Material Ventures by Katie Palencsar
Hi, I'm katie.
For years, I've been working, formally and informally, with some of the most talented people in the industry, and I’ve learned one thing: the best people don’t want to work for you full time.
Our lives are fast-moving, complex, and constantly changing. In any given week, I might need a wealth manager, a designer, a parenting coach, an M&A advisor, and a fractional CMO. And when I need them, I want to know I’m working with the best people – and I don’t want to wait.
That’s the idea behind my new talent platform, Material. This isn’t just a network. It’s a business concierge for modern leaders. I’m sourcing off-market talent to build ad hoc, zero-onboarding dream teams for every executive in every industry.
Because today, founders and operators need execution. They need specialists who can solve hard problems quickly and well. That kind of talent isn’t sitting on job boards or waiting for a pitch. They’re in motion, and often invisible to traditional search.
Execution, expertise, and problem-solving have defined my journey. As a founder, VC, and operator, I know what it takes to move from idea to execution. Known for my business creativity and ability to spot connections others might not yet see, I’ve always been drawn to what’s next – anticipating trends before they take shape.
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck, needing a right-now intervention from someone who’s done it before, you’re not alone.
Welcome to Material. Let’s get to work.
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Earlier, I founded and sold the data SaaS company Unbound Concepts. Our technology served major global publishers and provided free software to 40,000+ educators. We were acquired by Certica Solutions, which was later acquired by Instructure, (formerly NYSE: INST).
Today, I manage Material Ventures Group where we advise, operate and build companies. My portfolio includes Material (business concierge firm), Generation Guest Group (a global hospitality and travel management company moving multi-millions in travel and hotel volume with a speciality in corporate and entertainment/production) and G3 (an AI-powered platform that automates back-end workflows for the hospitality industry, while preserving white-glove service).
I’ve served on boards across venture, technology, and education, supporting leadership teams with clarity, direction, and growth. I’m a USPTO patent holder for Performing Dynamic Textual Complexity Using Machine Learning AI, an advisor across venture and tech, and was named one of American Banker’s Most Influential Women in Fintech and 99u and GE Innovators of the Year Award. My work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal.
NYC-based. Arts obsessed. Always building something.
IN THE MEDIA
Speaking
Awards
Select Investments
VC Investments
Personal Investments
Launched
Incubation
