The Helm

thehelm.co

The Helm is a generalist seed-stage fund investing in companies with at least one female founder, targeting early-stage companies showing 'incredible, defensible promise' across diverse sectors including healthcare, sustainability, fintech, food & beverage, and consumer technology.

Check Size

$3K+

Stages

Seed, Series A

Focus Areas

Climate Cleantech, Energy, Mobility Transportation

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Investment Thesis

The Helm operates on a gender-lens investing thesis, believing that female-founded companies represent an undervalued opportunity in venture capital. They identified that women receive only 2% of venture capital funding despite evidence showing female-founded startups deliver twice as much per dollar invested compared to all-male founding teams. Their core belief is that investing in women-led companies generates both significant social and financial returns by creating companies that ‘consider women, are led by women, and create wealth for women.’

What Sets Them Apart

Exclusive focus on female-founded companies (at least one female founder required)
Demonstrated arbitrage opportunity in undervalued female-founded startups
Multi-platform approach combining venture fund and angel syndicate membership
Commitment to diversity within their portfolio: 15% Black founders and 40% BIPOC founders minimum
NYC and London-based dual presence
Integrated content and community platform (The Helm Review) providing editorial and educational support