Olivia is Global Head of Teachers' Venture Growth (TVG). Olivia has led TVG since it was formed in 2019 and was previously a Managing Director in OTPP's Infrastructure team. She began her career as a project engineer.

Alison has been investing in consumer brands for nearly a decade. Prior to Able, Alison was a General Partner & Managing Director at CircleUp Growth Partners where she led investments in early stage consumer brands. Before CircleUp, Alison was a Vice President at TSG Consumer where she invested in consumer and retail brands and worked closely with the e-commerce investments in their portfolio. She spent a year as an operator on the executive team of Backcountry.com, one of the TSG portfolio companies. Prior to TSG, Alison worked in investment banking at J.P. Morgan in the Consumer & Retail Group. Alison has served on the Board of Directors of Kosas Cosmetics, Nutpods and Mented Cosmetics. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University and lives in San Francisco with her husband.

A high-tech executive and serial entrepreneur who has been founding, leading and growing innovative companies for more than 25 years. Kim Folsom is the founder of Founders First Community Development Corporation (fka. LIFT Development Enterprises, Inc, small business growth accelerator, and founder and CEO of Founders First Capital Partners, the largest minority and women owned direct investor of revenue-based funding and advisory support, as well as FUUUSE.CMNTY.com the first online community for fueling underserved small business expansion. Our mission to is to fund and growth and advocate for diverse founder led, underserved, revenue-generating employer-based micro small businesses ($50K to $5M), secure funding and achieve exponential growth. As a social entrepreneur, Ms. Folsom is dedicated to leveraging the power of market forces and sound business practices to address disparities in revenue and job growth among businesses led by underrepresented founders. She has raised more than $30 million in institutional venture financing, and has founded or served as a key executive for multiple successful ventures, including showUhow (acquired by Sellpoints), DriveCam (now Lytx) and Seminarsource. Before devoting her energies to entrepreneurship, Ms. Folsom was an executive at National Dispatch Center, Luce Forward, Alltel Systematics and Great American First.

Melissa Stevens is the executive director of the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy, leading its work with individual and family philanthropists and foundations seeking to deploy their capital to make a transformative, sustainable impact. Since co-founding the Center in 2015, she has overseen the creation and execution of strategies which have influenced $1 billion in philanthropic capital, and managed the development of programs and organizations including the Melanoma Research Alliance, the largest private funder of melanoma research.

Exploring Innovative Funding Structures for Affordable Housing: Insights from Liz Kuka

Welcome back to the Female VC Lab Podcast! In our latest episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Liz Kuka, CEO of Purpose for Profit. Liz shared her unique perspective on venture capital, affordable housing, and the innovative funding structures her organization is pioneering.

Who is Liz Kuka?

• Name: Elizabeth Kuka
• Title: CEO
• Fund: Purpose for Profit

The Motivation Behind Venture Capital

When asked what inspired her to become a venture capitalist, Liz succinctly stated, “Money makes the world go round.” She believes in deploying capital to projects that can create real change, empowering people to bring their visions to life.

Purpose for Profit: A New Approach to Funding

What is Purpose for Profit?

Purpose for Profit operates as a tokenized lending fund, focusing on providing below-market-rate loans to businesses that are developing affordable mixed-income housing. Here’s how it works:

• Funding Mechanism: Individuals can purchase tokens, with 85% of the funds raised being deployed to loans for affordable housing projects.
• Types of Loans: The fund starts with construction bridge loans, addressing a significant gap in the market where traditional lending often falls short.

Transparency and Accessibility

Liz emphasized the importance of transparency in fund management. By leveraging blockchain technology, Purpose for Profit aims to provide:

• Real-Time Reporting: Unlike traditional funds that may take months to generate reports, stakeholders can access real-time data on asset management and loan progress.
• Simplified Investment: Instead of navigating complex legal documents, participants can engage through a straightforward token purchase backed by smart contracts.

Addressing Challenges in Affordable Housing

Liz pointed out that many nonprofits struggle with fundraising and face donor burnout. She highlighted the potential of cryptocurrency, which currently exceeds $3 trillion in market capitalization, to create new funding streams for affordable housing initiatives.

Why Focus on Affordable Housing?

Liz believes that safe and affordable housing is a crucial determinant of economic stability and educational outcomes. She noted that:

• Housing Impacts Life: Without a safe place to live, individuals face significant barriers to education and health, affecting their overall quality of life.
• Philanthropic Support: While many philanthropic efforts focus on education, Liz advocates for equal attention to housing as a foundational element of community well-being.

The Future of Venture Capital

Looking ahead, Liz predicts that venture capital will evolve significantly in the next two years. Key trends to watch include:

• Rise of Digital Assets: As younger investors become increasingly involved, the use of digital assets will lead to faster capital deployment and liquidity.
• Need for Education: With new money entering the market, there will be a heightened need for education on due diligence and risk management to ensure informed investment decisions.

How to Connect with Liz Kuka

Interested in learning more about Purpose for Profit or connecting with Liz? Here are the best ways to reach out:

• Website: Purpose for Profit
• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: Find Liz on LinkedIn for professional networking.
• Twitter: Follow her on Twitter at @venture_this.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us in this insightful conversation with Liz Kuka on the Female VC Lab Podcast. Her innovative approach to funding affordable housing through Purpose for Profit is a testament to the power of combining technology with social impact. Stay tuned for more episodes where we continue to explore the intersection of venture capital and meaningful change!