Stories

In the energy sector, you need both a good product and a good team. As an energy sector CVC we can, first, open doors to accelerate customer validation in order to achieve the product/market fit. We can also help the team to learn to speak the same language as the energy professionals. This brings credibility and is highly valued.

Small Modular Reactors (SMR) can be one of the means of producing emission-free energy, electricity or heat or both, irrespective of location and almost without limits. Therefore, they have been a frequent topic of discussion as a potential solution for mitigating climate change and reducing emissions on a large scale.

While it may be tempting to generalize CVCs, each CVC has its own unique approach and strengths. The added value of a CVC, beyond funding, depends a lot on the industry sector, but ultimately, success comes from the people involved.

The impact of digitalisation and data on various sectors has been over-praised for years. The energy sector is no exception, although the industry has not progressed quite at the forefront. We have advanced from painting of visions to the pioneer stage where development is accelerating and becoming a reality.

We are reading a lot about different views from investors how the ongoing global crisis is impacting to startup companies’ ability to keep their wheels spinning. Most common tips seem to be making a reality check on your sales pipeline, taking extra care of your customers, embracing cost-consciousness, facing the hard decisions sooner than later and increasing investor transparency. All this has one simple goal: securing your runway over the crisis and a recovery period after that.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on all of our lives and the startup ecosystem alike. According to Sequoia, the coronavirus is the black swan of 2020. None of us know how long this situation will last, so we’d better adapt to it.

The annual list of Europe’s fastest growing companies published by the Financial Times in early March makes proud reading because, according to the list, our portfolio company Virta is the fastest growing electric vehicle charging platform in Europe.

The Financial Times has listed the thousand fastest-growing companies in Europe for the fourth time. Virta's ranking on this year’s list is 179, higher than any other provider of electric vehicle charging services.

The transformation of the energy sector provides new opportunities. Investing in startups arises from Helen's strategic goals. Helen Ventures is now augmenting its investment team.

In the mystical Secret Garden at Slush 2019, Helen Ventures premiered as a platform for dialogue and collaboration. Read on for insights from the four inspiring keynotes and discussions that followed.