These accomplished women have reached the zenith of their respective sports, achieving feats like Olympic Gold medals and representing their countries at World Cups. Their successful ventures into entrepreneurship will bring fresh insights to The Players Fund, supporting exceptional founders across various sectors.

The new partners will be instrumental in The Players Fund's ongoing initiative to involve female athletes as investors and entrepreneurs. They are committed to fostering meaningful change and broadening venture capital's reach to more diverse groups.

With their background as investors and entrepreneurs, these athletes bring valuable experience. Both Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and Allyson Felix launched startups, Jennis and Saysh, after their athletic careers. Meanwhile, Eni Aluko has been actively supporting startups and funds as an investor and advisor. Their enterprise experience will offer invaluable insights as The Players Fund continues to back outstanding entrepreneurs.

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, founder of Jennis and an Olympic champion, expressed her enthusiasm: “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.”

The addition of these partners will enhance The Players Fund’s outreach and capabilities, particularly in educating and preparing the next generation of female athlete investors. The firm offers a reliable platform for athletes to engage in venture capital and make an impact beyond their athletic careers.

Fergus Bell, Managing Partner of The Players Fund, shared his excitement: “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 at The Players Fund, also commented: “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.”

The Players Fund aims to empower athletes to excel in all aspects of their lives, ensuring they reach their full potential during and after their sporting careers.