How to apply to Helios Digital Ventures as an African founder

TL;DR

Helios Digital Ventures invests in Fintech, AI-ML, and Blockchain companies at Series A, Series B+, and Growth, writes cheques of $5M -- $20M, and takes applications through direct outreach to the team.

Who Helios Digital Ventures is

Helios Digital Ventures is a Pan-African and Middle East investor headquartered in London/Lagos, part of the Helios Investment Partners platform. Its stated focus is Fintech, AI-ML, and Blockchain. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Capturing the final digital frontier: Africa -- backing the continent's emerging digital champions across fintech, AI, and blockchain.

On the ground, Helios Digital Ventures operates as a Series A, Series B+, and Growth investor with an Africa focus described as "Pan-African (Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Pan-African plays)". The fund's managing partner, co-head of hdv is Wale Ayeni, alongside Fope Adelowo (Principal, Co-head of HDV) and Tope Lawani (Co-Founder, Helios Investment Partners).

What they invest in

Stages: Series A, Series B+, and Growth
Sectors: Fintech, AI-ML, and Blockchain
Cheque size: $5M -- $20M
Geography focus: Pan-African and Middle East / Yes -- Pan-African (Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Pan-African plays)

How to apply

Helios Digital Ventures's application path is: "Warm introductions preferred. Contact via the Helios website or reach out to the deal team on LinkedIn.". This reads as direct outreach rather than a public form, which means the fund is more reachable through a warm introduction or a well-targeted cold message than through a portal. Wale Ayeni (Managing Partner, Co-head of HDV) is the name most associated with the fund publicly, and a specific, well-prepared message referencing why you fit their stated thesis is a better opener than a generic pitch blast. Check https://www.heliosinvestment.com/strategies/helios-digital-ventures first in case a form or dedicated email address has since gone live.

Portfolio pattern

Helios Digital Ventures's portfolio, as listed in their Trampoline fund page, includes:

Paymob (Egypt): Omni-channel digital payments platform, Series B
Nomba (Nigeria): Payments and banking platform for businesses, Growth
SeamlessHR (Pan-African): HR and payroll SaaS platform, Growth
Moment (Pan-African): Real-time local and cross-border digital payments network, Growth
Conduit (Pan-African): Blockchain infrastructure for financial products, Growth

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from Helios Digital Ventures has funded, not just what the thesis claims it funds.

Before you apply

Have these ready before you reach out:

Deck: Check your readiness first so you know where the gaps are
Metrics dashboard: Set up your metrics dashboard so you can show real traction, not slides
Cap table
A one-line description of what your company does
A short, specific note explaining why you fit their stated thesis, ready to send cold or through a warm intro

FAQ

Does Helios Digital Ventures invest in Fintech?

Yes. Fintech is listed among Helios Digital Ventures's stated sector focus areas.

What stage does Helios Digital Ventures typically write cheques at?

Helios Digital Ventures invests at Series A, Series B+, and Growth, with cheque sizes of $5M -- $20M.

Do you need a warm intro to apply to Helios Digital Ventures?

Helios Digital Ventures's application path is direct outreach rather than a public form, so a warm introduction generally carries more weight than a cold message, though it is not stated as a hard requirement.

Does Helios Digital Ventures invest outside Pan-African and Middle East?

Helios Digital Ventures's Africa focus is described as "Pan-African (Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Pan-African plays)". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is Helios Digital Ventures a remote or in-person fund?

Helios Digital Ventures's format is listed as Hybrid.