What if ... ?
Welcome to the Fifty-Seventh edition of Unstoppable Female Founders!
#Unstoppable Female Founder
My Unstoppable Female Founder this week is the only woman in the world to run a space company - with rocket and space capsules for transportation! She is Hélène Huby, Co-founder & CEO of The Exploration Company who just raised €160M Series B this week!
In the shadow of ego-driven billionaire space races and national rivalries, one woman has dared to imagine a different future for space exploration. Not one built on competition and profit, but on global collaboration, sustainability and accessibility for all. Hélène Huby is actively building the future of the Space industry, challenging the status quo of an industry long dominated by governmental giants and billionaire boys' clubs. Her vision is audacious, her conviction unwavering and her approach uniquely human-centered.
There's something remarkable about a person who not only envisions a better future but possesses the conviction to go out and build it themselves. I was already impressed beyond words by what Hélène has achieved with The Exploration Company, however her mission driven endeavors just keep going. Through the Microbiome Foundation, born from a deeply personal mission to fight rare diseases, she's advancing medical research. She is the Founder and Chair of Urania Ventures, investing in the next wave of deep tech innovation. Then we have The Karman Project, her non-profit foundation, which exists to bring together leaders within the space industry from across the globe to collectively plan and build the future of the industry.
Hélène is the definition of founder market fit, with her journey to becoming a founder and space industry revolutionary, beginning in the corporate world of Airbus Defence & Space. There, as VP of the Orion European Service Module and Director of Innovation, she demonstrated her exceptional ability to drive innovation, growing over 20 profitable businesses and orchestrating landmark initiatives like the creation of Airbus Ventures. Yet she recognized that truly transforming space exploration would require more than corporate innovation. She recognized that it would require building something new - a company that could challenge conventional thinking and pioneer sustainable solutions.
That vision has crystallized into something extraordinary at The Exploration Company. Their spacecraft isn't just matching industry giants like SpaceX - it's outmaneuvering them with a solution that's 25-50% more cost-effective while prioritizing environmental sustainability. TEC's commitment to become carbon neutral is a bold statement that space exploration must evolve beyond the environmentally cavalier approaches of the past. Investors are betting big on Hélène's vision: after securing Europe's largest space tech Series A at €40M in 2023, TEC has just raised a massive €160M Series B led by Balderton Capital.
‘This significant raise is a reflection of not only the talent and commitment of the team at TEC but also that building global companies with European roots can only be done through fostering trust and cooperation between European countries. 98% of our shareholders are European, demonstrating that the continent can finance bold entrepreneurs. Space will play a critical role in shaping humanity’s future, and I want to contribute to building a future which is peaceful and cooperative and our European DNA fits perfectly with this mission.’
In addition to securing financing, TEC are also the first European company to secure a Space Act Agreement with NASA, along with a signed contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), ranking number one in their European space capsule competition. The company is on track to launch its mid-size capsule, Mission Possible, in 2025 carrying 300kg of customer payloads. Nyx Earth’s maiden flight is set for 2028, to carry cargo for ESA to the International Space Station.
Despite her impressive accomplishments, what I found the most impressive about Hélène is her character isn't found in funding rounds or partnership agreements - it's in her fundamental belief in human connection. A mother of four, she's raising her children to be more than successful - she's nurturing them to do good in the world, to be compassionate and fair and to become independent thinkers. Despite building in an industry that many feel to be excessive or even unnecessary, Hélène is conscious and mindful of how her work can and will have a positive impact on our planet and society.
She envisions a future where collaboration transcends borders and competition gives way to collective achievement. She's not just the only woman globally leading a company developing both rockets and space capsules - she's pioneering a new model for the entire industry itself.
What I love about Hélène's story is how it challenges our assumptions about power, leadership and innovation. In her world, companies aren't just profit engines - they're vehicles for meaningful change. Space exploration isn't just about reaching new frontiers - it's about advancing humanity while preserving our planet. And success isn't measured in individual achievements, but in our collective ability to solve global challenges together.
‘Companies are a beautiful and perfect tool to change the world’ - Hélène Huby
Female Founders Raising Capital
Intriq AI | AI SaS | B2B | Pre-Seed
We all know the jokes about the cost of management consultants and you’ve likely seen the memes floating around social media referencing management consultants using ChatGPT to do their work while still billing their clients astronomical amounts.
Jokes aside, management consulting firms spend approximately 50% of project time on manual and mundane tasks. Tasks that should be processed via AI. This is where Intriq AI comes in. They automate messy data processing for consultants, saving time and increasing project profitability.
Clients demand tech-driven solutions and consultants who cling to manual processes risk falling behind, losing clients, and eroding margins. Intriq cuts data analysis costs and time by 87%, automating unstructured data processing to deliver real-time, actionable insights.
Meet the founders:
Jessica Liew, Co-founder & CEO: Strategy and Transformation Specialist for PE backed companies
Dr. Martin Kolar, Co-founder & CTO: 15+ years as an AI expert with a double PhD in Machine Learning
Lloyd Evans, Co-founder & CPO: Experienced product manager with roles at 11:FS and Taylor Wessing
The raise:
Intriq AI are currently raising £1.2M (S/ESIS) to further refine their model, deliver their GTM and scale. Current backers include Radia Accelerator, GrowF and Antler.
#TheRant
What if ….?
What if? Is a question we ask ourselves a lot. Especially as founders in a highly competitive and borderline ruthless industry.
What if I fail? What if it doesn’t work? What if they laugh at me? What if I can't make it work? What if I can't raise funding? What if I can’t build that tech? What if…
But what if …
What if all those challenges, hurdles, roadblocks, closed doors were all just part of the journey? Part of the process? Part of the experience?
What if all those sleepless nights, the stress and anxiety, the long hours, the missed birthdays and vacations and social outings, and all of the sacrifices are simply setting you up for success?
Because what if …
You achieve that goal? You launch that business? You create that vision? You build that dream? You change the world?
What if you’re exactly where you're meant to be?
What if it all works out?
I challenge you to watch this and not have all the feels!
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A huge thank you to Yunche Wilson for the inspiration for this post and for sharing an incredible clip of the cast of The Greatest Showman singing ‘This is Me’ by Keale Settle during their read through performance to get the show Greenlit for Broadway!
This is Me!
#Unstoppable
#HypeCorner
The amazing female founders who have raised capital with their teams over the past week. HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE AMAZING WOMEN:
🇱🇹 Karolina Audickiene Co-founder & CBDO of isLucid
🇫🇷 Mariem Mhadhbi Co-founder & CEO of ValueCo
🇬🇧 Alexandra (Sasha) Tory & Kelly Klifa Co-founders of Heim
🇮🇪 Sera Durgun Çalışkan Co-founder & Head of Customer Success at Continuous Software
🇬🇧 Sophie Copley Co-founder & CPO of Little Journey
🇫🇮 Iranthi Gomes Co-founder & CEO of Serviceform
🇩🇪 Hélène Huby Founder & CEO of The Exploration Company
🇩🇪 Andrea Ziegelmüller Co-founder & Finance of apaleo
🇫🇮 Virpi Tuomivaara Co-founder of Oura
🇳🇱 Allison Kopf CEO of TRACT
🇳🇴 Pia Helén Smedsrud Co-founder, MD & CEO of Augere
🇸🇪 Malin Schmidt Co-founder & CEO of Kodiak Hub
🇮🇹 Monica Vatteroni Co-founder & CEO of Eye2Drive
I absolutely love seeing how this list keeps growing each and every week! 🙌🏼
Events for Female Founders
🇬🇧 {London} Women of Silicon Roundabout is the UK’s largest tech event for women and happening on the 27th and 28th of November this year. WoSR is where the leading voices in technology meet.
🇸🇪 {Stockholm} TECHARENA themed ‘Becoming the Best in the World’ for next years conference happening Feb. 20th & 21st. Speakers include Sir Richard Branson, former Finish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph and more
🇫🇷 {Paris} GLOBAL SUMMIT by hello tomorrow celebrates the Deep Tech community on the 23rd & 24th of March with over 3,000 founders, industry leaders and investors.
🇦🇹 {Vienna} LTST25 hosted by Female Founders is back May 8th & 9th and this years theme is ‘The Real Deal for Founders’ Early bird tickets on sale now! Join the waitlist for the LTST25 Pitch Track and Competition.
🇩🇪 {Berlin} GITEX Europe kicks off May 21st - 23rd showcasing Europe’s leading tech sectors.
🇬🇧 {London} SXSW lands in London June 2nd - 7th taking over the city merging creativity, culture and technology. SXSW London are now taking applications for musicians, film makers and speakers!
🇪🇸 {Madrid} South Summit Madrid - June 4th - 6th brings together global innovators, bold entrepreneurs, leading corporations, and visionary investors. Early bird tickets now available.
🇳🇱 {Amsterdam} European Women in Technology is a must for your calendar, happening June 25th & 26th. 5,000+ women in tech, diversity advocates, allies and change makers for Leading the Digital Revolution!
Do you know of any events or programs aimed at supporting female founders? Send them over to be featured!
Thanks again for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter!
☀️ Have a wonderful weekend! ☀️
JH