The Helm

The Helm, launched in 2017, aims to support women-owned businesses in two ways: by investing directly in their companies, and by building a marketplace that will make it easier for shoppers to patronize women-owned companies. The Helm has invested $1.4 million in a total of 10 companies, including direct-to-consumer fashion company Haute Hijab, women-focused co-working space the Riveter, and Fathom, a connected hardware company that uses machine learning to prevent injury. The fund is led by Erin Shipley, formerly an investor at Karlin Ventures, and Lindsey Taylor Wood, an adviser to philanthropies. The Helm's e-commerce platform is slated to launch in spring 2019.