Tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams have invested in the European social and community-based investment app Shares, and they have been appointed as the company’s first brand ambassadors.
Shares is a comprehensive platform that enables investors to make trades, manage their portfolios more effectively, and discuss investment opportunities with friends and family. Since its launch in May 2022, the app has attracted over 150,000 users, becoming the second most downloaded app in the ‘Finance’ category on the App Store and the sixth most downloaded app in the UK.
The Williams sisters’ involvement with Shares comes shortly after the company secured $40 million in funding, led by Peter Thiel’s Valar Fund.
Serena Williams, a retired international tennis player with a record 23 Grand Slam singles titles, has emerged as an active investor in early-stage startups. Last July, she participated in a $10 million investment round for Esusu, a fintech startup focused on helping renters build their credit scores.
Regarding her investment in Shares, Williams stated, “It is rare to find companies that are equally as passionate about opening up opportunities and breaking barriers to entry that have prevented traditional spaces like investment from being totally inclusive.”
The demographic data of Shares’ users supports this mission, with 66% of subscribers being under the age of 25 and more than one-third being women.
“Gen Z has a curious way of looking at the world and, through the amplification of social media, have been much more open about educating themselves and sharing that information,” Williams explains. “I believe everyone, especially women, should have access to the tools and information needed to take control of their finances; Shares is a platform that encourages the conversations we should all be part of.”