Helena undertakes its work—projects—with a small group of exceptional people. We call them Helena Members. We believe these small groups of brilliant leaders can solve intractable problems.
Helena Members
The members represent Helena’s core ability to analyze global trends and problems, source and develop potential solutions to those problems, and implement those solutions.
Members have developed the ideas for projects, they have led projects, funded them, advised them, and more.
The Members are first-principle, objective thinkers committed to addressing societal problems. We place a special emphasis on identifying members who play a role in the most crucial movements, technologies, and domains that will shape the next 50 years.
The membership is highly unique in nature. There is no membership fee, no application process, and no formal procedures. No one can buy access to the Helena membership, and the Helena membership does not partner with or have a relationship with any outside organization, company, government, or entity.
Through the Helena membership, we hope to create a bold, diverse and effective social institution that not only represents a better future society, but helps shape it.
For a long-form essay written by Helena’s CEO on the underlying philosophy and structure behind the Membership, please click here.
Helena Projects
Our priority is to make sure that the best idea wins. We focus on identifying and analyzing projects that are closest to the objective solution to a given problem, irrespective of whether that solution contradicts our assumptions or biases. We do not select projects based on issue area. Because every Helena project is different, we challenge ourselves to operate them many different ways.
We often bring together expert technical advisors, conduct our own internal research, secure capital, join forces with or acquire existing organizations, tell a project’s story through original content or earned media, and bring project-specific operators onto the Helena team.
Each project is developed and led alongside Helena members, who collaborate globally and throughout the year. Members work on Helena projects in a range of roles. Some Helena members lead projects full-time alongside Helena’s team, some members split their focus across multiple Helena projects, and many members aid projects in an advisory capacity.
Helena projects are built for a range of purposes. While some projects are fully incubated and operated inside of Helena, others are geared to support the existing work of Helena members in new and unique ways. As projects become public, they are listed here.
Helena works with a small set of partners to execute individual projects. Together, the partners dramatically expand Helena’s operational capabilities. They give Helena the ability to call upon world-class experts in a specific issue area, and to act with greater scale when necessary. Current partners include the Boston Consulting Group and the Berggruen Institute.
Extended Information
Helena’s mission is to build an engine where the world’s most capable leaders come to address global problems.
Helena is a private organization independent from any government, corporation, or political party. We do not exist to promote the interests of any government, corporation, or political party.
Helena sometimes makes grants to other non-profit institutions. As a matter of policy, we permit a maximum of 10% of our grants be used to cover the overhead costs of these institutions.
Helena’s membership is merit-based, and members do not pay a fee, nor do they earn fees, for their participation. Helena Group Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Helena was founded in 2015 by Henry Elkus and Zachary Bohn.
Helena does not espouse or endorse any political, economic, or religious beliefs. Instead, we aim to represent viewpoints and experiences that may sometimes conflict or overlap, in order to establish dialogue and encourage innovative ideas.
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