The Holiday Issue: Generosity, Community, and the Ecosystem That Lifts Us

As the year winds down and inboxes slow (just a little), this week’s issue is about something we don’t talk about enough in venture: the quiet acts of generosity that make this ecosystem actually work.

Behind every breakout company or career milestone is a network of people who opened doors, shared advice, made introductions, or simply believed early. As we head into the holidays, we wanted to pause and spotlight the founders, funds, and communities showing up for others — often without headlines or press releases.

🤍 Small Acts of Generosity That Matter in Venture

Not every contribution shows up on a cap table. Some of the most meaningful ways people gave back this year looked like:

• Taking a 20-minute call with someone breaking into VC

• Reviewing a pitch deck late at night before a big meeting

• Making an introduction with no expectation of return

• Sharing lessons learned — especially the hard ones

• Creating spaces where women and underrepresented builders feel seen and supported

These moments compound. They shape careers, companies, and communities far more than we often realize.

👩‍💼 Founder Giving Back

Reshma Saujani — Founder of Girls Who Code

Reshma Saujani has spent her career proving that building companies and building communities don’t have to be separate pursuits. Through Girls Who Code, she’s helped millions of young women gain access to technical education, mentorship, and opportunity — directly reshaping the future talent pipeline for tech and venture.

Why it matters:
In a year obsessed with speed and scale, Reshma’s work is a reminder that long-term impact comes from investing in people early. Her model of founder-led generosity shows how success can be leveraged to lift the next generation, not just the next round.

🎁 Holiday Sectors VCs Pay Attention To

The holidays are not just busy for consumers, they are revealing for investors. Seasonal shifts create real usage spikes that help founders and VCs understand what actually resonates.

A few sectors tend to stand out this time of year:

💻️ E commerce and marketplaces - Holiday gifting drives discovery, stress tests logistics, and highlights platforms that make buying easier and more personal.

🧳 Travel and experience tech - From flights to experiences over things, the holidays show how people prioritize spending and what feels worth paying for.

🥙 Food, beverage, and hospitality - Hosting, gifting, and gathering fuel demand for meal kits, specialty brands, and tools that make life simpler.

🧘‍♀️ Mental health and wellness - The season brings both joy and pressure. Increased engagement here reflects a growing need for support beyond the holidays.

👩‍🎤 Entertainment and digital communities - When people are home, they turn to digital spaces. Engagement during this time reveals which communities truly stick.

For students and early career VC

When talking about sector interest in interviews or coffee chats, connecting consumer behavior to real world moments like the holidays shows commercial intuition. Investors love when you can explain why now, not just what.

💸 Fund Highlight: Backing More Than Returns

The Helm

The Helm is a venture firm and platform dedicated to investing in women-led companies and expanding access to capital for female founders. Beyond writing checks, the fund provides mentorship, programming, and community support — helping founders grow sustainably, not just quickly.

Why we love it:
The Helm treats capital as a tool, not the end goal. Their approach reinforces a powerful idea: venture can be both high-performing and values-driven, especially when the people making investment decisions reflect the diversity of the founders they back.

👷‍♀️ Opportunities

Fellowships

• 2LVC Venture Fellowship Spring 2026 - Apply Here

• Full Time @ Resilience VC 2026 Venture Fellow (Washington DC) - Apply Here

Full Time

• Venture Capital Associate @ Long Journey - Apply Here

• Chief of Staff @ First Round Capital - Apply Here

🪴 Community Highlight: Girls Into VC at UCLA

Girls Into VC at UCLA is a cornerstone of our community — the first-ever GIVC chapter, paving the way for university chapters across the country.

Led by Co-Presidents Rajasvi Singh and Saumya Mahajan, the chapter is building a strong, supportive space for women exploring venture capital, finance, and entrepreneurship. The focus spans VC education, professional development, and community-building within UCLA’s startup ecosystem.

In the year ahead, the chapter is expanding mentorship, increasing hands-on learning through pitch simulations and deal analysis, and continuing to foster an inclusive, close-knit community (including their signature small-group “fams”).

✨ End-of-Year Gratitude

As we close out 2025, we’re grateful for:

• The mentors who made time

• The founders who shared their stories honestly

• The students and early-career professionals who showed courage in asking for more

• The partners and supporters who believe in making VC more accessible

• This community — curious, ambitious, and deeply supportive

Thank you for being part of Girls Into VC. Whether you joined a program, shared an opportunity, mentored someone, or simply showed up — your presence matters.

We’re excited for what’s ahead and deeply thankful for what we’ve built together.

Warmly,
The Girls Into VC Team 💗