Latest news with #Helios
Business of Fashion
2 days ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
Ty Haney Is Back at the Helm of Outdoor Voices
Ty Haney is officially back at Outdoor Voices, which announced its relaunch on Monday morning alongside a refresh to its branding, logo and product offering. Haney, who exited the activewear brand amid clashes with other executives and allegations of mismanagement, will hold the title of 'founder, partner and co-owner,' according to the company, which was acquired by private equity firm Consortium Brand Partners in 2024. 'It's very full circle,' Haney told The Business of Fashion in a Zoom interview, appearing from a Spartan office in Boulder, Colorado. Haney wore a black zip-up hoodie bedazzled with Outdoor Voices' original tagline of 'Doing Things' written in glittering cursive, a limited-edition item and part of the first post-rebrand drop. If one garment captures the feeling of Outdoor Voices' latest refresh, its a cropped hoodie with the brand's tagline 'Doing Things' paved in diamanté. 'We've pushed the product forward, to feel more bold, evolved and sexy in a way,' Haney said. 'Really, the intent is to reactivate the kind of OG OV lovers, but also introduce this philosophy of doing things and freeing fitness from performance to a younger audience.' The first collection, shoppable from August 5 on Outdoor Voices' website, also includes aprés-sweat pieces like the striped Sun Shirt button-down, a short set in the 'OG OV fan-favourite' geometric Helios print, as well as performance separates such as wrap skirts and tube tops in what Haney calls 'iPod colours.' The new Outdoor Voices will also be available to shop on Haney's web3 community platform, Try Your Best. The relaunch strategy, conceived by Haney over the past year, relies on a very careful calibration of new and old; a new logo, designed with the agency Little Plain, that favours script fonts over the former OV's sans-serif, and new styles that broaden the brand's identity beyond activewear to include a lifestyle and lounge offering. To better access the DNA of what made OV successful in the first place, Haney also reassembled key members of her original team including longtime creative director Tiffany Wilkinson, designer Jessica Guzman and general manager Mariel O'Brien. The team will be primarily based in New York; Haney splits her time between Boulder and San Francisco, where TYB is based. Haney will oversee 'product, brand and creative,' according to the company announcement. She will also be the face and voice of the brand to its community of shoppers as well as in the press. Other new members of the company's C-suite have not yet been named; the brand does not currently have a CEO. Much of Outdoor Voices' first drop contains performance separates, like bike shorts and tube tops, cast in what Haney calls 'iPod colours.' (Outdoor Voices) Once touted as the future of activewear, Outdoor Voices soared in the DTC era before falling hard amid leadership turmoil and financial missteps. Haney established Outdoor Voices in 2013, scaling the business to a peak valuation of $110 million by 2018. Then came a downswing as the company struggled to narrow losses. In 2020, OV received a lifeline funding round at a remarkably diminished $40 million valuation. At that time, Haney stepped down as CEO but retained some creative duties and a minority stake in the business. The new board appointed Urban Outfitters alumnus Gabrielle Conforti as CEO in 2021, but the company's nadir was yet to come. It filed for bankruptcy in 2023, abruptly closing its web of 16 stores and marooning most of its employees without severance. 'Bringing a company like that into the world, and then obsessing every second around how it came to life for eight years ... it took some time to detach,' Haney said. 'I'm grateful to it all.' She said she hopes the brand's new look and feel will reflect her own growth: Haney gave birth to her first child in 2019, months before stepping down as OV's CEO, and has since launched two additional ventures including Joggy energy drinks and TYB, which Haney says will remain her main focus. (In June, she announced she'd raised an $11 million round of Series A funding for TYB.) A few months before Consortium Brand Partners announced its acquisition of Outdoor Voices in June 2024, its founder Cory Baker reached out to Haney. 'I found that quite kind,' she said. 'He had put no pressure on to even consider re-engaging, but teased the thought.' After months of meetings, she officially returned to her brand in August 2024. Her comeback was all but officially announced earlier this month, when Outdoor Voices' Instagram page was wiped of its posts and all of its following, save Haney's personal account. 'When I started OV, the vision was to build the number one recreation brand,' Haney said. 'That lane still feels wide open.' Learn more: Outdoor Voices' Founder Raises Series A for New Start-Up Ty Haney's rewards platform Try Your Best, which counts Rare Beauty and Glossier as clients, raised an $11 million Series A as brands rev up their community building strategies.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
NBA Africa-Backer Helios Plans to Boost Investment in Sports
Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-focused private equity firm, said it is planning to boost investment in sports and entertainment to capitalize on surging demand from the continent's youth using mobile phones to watch games and concerts. Africa, where 40% of the population is under 15, is ripe for investment, according to Tope Lawani, the founder and managing partner of Helios. The PE firm established the Helios Sports & Entertainment Group in 2021, which invested in the National Basketball Association Inc. Africa.
Otago Daily Times
18-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Solar farm proposals on different tracks
Two major solar energy developments in Otago are taking very different paths, one opting for a government fast-track route, the other choosing the traditional resource consent process amid significant public scrutiny. Black Point Solar Farm, proposed by Black Point Solar Ltd, is among 149 projects included under the Fast-track Approvals Act, passed into law in December. The company plans to build the solar farm on a 240ha sheep and deer property about 5km from Duntroon in North Otago. If approved, the farm would consist of 380,000 solar panels — enough to power about 38,000 homes. "As part of the project, sheep or other compatible farming will continue under and around the solar panels, maintaining the productive potential of the site," the application reads. Construction would begin once consent and financing were secured, completion being expected within two years. Initial discussions have been held with Network Waitaki, Transpower, the Waitaki District Council, local MP Miles Anderson and neighbouring property owners. However, an Environment Protection Authority Fast-track spokesperson said yesterday Black Point Solar Farm had not yet lodged a substantive fast-track application. No timeline has been set for lodging the full application. Meanwhile, further inland in Central Otago, Helios Energy is pursuing a 660ha solar farm in the Maniototo between Naseby and Ranfurly. Helios announced the project in October 2023 but chose to forgo the fast-track option in favour of the conventional consent process. A Central Otago District Council hearing is scheduled for August 19-21 in Ranfurly. The original proposal included a 300MW installation with 550,810 solar panels aligned in sun-tracking rows and a battery energy-storage system (BESS). However, in May, Helios dropped the battery component following community concerns about fire risks and insufficient information about suppression systems. Construction is now delayed until at least 2029. Community response has been mixed. Of the 179 submissions received, 23 were in favour and 12 were neutral. The remaining 144 opposed the development, with concerns ranging from fire safety and noise pollution to glint and glare from the panels. At a public meeting in Ranfurly last December, former Delta employee and whistleblower Richard Healey spoke about risks associated with utility-scale solar projects. Fire was a major concern due to the gases given off if the panels ignited. Retreat would be difficult and a possible fire would put stock at risk. Nearby residents also voiced worries over construction impacts. The plan requires driving 10,000 metal stakes 2m into the ground, a process locals fear could generate disruptive noise and vibrations.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Helios (HLIO) Stock Is Trading Lower Today
Shares of motion control and electronic systems manufacturer Helios Technologies (NYSE:HLIO) fell 4.5% in the afternoon session after the stock gave back some of its recent gains, likely as investors engaged in profit-taking following a strong rally over the past several weeks. The motion and electronic controls technology company did not release any specific negative news to account for the drop. However, the stock had experienced a significant run-up since late June, and such pullbacks can occur as traders lock in profits. While there were no fresh catalysts, investors may also be weighing previously highlighted risks. The company has noted potential headwinds from an estimated $15 million in tariffs during the second half of 2025 and faces continued softness in its agricultural and industrial end markets. The morning's decline could reflect a combination of technical selling and ongoing investor caution regarding these known challenges. The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks. Is now the time to buy Helios? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. Helios's shares are quite volatile and have had 16 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today's move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. Helios is down 22.6% since the beginning of the year, and at $34.32 per share, it is trading 39% below its 52-week high of $56.28 from November 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Helios's shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $972.79. Here at StockStory, we certainly understand the potential of thematic investing. Diverse winners from Microsoft (MSFT) to Alphabet (GOOG), Coca-Cola (KO) to Monster Beverage (MNST) could all have been identified as promising growth stories with a megatrend driving the growth. So, in that spirit, we've identified a relatively under-the-radar profitable growth stock benefiting from the rise of AI, available to you FREE via this link.
Miami Herald
12-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Helios Secures $4M Seed Round to Build First AI-Native Operating System for Public Policy Professionals
Agentic AI platform built for government interaction gives policy and legal teams leverage to move faster, stay ahead of the compliance curve, and outmaneuver red tape. NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / July 11, 2025 / Helios, a technology company building the first AI-native operating system for public policy professionals, today announced that it has raised $4 million in seed funding led by Unusual Ventures, with participation from Founders Inc., Alumni Ventures and a select group of strategic angel investors. The company is gaining early traction in a U.S. market with $10B+ in annual software & lobbying spend. It is working to reshape how private entities and government agencies navigate policy and regulatory challenges, with billions already under management by early adopters. "Policy, compliance, and regulatory affairs professionals shouldn't be stuck playing defense - constantly reacting to changes they didn't see coming," said Joe Scheidler, CEO & Co-Founder. "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." Proxi is the first AI-native OS purpose-built for public policy, regulatory affairs, legal, compliance, and government teams. It replaces the patchwork of tools these professionals rely on to navigate legislative change, manage public-private relationships, and respond to shifting regulatory demands. Whether in the private sector or across federal, state, and local governments - Proxi enables faster, more strategic decision-making in environments where the cost of delay or misalignment is measured in lost contract opportunities, failed policy, or reputational risk. The consequences aren't just regulatory-they're existential. The Proxi platform: (i) delivers instant answers and strategic recommendations based on live federal and subnational legislative and regulatory activity, (ii) drafts memos, filings, and policy documents with built-in editing and team collaboration, (iii) parses long-form bills, reports, and filings into structured insights and risk alerts, (iv) centralizes all relevant policy and regulatory data for team-wide access and historical context, and (v) tracks government relationships, meeting notes, and stakeholder engagement-all in a secure, AI-powered workspace. By integrating these core functions in a single secure system, Proxi replaces manual, fragmented processes with the speed, foresight, and precision modern institutions demand. Helios's founding team - Joe Scheidler (CEO), Joseph Farsakh (President), and Brandon Smith (CTO) - brings together experience from the White House, State Department, Microsoft, USAID, Datadog, and King & Spalding, bridging deep public sector insight with world-class technical execution. "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," said Lars Albright, General Partner at Unusual Ventures. "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." More than 100 public policy professionals, including Fortune 500 companies; federal, state, and local regulatory bodies; consultancies; and top lobbying firms have joined Helios' rapidly growing waitlist. The funding will accelerate product development, team expansion, and go-to-market efforts. To learn more, visit ABOUT HELIOS: Helios is building the first AI-native operating system for government interaction, empowering public policy, legal, and compliance professionals with end-to-end automation, secure AI agents, and precision tooling. Headquartered in New York City with a presence in Washington, D.C. and California, Helios is on a mission to modernize how institutions engage with government at every level. Learn more at MEDIA CONTACT: Nina Pfister, MAG PR at nina@ ### SOURCE: Helios
