“For some people, investing in women means writing a five or six-figure check,” said CEO Lindsey Taylor Wood. “For others, a more achievable entry point may be being a thoughtful consumer and purchasing the products and services of women-built-and-led companies.”
The Helm, founded by Wood, aspires to do both.
Since its 2017 founding, The Helm has existed as a venture capital firm, investing a total of $1.5 million in 11 women-founded companies. Today, the company announced a new initiative, also focused on supporting women entrepreneurs.
The Helm’s new “contextual commerce platform” is an online boutique featuring a curated array of brands founded by and for women. Among the site’s 80 launch partners are familiar names like Rosetta Getty and Mansur Gavriel, in addition to an array of products spanning clothing, accessories, beauty, wellness and home goods.
The time is now to change the way we invest in equality.”
“There’s a tremendous need to create a central and beautiful place that spotlights the products of incredible female-founded brands,” Style Director Rachel Waldman said in a statement. “We knew The Helm was the place for that platform to live.”
Each time someone makes a purchase through The Helm’s e-commerce site, a portion of the sale goes directly towards The Helm’s next VC fund. Thus, shoppers are supporting both today’s women-led companies — as well as the companies of tomorrow.
It’s well-worn information that women comprise 85 percent of global consumer spending. What may be more surprising is the fact that, according to market research recently conducted by Walmart, 90 percent of women consumers are willing to go out of their way to purchase products they know come from a women-owned business. In this context, the mission behind The Helm couldn’t be clearer.
“The time is now to change the way we invest in equality,” said CEO Wood. “We need to honor the women who have the courage to lead. We need to invest in them, make them visible, and provide them with the support they require to accomplish their goals.”
