Organization · Venture Capital
The Helm
The Helm is an early-stage venture firm based in New York City and London, focusing on investing in companies founded by women. It aims to address gender disparity in venture capital funding by supporting female founders with capital and operational support.
Overview
What The Helm does
What The Helm is
The Helm is an early-stage venture firm based in New York City and London, focusing on investing in companies founded by women. It aims to address gender disparity in venture capital funding by supporting female founders with capital and operational support.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Venture Capital
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Community
- Last reviewed
- March 27, 2026
Official channels
Find The Helm elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
The Helm as a funder
Investment thesis
The Helm focuses on investing in early-stage companies founded by women, aiming to address the gender disparity in venture capital funding.
Focus narrative
The Helm invests in early-stage companies founded by women across various sectors, emphasizing the importance of supporting female-led businesses to foster innovation and wealth creation. Their investment strategy includes both a fund and an angel syndicate, allowing for diverse participation in funding opportunities.
Value beyond capital
The Helm provides not only capital but also operational support to its portfolio companies, helping them navigate the challenges of early-stage growth. Their focus on female founders allows them to foster innovation and create wealth in underrepresented sectors.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $500,000–$750,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Seed · Series A
- Regions
- EuropeNorth America
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Not published
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 9
Portfolio context
Notable portfolio companies include: itselectric: Provides curbside charging posts for electric vehicles, designed for urban environments. Venus Aerospace: Developing a carbon-free hypersonic transportation system. Rebellyous Foods: Innovating the supply chain for plant-based chicken alternatives. Opna: A fintech solution focused on funding high-quality carbon removal projects. Simplifyber: Producing biodegradable, cellulose-based fabric through advanced manufacturing processes. Realworld: Offers guidance and resources for Gen-Z entering the workforce. Mahmee: A digital maternal health care platform providing personalized support for new mothers. Tia: A healthcare platform focused on women's health services. Oova: A diagnostic brand specializing in at-home urine testing for health monitoring.
Capability profile
The Helm as a community
Community overview
The Helm is an early-stage venture firm based in New York City and London, dedicated to investing in companies founded by women. Established to combat the significant gender disparity in venture capital funding, where women receive only 2% of all venture capital, The Helm aims to support female founders by providing capital to undervalued companies that demonstrate strong potential.
Community focus
The Helm focuses on early-stage companies founded by women across various sectors, emphasizing the importance of supporting female-led businesses to foster innovation and wealth creation. Their investment thesis targets companies that are often overlooked in traditional funding environments, operating through both a fund and an angel syndicate.
Member value
Members of The Helm benefit from access to capital, operational support, and a network focused on empowering women entrepreneurs. The Helm provides funding to help female founders grow their businesses and navigate the challenges of securing venture capital.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Benefits
- network-access and mentorship
- Program types
- community
- Selection criteria
- application
- Stages
- Seed · Seed+
- Regions
- Global
Community activity
Notable members
Notable portfolio companies include itselectric, Venus Aerospace, Rebellyous Foods, Opna, Simplifyber, Realworld, Mahmee, Tia, and Oova.
Common questions
What to know about The Helm
Upseed classifies The Helm under the Venture Capital organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 27, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.