Giannis Antetokounmpo, a player for the Milwaukee Bucks, launched a venture capital firm called Build Your Legacy Ventures that will focus on sports and entertainment investing, according to Bleacher Report. Antetokounmpo will serve as general partner. The fund was “not just about capital; it’s about forging partnerships and opening my network to accelerate the growth trajectory for companies,” he said in a press release. “I want to help other entrepreneurs, especially those who have faced barriers, to grow and succeed.”
Antetokounmpo has become the latest sports figure to enter the venture capital world. Serena Williams notably has Serena Ventures, Kevin Durant has Thirty Five Ventures, Stephen Curry has Penny Jar Capital, and even the Atlanta Hawks has its own VC fund to target consumer startups.
These big names don’t even include all of the celebs who are entering venture capital, such as filmmaker Olivia Wilde. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Sara and Erin Foster discussed how celebrity venture funds can offer founders and investors the benefit of having a big name and a big business supporting them. It’s clear that for many celebrities, being seen as an investor is now the next big act.