Players Fund adds top female athletes to its Venture Capital firm

Today Players Fund, the UK’s first athlete-led venture capital firm, announced additional female athletes as new partners. 

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Eni Aluko, Allyson Felix, Nikita Parris and Danielle Carter join The Players Fund’s existing group of athlete investors and will play an integral role in the firm’s mission of empowering athletes on and off the field.

These women represent the pinnacle of achievement in their sports, from representing their country at World Cups to winning Olympic Gold medals and more. 

As partners, the group will help continue The Players Fund’s efforts to engage female athletes as investors and entrepreneurs. They aim to create meaningful change and open up venture capital to broader, more diverse audiences.

The firm provides athletes with a trusted platform to participate in venture capital and make an impact beyond the field.

As investors and entrepreneurs, the group has strong past experience to call upon. Olympic icons Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and Allyson Felix both launched their own startups, hormonal health startup Jennis 

and Saysh S, after retiring from athletics, whilst Eni Aluko has regularly supported startups and funds and is part of a multi-club ownership group promising to invest $100 million (£78.6m) in women’s football clubs across Europe and Latin America.

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Jennis founder and Olympic champion, commented:

“I’m honoured to join alongside these phenomenal women to drive The Players Fund’s mission of empowering athletes forward. Together, we can spark real change in VC and beyond by backing founders of all backgrounds, and for me in particular female entrepreneurs where possible.”

Fergus Bell, Managing Partner of The Players Fund, said:

“We are thrilled to welcome these groundbreaking athletes to The Players Fund. Their expertise takes us one step closer to our goal of creating the foremost athlete investor network. This remarkable group has the power to support founders and spark meaningful change in the athlete community and beyond.”

Rowena Samarasinhe, Athlete Committee Chair, added:

“At The Players Fund, we are invested in democratising the investment opportunity to all athletes and we are particularly passionate about supporting women athletes and other non-traditional investor groups on this journey. 

Today’s announcement marks our commitment to this purpose and we are so excited to have such influential women joining our team.

 As women, and as we fight for an equal voice, there is something so empowering about taking control of our financial future, rather than relying on others to create one for us.

The research has shown that women athletes make great entrepreneurs and now is the time for women athletes to redefine their narrative. We hope that The Players Fund will go some way to supporting this.”

Lead image: Players Fund. Photo: uncredited.