Daniel: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Helen Ventures, as the CVC fund of Helen Oy, the Finnish energy company, is working to supercharge innovative energy tech in Europe through minority investments in Seed, Series A, and Series B funding rounds of startups solving problems in the renewable energy transition. We accelerate the growth of early and growth stage companies through our energy market insights and by collaborating with our customers and industry experts.
Keith: Hi there, Spiffy! Thanks for inviting me. We launched in 2019 with a mission for providing access to capital, networks, and opportunities to African-American founders of high-growth startups in a variety of sectors. We aspire to change the narrative regarding the lack of venture capital that goes to African-American entrepreneurs, as well as close the wealth gap.
Tracey: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Did you know that founders from some of the largest and highest growth populations have historically been underfunded. As commonly cited, less than 2% of VC funding goes to minority and female founders. However, these communities are driving the US economy forward, and these founders are outperforming the average. As a result, many problems faced by underrepresented communities have gone unsolved, high-potential founders have been underfunded, and significant spending power has been untapped. SoGal Ventures, founded by Pocket Sun and Elizabeth Galbut, is doubling down on the thesis that underrepresented founders, underserved problems, and undercapitalized geographies are the biggest investment opportunity of our time.
