Celebrity Business Moves — 2026-05-08

Top Moves This Week

Hailey Bieber — Rhode Named to TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2026

• The Move: Hailey Bieber's skincare and beauty brand Rhode has been named to TIME's prestigious 100 Most Influential Companies list for 2026.
• Details: Rhode is a direct-to-consumer beauty brand founded by Bieber; it has expanded into retail and is regarded as one of the defining celebrity beauty launches of the 2020s. Specific valuation figures were not disclosed in the TIME listing.
• Why It Matters: Inclusion on TIME's list places Rhode alongside major global companies, validating the "founder equity" model for celebrity-driven brands. It signals that Rhode has moved well beyond influencer gimmick status into genuine market force territory.
• Smart or Risky?: Smart. Bieber has maintained creative control and brand coherence, avoiding the overextension that has plagued other celebrity beauty ventures. The TIME recognition is a significant reputational milestone.

L Catterton & Patricof Co — Launch CHAMP Athlete Business Partnership

• The Move: Luxury consumer investment fund L Catterton and athlete-focused investment firm Patricof Co announced the formation of CHAMP (Champion Athlete Managing Partner), a new strategic partnership.
• Details: CHAMP is designed to give pro athletes meaningful ownership stakes in companies, going beyond traditional endorsement deals. The partnership combines L Catterton's consumer brand expertise with Patricof Co's athlete relationship network.
• Why It Matters: This is a formalized, institutional-grade infrastructure for athlete equity participation — a major step beyond one-off celebrity deals. It could set a new template for how athletes convert their cultural capital into long-term wealth.
• Smart or Risky?: Smart. The structure benefits both sides: brands get authentic athlete endorsement baked into ownership, while athletes get upside beyond flat endorsement fees. L Catterton's track record in consumer brands adds significant credibility.

Andrea Agnelli & InStudio Ventures — Two New Sports Investment Funds Launch

• The Move: Two new sports-focused venture funds launched in the same week. InStudio Ventures launched a $50 million fund anchored by stakes in the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers. Former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli launched Gamma Waves Partners, targeting sports technology and adjacent sectors.
• Details: InStudio's $50M fund carries equity stakes in two NFL franchises as anchor investments. Agnelli's Gamma Waves Partners has not yet disclosed a fund size but is targeting sports-related ventures.
• Why It Matters: The clustering of two sports-focused funds in a single week underscores how rapidly the intersection of sports, tech, and venture capital is expanding. NFL franchise equity as a fund anchor is an unusual and notable structural choice.
• Smart or Risky?: Mixed. NFL franchise equity as an anchor is compelling in terms of brand value, but sports VC remains a high-risk, illiquid space. Agnelli brings deep football industry credibility, though his Juventus tenure ended controversially.

Brand Launches & Expansions

• Hailey Bieber — Rhode (Beauty): Confirmed as one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies of 2026. Rhode operates as a founder-led DTC skincare brand with retail expansion; positioned at the premium/accessible end of the beauty market.

No additional verified fresh brand launches were available with confirmed publication dates after May 1, 2026.

Investments & Deals

• L Catterton partnered with Patricof Co to form CHAMP: A joint strategic vehicle designed to give professional athletes equity stakes in consumer companies rather than simple endorsement fees. Sector: consumer brands, sports. Strategic angle: professionalizing athlete ownership participation at institutional scale.

• Annatar Ventures invested in Prosperity Time: The pre-owned luxury watch marketplace became one of the first venture-backed companies in the secondary luxury watch market, with a strategic investment from Annatar Ventures announced May 1, 2026. Sector: pre-owned luxury goods. Strategic angle: institutional capital moving into authenticated resale of high-end timepieces.

Sports Stars in Business

• Andrea Agnelli (former Juventus president): Launched Gamma Waves Partners, a new venture fund targeting sports technology and related sectors. Agnelli brings deep executive experience from European football's highest levels and is now channeling that into the investment world.

• InStudio Ventures (NFL-anchored fund): Launched a $50 million sports venture fund anchored by equity stakes in the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers NFL franchises — one of the more unusual fund structures seen in sports VC, using franchise equity as a credibility anchor for limited partners.

Analysis: What's Trending

• Founder equity in beauty remains dominant: Rhode's TIME recognition confirms the continued market credibility of celebrity-founded, equity-owned beauty brands over traditional licensing or endorsement plays. The era of the "celebrity perfume deal" is being replaced by fully owned brand companies.
• Athlete equity is becoming institutionalized: The CHAMP formation is a landmark moment — major investment firms are now building formal infrastructure specifically to give athletes ownership, not just checks. This is a structural shift, not a one-off deal.
• Sports venture capital is accelerating: Two independent sports funds launching in the same week signals that investor appetite for sports-adjacent assets — technology, franchises, infrastructure — is at a high-water mark heading into mid-2026.
• Luxury resale getting its first VC moment: The Prosperity Time funding represents a broader trend: authenticated pre-owned luxury (watches, handbags, collectibles) is moving from peer-to-peer marketplaces toward institutionally backed platforms, similar to what happened in sneaker resale.

What to Watch Next

• Rhode's next retail expansion: With TIME recognition in hand, expect Hailey Bieber's team to announce new retail partnerships or international expansion in the coming weeks — the validation moment typically precedes a major commercial push.
• CHAMP's first athlete signings: L Catterton and Patricof Co's CHAMP platform has just launched — the market will be watching closely to see which high-profile athletes are the first to take equity stakes through the structure, and in which consumer categories.
• Agnelli's Gamma Waves Partners fund close: No fund size has been disclosed yet for the former Juventus chairman's new sports venture vehicle. A formal close or first investment announcement would be the next significant signal of its ambition and scope.