Tennis icon Serena Williams will be the keynote speaker during the Black Tech Week Conference which will run from July 18, 2022- July 22, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

According to the press release, Williams will be representing Serena Ventures, a tech investment firm where she is the managing partner. To date, the firm has brokered more than “10,000 deals across 400 brands worth $5 million in top-line revenue through 2021 and currently has more than 12,000 athletes in its marketplace.” In March, the firm raised $111 million in an inaugural fund.

“Black Tech Week is a movement in support of the success of ecosystems being built by Black founders,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to joining this strong community of talent, connecting and impacting the future of technology.”

In an interview with the New York Times, Williams spoke about her love of investing in the technology sector.

“I’ve always been fascinated with technology, and I’ve always loved how it really shapes our lives,” she said. “When I met my husband, that was our first conversation. That’s how we met. I was talking about investments.” She’s married to Alexis Ohanian, a co-founder of Reddit.

The conference will feature over 60 sessions with  50+ tech influencers and minority innovation ecosystem builders as featured speakers. Speakers for the conference include Kimberly Bryant, Founder of Black Girls Code, Arlan Hamilton, Founder of Hire Runner and Backstage Capital, Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Black Ambition, and Detavio Samuels, CEO of Revolt. 

To register, to view the schedule, and view the speakers for this year’s Black Tech Week, visit blacktechweek.com.