Helios, a technology company developing the first AI-native operating system for public policy professionals, has raised $4 million in seed funding, led by Unusual Ventures and supported by Founders Inc., Alumni Ventures, and strategic angel investors. The company is gaining traction in the U.S. market, which exceeds $10 billion in annual software and lobbying spending.
Proxi, Helios’s platform, is designed for public policy, regulatory affairs, legal, compliance, and government teams. It replaces disparate tools used to navigate legislative changes and manage public-private relationships, enabling faster and more strategic decision-making.Key features of Proxi include:
- Instant answers and strategic recommendations based on live legislative and regulatory activity.
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Drafting of memos, filings, and policy documents with integrated editing and collaboration.
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Parsing of long-form bills and reports into structured insights and risk alerts.
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Centralized access to policy and regulatory data for historical context.
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Tracking of government relationships and stakeholder engagement in a secure workspace.
The founding team—comprising Joe Scheidler (CEO), Joseph Farsakh (President), and Brandon Smith (CTO)—brings extensive experience from the White House, the State Department, Microsoft, and other notable organizations. Over 100 public policy professionals from Fortune 500 companies, regulatory bodies, consultancies, and lobbying firms have joined Helios’s growing waitlist.
How the funding will be used: The new funding will accelerate product development, team expansion, and go-to-market efforts.
KEY QUOTES:
“Policy, compliance, and regulatory affairs professionals shouldn’t be stuck playing defense – constantly reacting to changes they didn’t see coming. We built Proxi to change that. In a world where one missed signal can cost millions or derail strategy, Proxi gives public policy and compliance intelligence teams the clarity, speed, and leverage to shape outcomes instead of getting blindsided by them.”
Joe Scheidler, CEO & Co-Founder
“We are excited to back the talented founding team at Helios as they leverage AI to reshape how policy professionals drive critical strategy and growth within their organizations. As regulations continue to evolve rapidly and grow increasingly complex, modern tools that enable enterprises not only to stay informed, but also to respond swiftly and strategically, are more essential than ever.”
Lars Albright, General Partner at Unusual Ventures
