They want to work with us because they know that we will come to them from a place of empathy, said Alison. Plenty of its portfolio companies come from Silicon Valley, but two of its most recent investments came from North Carolina and Wisconsin. Its time we all play on the same court. 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. I want to highlight that we do not invest in women and people of color to simply check a box, Rapaport Stillman told the online publication All Raise. Besides, Marc stars in the new Netflix docu-series about the PGA golf tour, "Full Swing," which premiered on February 15, 2023. It can be hard for founders to delegate. Stillman said it's especially important for founders to be self-aware enough to know when they need to hire employees. The two lovebirds had a great time ice skating in Snowmass Village, Colorado. I was someone who lived my life to be on a conveyor belt. Serena is such a smart and driven person. The tennis stars firm, Serena Ventures, will invest in founders with diverse points of view. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. Business partners. Abena Anim-Somuah is a contributing writer at All Raise. Sells personal care, food, and household goods products under the Brandless brand. Their most recent acquisition was on May 27, 2021, when Infinite Objects raised $6M.Serena Ventures has made 21 diversity investments. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', Suddenly, she found herself learning about trading cards, trying to understand the market and find opportunities. The latest Tweets from Alison Stillman (@alison_stillman). Alison's role is Manager: I felt that it was an opportunity to combine my skill set with a mission and make a difference. INFORMATION And also, its very authentic. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman, Serena Ventures. Alison Stillman Goes By Allison Stillman Nashville, TN Age: 67 Full Name: Allison Stillman Current Home Address: 5329 Old Village Rd Nashville TN 37211 Wharton School, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Operations & Information Management and a minor in Psychology. Were working on a mission that is bigger than any one of us and that makes me feel excited to do my job. Sales Partnership Solutions } 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. Review address history and property records. Im the most non-taking-a-chance kind of a person, but I felt like a seed was where we wanted to be.. Last week, amid the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Serena Williams played what were likely the final matches of her tennis career. 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. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? and its affiliates (collectively 500 Startups) makes no representation as to the accuracy or information in this post and while reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the information herein is accurate and up-to-date, no liability can be accepted for any error or omissions. pos: 'right_rail_3', Ms. Williams, who holds 23 Grand Slam tennis titles, was inspired by a talk between Caryn Seidman-Becker, the chief executive of the security company Clear, and Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase. Alison graduated from Harvard Business School in March 2018 ( Source : instagram ). 500 Startups Management Company, L.L.C. They had one problem: their brand didnt reflect who they were as a firm- or as people. Clayton, who landed on Venture Capital Journals 2023 list of Rising Stars, talks about his journey and shares some advice for founders. Dana Iverson: What got you into venture, and what is keeping you here? Dan Rapaport is not related to Ian Rapaport. Dan with Alison, Robyn, Marc and Sheri celebrates Marc's birthday in Hawaii, February 2022 ( Source : instagram ). SERENA VENTURES. To raise a child it takes a village. I dont jump off buildings. Onstage at an event, Ms. Seidman-Becker said less than 2 percent of venture money went to women. Asif Yahiya Sukri LLP provides unparalleled personalized financial services to a broad range of clients across different geographical locations. Alison Rapaport Stillman is a Founding General Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. The General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. Also, invest in a few good people and dont try to please everyone. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; Upon learning that just two percent of funding goes to female founders, Williams made a strategic commitment to diversity and inclusion; today, 78 percent of founders backed by Serena Ventures are women or people of color. We are in a moment when people have finally realized that inequity exists in all aspects of life what many of us have known for a long time. Serena Williams in Hollywood in November. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman is a Founding General Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. About That includes looking at digital learning as a supplement and a way to attack inequities in traditional education systems. Alison: We invest early in a market and a founder. And the only way to change those numbers was to be the person writing the big checks.. Nacho lover Women of Power Summit The firm is headquartered in San Francisco Bay Area, West Coast, and the Western US. Required fields are marked *. Besides, they have a pet dog named Bud, who has also been featured in most of her uploads. And she says, No, its true. And I literally couldnt wrap my mind around the fact that 98 percent of all of this money were talking about billions of dollars goes to one type of individual.. But it is important to have a founder who can be self-aware, handle feedback, and build a team to help them be successful. They had one problem: their brand didnt reflect who they were as a firm- or as people. Administration); By: April White, Re: Sherrese Clarke Soares (MBA2004); By: Jen McFarland Flint, Re: Ali Stillman (MBA2018); Anita Elberse (Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration); I spent my teenage and college years trying to be liked and now I talk to three people from my high school. Alison Stillman Goes By Allison Stillman Nashville, TN Age: 67 Full Name: Allison Stillman Current Home Address: 5329 Old Village Rd Nashville TN 37211 playerId: '783ef340-6832-4112-80cd-0e5f57b51915' With a presence in the USA, India and the MENA region, they ensure that all of your financial decisions are made carefully and with your best interests in mind. Have a great Thursday. Pavan is an Associate at Serena Ventures where he researches market trends, dives into emerging sectors, and sources new investment opportunities. Serena Williamss early-stage venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, has raised an inaugural fund of $111 million that will invest in founders with diverse points of view, she told the DealBook newsletter. The golf guy at Barstool Sports currently lives a serene life with his fiance Emma in the radiant metropolis of Brooklyn, New York. She is a founding partner at Serena Ventures after joining the capital fund company in 2018. he wrote. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? We cant resort to a theater allyship, you have to do the work write the checks and make the hires. While interviewing for jobs, she was the only person who I felt would empower me to succeed. Alison's role is Manager: The champions for Black female founders are here to stay. Ive always been fascinated with technology, and Ive always loved how it really shapes our lives, said Ms. Williams, who has been investing for nine years. That includes companies that focus on issues from mobility to menopause to deathtech, Stillman said. B.E. Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS He supports all aspects of existing deals through analysis, market research, competitive landscapes, financial modeling, and deal structuring. Insider chatted with Stillman about how to land a spot in the Serena Ventures portfolio. Produces a new generation of meats and cheeses made entirely from plants. Privacy Policy She earned Bachelor of Science degree in Finance & Operations from the campus. You just naturally wake up and you say, like, wow, 70% of my founders are women.. Dan popped the question to Emma in Friday Harbor, Washington in October 2021 ( Source : instagram ). "It's hard. I want to highlight that we do not invest in women and people of color to simply check a box, Rapaport Stillman told the online publication All Raise. 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. We are focusing not just on the people, but on the market. Her partner Alison Rapaport Stillman backs Serena while stating that VCs ignore products and services made for audiences theyre unfamiliar with, even those representing massive markets with loyal customers. My path to Serena Ventures started with another sports superstar, ten-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony. Serena Ventures has a market cap of $14 billion and 29 active investments. Each day is a learning experience, Im learning all the things that I would have had I taken venture classes at school. Moreover, Rapaport is also a former golf writer at Sports Illustrated and a staff writer for Golf Digest. Moreover, Dan has a younger sister Robyn Rapaport, founder of Shop Robynro. WebAlison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. Register for your account and get started with our industry leading people contacts search engine. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman, Serena Ventures. Marc started his job in 1983 as a banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert. It has been fun to watch creative people in that setting because Im not a creative person. My first time pitching was terrible. Alison Stillman is a Managing Partner at Serena Ventures based in Sugar Land, Texas. Sep 10, 2022, 7:00 AM Serena Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. Its been proven that the more diverse your team, the better you do, and companies are now starting to realize that, she says. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', There is no recent news or activity for this profile. tude.cmd.push(function() { I was talking about investments. Ms. Williamss husband is the Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Alison Rapaport is a Partner at Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund founded by tennis superstar Serena Williams in 2014. Even though Marc frequently played golf with Dan, it wasn't until August 2020 that his father attended one of his games at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in New York and watched him as an audience. When Serena Williams first launched the firm, she explicitly wanted to provide funding for more women. tude.cmd.push(function() { 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. 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. According to Zola, Dan and his future wife Emma have set their wedding date for June 10, 2023, in the scenic landscape of Chicago. subcat: '', Masthead. Alison Stillman has 1+ years experience as Partner. Abena: What traits stand out to you in a founding team? General Partner Alison Rapaport Stillman, who majored in finance and operations at Wharton as an undergrad, has said people have finally realized that inequity exists in all aspects of life. Kyra is the Operations Manager for Serena Ventures where she oversees the day-to-day operations for the team and helps manage LPs, Portfolio Founders, and prospective investment companies.