williams, surrounding herself with other smart women was a no-brainer. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. What motivates me is our mission to make lives better and ensure that others in the venture industry and ecosystem see the value in innovation for all by all. He then introduced me to Chris Lyons at Andreessen Horowitzs Cultural Leadership Fund, who encouraged me to lean into my skill set to support world-class athletes who would like to get into venture but dont have the investment background. Onstage at an event, Ms. Seidman-Becker said less than 2 percent of venture money went to women. WebAllison Stillman is the director of Aroma Blue, bringing aromatherapy to people in recovery. and this attitude has led to White men receiving an overwhelming majority of venture capital funds. You just naturally wake up and you say, like, wow, 70% of my founders are women.. targeting: { url: 'serena,williams,venture,capital,firm,raises,111,million', Investors claiming they cant find opportunities to invest in women and founders of color probably arent trying hard enough, said Alison. It also helps that a byproduct of working with diverse entrepreneurs is that it leads to a more diverse deal flow. Dan Rapaport dad Marc works in real estate and serves as the head of Thorofare Capital, a mercantile real estate pawnbroker entity. Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. cnx({ The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. Ultimately, any founder who wins an investment from Serena Ventures will also have gone through a couple of rounds of interviews with Williams and Stillman. It is dominated by men who try to solve problems and fund innovation for a nation that is rich in socioeconomic diversity yet neither funders nor founders adequately represent our nation. After graduating from Harvard, Alison joined the Jefferies & Company as an banking analyst in June 2009. Have a great Thursday. It is not us versus them. 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, we need to acknowledge there is a problem and strive to fix it. Prior to joining Serena Ventures, Olivia launched her first startup, SevenSkin Beauty, a skincare company that combines science with technology and education. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? SERENA VENTURES. Many recommendations they now get come from current portfolio companies. Have a great Thursday. San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley), This describes the type of investor the person is (e.g. I hurriedly picked a dress, which luckily fit, and jumped on the call. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. Each day is a learning experience, Im learning all the things that I would have had I taken venture classes at school. Privacy Policy Alison graduated from Harvard Business School in March 2018 ( Source : instagram ). 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. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS Web2,862 Followers, 1,028 Following, 315 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ali Jo Rapaport Stillman (@ali_jo_rap_stillman) They want to work with us because they know that we will come to them from a place of empathy, said Alison. Serena Ventures most notable exits include The Wing and OLLY. The founding partners of Serena Ventures are Ms. Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. Alison: Dont get bangs it is not worth it! While writing for her CNN Business Perspective column, she mentions the challenges black women entrepreneurs face while raising funds for their startups in the white and male predominant venture capital industry. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. On our Rise of the Next podcast, Honghao Deng and Jiani Zeng tell us how Butlr, which provides insights into commercial space usage, pivoted during the pandemic. cat: 'entrepreneurship', In October 2020, the duo enjoyed a family lunch with their parents at a cosy restaurant in LA, California. Their most recent acquisition was on May 27, 2021, when Infinite Objects raised $6M.Serena Ventures has made 21 diversity investments. Emma also posted a picture on her Instagram as they shared a passionate kiss after he popped her the question. ]); https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/business/serena-williams-venture-fund.html. 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. The stats about the fund received by black women entrepreneurs in the recent years highlights the problem. } I feel like I go to sleep getting messages from her and wake up getting messages from her, Rapaport told Fortune. Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman thinks VCs need to get out of their comfort zones. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman, Serena Ventures. When he posted an Ask Me Anything during Q&A sessions, one user commented whether he is related to Ian or Michael, to which he replied, "Negative." baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', They are finding new sectors to focus on, such as the rise of online education. We had great chemistry on that call. Moreover, Rapaport is also a former golf writer at Sports Illustrated and a staff writer for Golf Digest. I was talking about investments. Ms. Williamss husband is the Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Sep 10, 2022, 7:00 AM Serena Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Investing in people who look like you eventually leads to systemic exclusion. Alison's role is Manager: The General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. Dana Iverson: What got you into venture, and what is keeping you here? Zoe is the best decision that we have made in quarantine. Since 2014, Serena Ventures has championed founders whose perspectives and innovations level the playing field for women and people of color. They make strategic decisions, manage finances and develop business plans. Alison: Skincare. From an early age, Rapaport began swinging his golf club, and because of this, he has an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of the sport. Williams was heavily involved in her firms decision-making process well before she announced her retirement. Prior to joining Serena Ventures, Ashel spent time on the programming team at Kauffman Fellows and was a startup founder. } Serena Ventures Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014 and has invested in over 60 companies. Alison Stillman is a Managing Partner at Serena Ventures based in Sugar Land, Texas. The same goes for actor Michael Rapaport. Dan posted a congratulations tweet in August 2022 as she represented the company in the New York Stock Exchange. By: Julia Hanna, Demographics-Race-African American, Black, Alumna-Led Reproductive Health Startup Raises $4.7 Million. Besides, the one thing the golf star has in common with his fiance is their hunger for adventure and travel. cat: 'entrepreneurship', "Maybe we're so enamored by the founder, but when we actually take the time to dig down into the economics, it might not be the right thing," Stillman said. But as Serena Ventures is proving, it doesnt have to be this way. When one thinks of the name Serena Williams, the majority of thoughts flow in the direction of her impeccable tennis career. My friends were asking questions that I didnt have the answers to, but I got better with time and more practice. Thanks for being part of ours! Try not to control everything. Delivers pre-prepped, frozen, healthy cuisine to your door. During this time, I got along really well with Carmelos business manager, Stuart Goldfarb, who saw that I understood how to work with sports talent and also had a deep understanding of the investment world, a rare combination of two very different skills sets. Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. 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. Financial services for what Stillman called the "unbanked and underbanked" and women's health companies have always ranked high on its list. Emma posted their first picture online on Valentine's in 2020. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? Dan with Alison, Robyn, Marc and Sheri celebrates Marc's birthday in Hawaii, February 2022 ( Source : instagram ). I think celebrities dont always experience pushback, but I give that, which she respects, and she does it with me., Two years later, that hasnt changed. Register for your account and get started with our industry leading people contacts search engine. Nacho lover As a Senior Associate, Veronica sources, conducts diligence, and provides portfolio support at Serena Ventures. You can find her on Twitter. The two lovebirds had a great time ice skating in Snowmass Village, Colorado. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { That makes pitching less intimidating, because it can be difficult to find an introduction on Sand Hill Road, especially if youre not in Silicon Valley. As an angel investor, you can only do so much, the world-class athlete, businesswoman, and philanthropist told BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively. For Williams, surrounding herself with other smart women was a no-brainer. The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. The food we eat, the space we live in, and the tools we use at home are all getting a second look. WebAlison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. 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. Dan Rapaport is not related to Ian Rapaport. Web2,862 Followers, 1,028 Following, 315 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ali Jo Rapaport Stillman (@ali_jo_rap_stillman) Previous to Serena Ventures, Alison worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase, as well as in talent management for several athletes. playerId: '783ef340-6832-4112-80cd-0e5f57b51915' The General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. Wharton School, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Operations & Information Management and a minor in Psychology. Below, Stillman explains how the firm evaluates prospective investments and what makes the winners stand out. Alisa Gumbs is the executive managing editor of BLACK ENTERPRISE, planning and creating content across the company's print, digital, events, and broadcast platforms. The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; The funds limited partners include Norwest Venture Partners, Capital G (Alphabets growth fund) and LionTree. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. Europe, Menlo Park, China), Where the person is located (e.g. Ultimately, Stillman believes that a Serena Ventures company is defined by three qualities. Stillman told Insider a core part of the mission of Serena Ventures was to back founders with "incredible potential" who might have been overlooked by other investors. Among its portfolio of more than 50 companies, 60% of founders are people of color. Alison Rapaport is a Partner at Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund founded by tennis superstar Serena Williams in 2014. aid: '782078', Clayton, who landed on Venture Capital Journals 2023 list of Rising Stars, talks about his journey and shares some advice for founders. WebThe General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. Ive watched all of Face Off, a show where people go head-to-head with special effects and makeup. That includes companies that focus on issues from mobility to menopause to deathtech, Stillman said. Dog mom . Serena Ventures doesnt require that its founders come from historically underrepresented backgrounds, though it says about three-quarters of its portfolio company founders do. My first time pitching was terrible. If you have a cold inbound, you can find great opportunities, she says. Moreover, in May 2021, the two soulmates looked chic as they attended their friend's wedding in Wailea-Makena. 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. Serena believes in taking on and nurturing the firms early, which is reflected in the funds investments as three-fourths of the total investment belongs to the seed stage category. About 10 to 20% of pitches receive a follow-up from the firm. There are so many things that keep me in venture. In March, Serena Ventures announced it had raised an inaugural fund of $111 million from outside investors including Alphabet, Norwest, LionTree, and Kapor Center.