Unlocking Undervalued Markets with Halogen Ventures’ Founding Partner Jesse Draper

Jesse Draper is the Founding Partner of Halogen Ventures, a Los Angeles–based VC firm investing in early-stage consumer and B2B startups led by female and co-ed teams. A fourth-generation venture capitalist and the first solo female GP in LA, Jesse has backed more than 100 companies, 6 of which are now valued at over a billion (unicorns), while building a platform focused on uncovering overlooked opportunity. Drawing on her widely known perspective that “investing in women isn’t a f*#*king charity,” she explains how Jesse shares how backing female founders and investing in emerging ecosystems like Alabama, represent undervalued markets rich with untapped potential and why recognizing that gap is a competitive advantage. The conversation dives into how Jesse identifies signal in the noise when evaluating startups, what sets breakout founders apart, and why she sees opportunity in non-obvious places. She also breaks down her perspective on solo founders versus co-founding teams, the importance of solving real problems in differentiated ways, and how investors can better recognize value where others aren’t looking. Whether you're a corporate innovator, founder, or investor, this episode offers a fresh lens on how to uncover hidden opportunities and why the best investments are often the ones others overlook.