In this episode of Austinpreneur, recorded live at Austin Tech Week 2025, Nick Spiller sits down with Jesse Draper, founding partner of Halogen Ventures, who is fresh off closing a new $30M fund focused on what she calls the “Future of Family.” Draper, a fourth-generation VC, Emmy-nominated tech media pioneer, and unapologetic champion for women founders, breaks down the massive opportunity hiding in plain sight: technology that supports families at work, at home, and across every life stage.
Drawing on insights from Halogen’s proprietary “Future of Family Study,” Jesse explains how childcare, eldercare, family finance, and health & wellness combine into a $7.5 trillion market, one that has been historically overlooked by venture capital despite its real, measurable demand.
Nick and Jesse explore Halogen’s track record: 75+ portfolio companies, five unicorns, and early investments in breakout successes like Babylist, Trust & Will, HopSkipDrive, Metropolis, and Upwards. Jesse reveals why these businesses thrive by solving real problems for real families, and they scale massively.
The conversation also highlights why Halogen doesn’t see this category as “impact investing” or a “charity play,” but as one of venture’s most financially compelling opportunities. Draper shares her philosophy on founder grit, category creation, and why investors underestimate markets simply because they don’t personally experience the problems.
A must-listen for founders building in consumer tech, AI-enabled services, femtech, childcare, fintech, or family infrastructure, and for investors looking for the next trillion-dollar frontier.
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