Celebrities Who Invested Early in Major Companies

Some celebrities make money from endorsements. Others go much deeper.

They invest in startups, take equity instead of cash, join venture funds, and back companies before the wider public understands how big those businesses might become. Sometimes the bet fails. Other times, it turns into a career-defining business win.

This list focuses on celebrities who invested early, or relatively early, in companies that later became major brands, public companies, unicorns, or headline-making acquisitions.

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher is probably the most famous celebrity startup investor of the modern era.

Through A-Grade Investments and later Sound Ventures, Kutcher backed companies including Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, Skype, Duolingo, Robinhood, Affirm, and others before several became household names or public-market giants. Forbes reported that Kutcher, Guy Oseary, and Ron Burkle invested $2.5 million into Airbnb in 2011, a stake later estimated to be worth about $90 million.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z has spent decades building a reputation as one of entertainment’s sharpest business minds.

One of his best-known startup wins was Uber. Forbes confirmed him as an Uber investor ahead of the company’s 2019 IPO, while business coverage has long described his investment as one of the major celebrity wins tied to Uber’s rise.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s connection to Uber is often discussed because it reportedly involved equity rather than a simple cash payment.

Forbes reported that Beyoncé was reportedly paid in restricted stock units for a 2015 Uber employee concert.

Nas

Nas is one of the strongest examples of a celebrity who quietly became a serious tech investor.

Through QueensBridge Venture Partners, he was connected to early-stage investments in companies including Coinbase, Robinhood, Lyft, Dropbox, and others. Forbes described Nas as an early investor in Coinbase around the time of its public listing.

Jared Leto

Jared Leto has one of the more surprising startup portfolios in Hollywood.

Leto invested in companies such as Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, Reddit, Slack, and Nest. That list is unusually strong. It includes transportation, travel, music streaming, social platforms, workplace software, and smart-home technology.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams built one of the most respected athlete-led venture portfolios.

Through Serena Ventures, she has backed companies across consumer products, health, education, fintech, and technology. Forbes reported that her portfolio includes investments in companies such as MasterClass and Impossible Foods, and that she had invested in multiple unicorns.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey’s 2015 investment in Weight Watchers became one of the most famous celebrity equity moves of the decade.

Weight Watchers announced that Winfrey made a substantial equity investment and joined the company’s board. Forbes reported that she paid about $43 million for a 10% stake.

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds is better known for brand building than traditional early-stage startup investing, but his business wins still belong in this conversation.

He bought into Aviation American Gin in 2018 and became its creative director and board member. Diageo later agreed to acquire the brand in a deal valued at up to $610 million. Reynolds also owned a stake in Mint Mobile before T-Mobile agreed to acquire Mint’s parent company in a deal valued at up to $1.35 billion.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow has been linked to celebrity startup investing through companies such as Uber.

Forbes included Paltrow among celebrity backers discussed around Uber’s IPO, placing her in the group of famous investors who benefited from early access to the company’s growth story.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio has often used investing to support companies tied to sustainability, food technology, and climate-conscious consumer products.

He has been connected to companies such as Beyond Meat and other environmentally focused ventures. While not every investment has the same scale as Uber or Airbnb, DiCaprio’s strategy stands out because it reflects a clear personal thesis: invest in businesses that connect consumer behavior with environmental concerns.

Will Smith

Will Smith has also been part of the celebrity tech-investing world.

He and his family have been connected to investment activity through Dreamers VC, a venture firm associated with backing startups and helping connect U.S. companies with international markets.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg has invested across media, cannabis, technology, and consumer brands.

His investment activity has included companies tied to digital media, delivery, and consumer culture. He also became one of the earlier major celebrities to build a business identity around cannabis before the market became more mainstream.

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal has built one of the strongest business portfolios among former athletes.

His investments and endorsements have included restaurants, franchises, technology, fitness, and consumer brands. He has often discussed investing in companies and products he understands or personally uses.

LeBron James

LeBron James has treated business as part of his career from early on.

His investments and partnerships have included media, sports ownership, fitness, entertainment, and consumer brands. One of his most famous business wins came through his early involvement with Beats by Dre before Apple acquired Beats.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian moved from celebrity branding into private equity and venture investing.

Her investment firm SKKY Partners was created to focus on consumer and media-related businesses, areas where Kardashian’s brand knowledge is highly relevant. Her business track record also includes Skims, which grew into a major apparel and shapewear brand.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba co-founded The Honest Company, which became a major consumer-products brand focused on household, baby, beauty, and personal-care items.

Her role was not just an investment; it was founder-level involvement. The company eventually went public, making Alba one of the best-known actress-entrepreneurs of the 2010s.

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart has built investments around media, fitness, food, and consumer businesses.

His business activity includes HartBeat, his entertainment company, along with investments connected to wellness and food brands. Like Ryan Reynolds, Hart uses humor, marketing, and audience trust as business assets.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres has invested in and built consumer-facing businesses connected to lifestyle, design, pets, and entertainment.

While her investment profile is not usually discussed in the same way as tech-focused investors like Kutcher or Nas, her business interests show how celebrities use audience familiarity to enter lifestyle markets.

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson became one of the earliest athletes to build a serious post-playing business empire.

His investments have included movie theaters, Starbucks locations, real estate, sports ownership, and consumer businesses aimed at underserved urban markets. He has often been praised for proving that athlete-led business could go far beyond endorsements.

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. has invested in companies tied to sustainability and technology through FootPrint Coalition Ventures.

His portfolio has focused on climate technology, food systems, materials, energy, and environmental innovation. That makes his investment profile different from celebrities chasing only consumer apps or lifestyle brands.

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