# Helena Special Investments

Helena Special Investments is a Private Equity based in New York, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Los Angeles, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 2015
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** helena.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/helenagroup

## Regulatory record

- **CRD number:** 317076
- **SEC file number:** 802-124824
- **Registration status:** Registered
- **Latest Form ADV filing:** 2026-03-30T05:00:00.000Z
- **Reports private funds:** Yes
- **Private funds reported:** 0
- **IAPD record:** https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/317076

## About

Helena is a global problem solving organization that implements solutions to critical societal problems through Helena Projects. Its work is field and method agnostic and includes non-profit efforts as well as for-profit investments and business creation. When the most effective strategy requires action from the business community and capital markets, Helena has invested in or created businesses. Helena Special Investments is the investment-related arm reflected in dedicated team roles.

## Sectors

- ClimateTech
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- AI/ML
- Industrial Tech

## People

- Henry Elkus — Founder & CEO

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Helena Special Investments?

Founder and CEO Henry Elkus oversees the firm's strategy, but Helena's model relies heavily on its network of members and advisors — which includes former heads of state, generals, and Fortune 500 CEOs — who help source and diligence opportunities. The firm has not publicly disclosed a separate CIO or investment committee structure.

### How does Helena source its deals?

Helena sources through a curated, invitation-only membership network that spans policy, technology, and defense sectors. The firm uses its convening power to access proprietary deal flow, particularly in climate-tech and infrastructure where government relationships and industrial partnerships are critical. The XPRIZE collaboration with the Musk Foundation further expanded its pipeline in carbon removal.

### What investment stages does Helena typically target?

Helena targets early-stage venture and select project finance, with a preferred position in companies that are pre-commercialization but post-proof-of-concept. The firm favors capital-intensive climate hardware and frontier tech where its policy network can accelerate regulatory approval or industrial offtake agreements.

### Which sectors does Helena explicitly avoid?

Helena has not published a formal exclusion list, but the firm's public portfolio and programming show a clear avoidance of consumer internet, ad-tech, and traditional enterprise SaaS. Its identity is built on tackling existential societal risks, so sectors perceived as extractive or purely financial-engineering plays fall outside its mandate.

### How is Helena related to the Carbon Removal XPRIZE?

Helena co-launched and managed the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition in partnership with the Musk Foundation. The prize was funded by Elon Musk but designed, administered, and judged through Helena's operational framework, cementing the firm's role as a central organizer in the direct-air-capture and carbon-mineralization industry.

## Related profiles

- [Hejun Capital](https://altss.com/profile/hejun-capital)
- [Heliad Equity Partners](https://altss.com/profile/heliad-equity-partners)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:06:57.816Z

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