Catalytic Capital

Tracey Turner has spent three decades proving that the best answer to poverty is often a business. She started at Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, founded MicroPlace, one of the first online platforms that let everyday Americans invest in microfinance (later acquired by eBay), and founded Copia, which turned 52,000 small shopkeepers across Kenya into e-commerce entrepreneurs and hubs for their communities simultaneously increasing their financial earnings 2-3x. 

Today she is early to an exciting new way to use philanthropy. She invests a meaningful share of hers in early-stage companies in East Africa, in the cause she cares about most: lifting people out of poverty. When those investments return capital, it goes back into her charitable account to be invested again, multiplying the impact of every dollar she gives.

This conversation is a field guide for anyone with a donor-advised fund, a foundation or an annual giving budget who wants their money to do more. Tracey takes us to a roadside shop in rural Kenya where a woman named Teresia doubled her income and sent her kids to school, and to a hillside near Mombasa where six women farmers may become the country's first coastal cocoa growers. She explains what she looks for in a founder, why she goes to see every business in person, and why the fact that less than 1% of global venture capital reaches Africa is the opportunity, not the obstacle.

In this episode:

• Why Tracey thinks of her philanthropy as capital, and how the returns get recycled into the next investment

• The criteria she uses to back an entrepreneur

• What she learns on the ground that never shows up in a pitch deck

• How a DAF can fund for-profit social enterprises, and what to check in the fine print

If you give generously and have ever wondered whether your philanthropy could work harder, this is the episode to start with.

Companies mentioned: 10X Nutrition, Nuru Solutions, Copia, MicroPlace. Learn more and see current investment opportunities at catacap.org. CataCap - Explore InvestmentsIf this conversation inspired you, share it with a friend who gives, and follow Catalytic Capital so you don't miss the next one.

What happens when technology helps human creativity thrive instead of replacing it?

In this episode of Catalytic Capital, host Ken Kurtzig speaks with Roberto Milk, co-founder and CEO of NOVICA and Handmade.com, about his 25-year journey building a global marketplace that connects artisans directly with customers.

Roberto shares how an unexpected conversation in a Stanford Portuguese class inspired NOVICA, how the company pioneered online artisan commerce before Etsy existed, and how it has delivered more than $144 million to artisans worldwide. He and Ken also explore NOVICA’s impact on women, families and local economies; the importance of preserving cultural traditions; and how Handmade.com plans to use AI to help millions of artisans reach global customers while protecting the authenticity of human-made products.

NOVICA has already raised more than $100,000 from 15 donor-investors through CataCap. Learn more about NOVICA, its impact and the opportunity to support its next chapter:

https://catacap.org/investments/novica

Follow Catalytic Capital for more conversations with entrepreneurs using business and investment capital to address some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

What if seaweed could help replace petroleum-based plastics, restore ocean ecosystems, and transform everyday consumer products?

In this episode of Catalytic Capital, host Ken Kurtzig speaks with Katie Weiler, founder and CEO of Viable Gear, and Justin MacNaughton, co-founder of 4Kelp Skincare.

Katie shares how Viable Gear is turning seaweed into SeaTwine—a marine-degradable, compostable alternative to plastic twine used in agriculture and aquaculture. Justin explains how 4Kelp is developing clean, kelp-powered skincare in plastic-free, home-compostable packaging while supporting kelp restoration and ocean advocacy.

They discuss the science behind seaweed-based materials, the challenge of competing with inexpensive conventional products, the journey from an ambitious idea to a market-ready product, and why patient, mission-aligned capital is essential for building a more regenerative economy.

Learn more and invest through CataCap:

Viable Gear: https://catacap.org/investments/ViableGear

4Kelp Skincare: https://catacap.org/investments/4kelpskincare

CataCap enables individuals to use philanthropic capital—including donor-advised funds, foundations, and tax-deductible donations—to support innovative, impact-driven ventures. Learn more at https://catacap.org.

In this episode of Catalytic Capital, host Ken Kurtzig dives into the transformative world of women-led ventures with Lily Kanter and Beth Stelluto, co-founders of the groundbreaking Empower Her initiative on the CataCap platform. Together, they explore the unique challenges women face in raising capital, the game-changing mission of Empower Her, and the vision to fund and support female founders through mission-aligned and patient capital.

Learn from Lily, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Serena & Lily, as she shares candid insights into the highs and hurdles of fundraising as a female founder. Hear from Beth, an impact investing expert, on how Empower Her curates opportunities for donors and investors to make meaningful, lasting change.

Whether you're an investor, philanthropist, or simply passionate about supporting women entrepreneurs, this episode offers inspiration, actionable insights, and a closer look at how Empower Her is reshaping the future of gender equity in business. Don't miss this powerful conversation and be sure to check out the Empower Her site at Empower Her!