Katie Palencsar

Founder & CEO

2025

Founder

2025

Material Ventures Group is a new-concept ventures platform founded to advise, operate, and build companies. We operate a high-touch business concierge and talent platform, matching founders and executives with proven fractional operators and advisors to help solve their most critical work-life challenges. https://www.thisismaterial.com/

Co-Founder

2024

Leveraging my company building and incubation background with the team, Generation Guest moves multi-millions in travel volume handling all things travel for 150+ clients including executives, corporate accounts, VC/PE, tech companies, PR firms, entertainment tours, production companies, celebrities, HNW and many more.

Investor

2019

Select investments include Addition Wealth, Fifth Dimension AI, Nivelo, Clutch, iWarranty and Fertility Mapper (VC portfolio); Une Femme, New York Atlantic Padel Franchise and more. (Personal)

Partner

2019 - 2024

Partner at fintech global venture capital firm. In addition, I served as Head of Venture Studio and led the Female Innovators Lab Fund, investing in early-stage female founders in fintech. Since launching the fund at the end of 2019, led its global expansion and AUM growth with backing by Barclays, Aviva, Visa and BMO, investing across North America, UK and Europe, making it the largest fund focused on female founders in fintech.

Founder

2018 - 2019

Upon leaving acquiring company, provided consulting, advisory and advocacy for entrepreneurs, early stage and growth stage companies. Served as senior advisor and partner to early stage sports tech firm by consulting on due diligence for numerous third party investments and new business build outs for retired sports professional athletes. Best practices in working with start-ups and disruptive models for larger companies. Specific projects included: product integrations, product & go-to-market strategy, patents & trademarks, hiring plans, due diligence, financing structures & preparation, investment thesis & initiatives, advisory & board formations, new revenue streams, M&A. Speaking & panel engagements.

Chief Solutions Strategist, Executive Team

2017 - 2018

*Certica Solutions was acquired by Instructure. In 2024, Instructure was acquired by KKR.* Certica Solutions provided compliance and accountability solutions for the education ecosystem. The company’s data certification software enables agencies to maximize funding, optimize regulatory reporting, and ensure compliance with education policies and mandates. The platform continued to grow to include assessment management system, assessment content, and data analytics into one streamlined learning experience. Upon acquisition of Unbound Concepts, joined as executive team member focusing on product and go to market strategies, building out Solutioning and integrating technologies for Certica's PaaS (Platform as a Service) offerings including AB Connect, Academic Benchmarks data repository of over 4 million standards. As an exec deal team member, completed two additional acquisitions before Instructure acquired Certica Solutions in 2020.

CEO & Founder

2012 - 2017

*Unbound Concepts was acquired by Certica Solutions in June 2017.* Founded and led Unbound Concepts from ideation to acquisition. The company’s data services were used by global distributors as well as privately owned & publicly traded publishers and provided free software tools to over 40,000+ educators. Led capitalization, product offerings and go to market. B2C web & mobile app offerings with B2B monetization. Built innovative model in teacher community as contractors and earned 80% market share in API usage in library market. First leveling mobile app to be brought to market.

Center for Talented Youth; Instructor, Curriculum Development

2010 - 2012

Educator

2008 - 2010