Jesse Draper

Founding Partner
Halogen Ventures Private
Equity/Venture Capital Investors

As the founding partner of Halogen Ventures and a fourth-generation venture capitalist, Jesse Draper is a leading advocate for investing in female- founded companies. Over the last decade, she has built a portfolio of over 75 businesses, five of which achieved unicorn valuations in 2025. She focuses on identifying billion-dollar market opportunities often overlooked by traditional VC, investing in sectors from AI and fintech to beauty and childcare. Draper’s firm, which reviewed over 10,000 deals from women- led startups last year, is reshaping the L.A. startup ecosystem and beyond. In June 2025, she closed a $30-million third fund to invest in childcare and the future of family, a sector she was the first to prioritize. Her successful investments include high-growth companies like Everlywell (valued at $3.5 billion) and Babylist ($1 billion GMV). Draper actively supports her portfolio and sits on the boards of directors for Trust & Will and Preemadonna.