Kristi Candela
Founder and CEO at BeeCene
🚀 ABOUT: As the founder of BeeCene, I bring 15+ years of experience in financial services—leading strategy, design, and product development for some of the industry's largest players, including Capital One and JPMorgan Chase. At PIMCO, I worked in institutional marketing, developing deep expertise in fixed-income markets and investment products. I've led cross-functional teams of strategists, designers, and engineers to build customer-first financial experiences, from early pay and savings features to developer platforms and call center tools used by tens of thousands. Through it all, I’ve seen firsthand how financial systems aren't designed to help people get ahead—especially women. I'm now focused on breaking down barriers in private market investing. Through BeeCene's accessible platform, I'm mobilizing women investors to channel capital into women-led businesses—driving financial returns and lasting social impact by putting more economic power in the hands of women founders.
💪 MOTIVATION: After years in the finance industry, I realized how much of it wasn't built for women—whether as investors or entrepreneurs. Even being in the industry, I spent most of my career believing that, for me, investing meant maxing out my 401k and hoping for the best, only to discover that there were more effective and impactful ways to grow wealth. At the same time, I saw how hard it was for women-owned businesses to access funding, even when they were profitable and poised for growth. The numbers tell the story: only 1 in 5 SBA loans go to women, despite consistently delivering higher revenue per dollar invested. Traditional finance wasn't solving these problems, so I built BeeCene to do it differently—by making private market investing simple, automatic, and aligned with the things women care about most.
🎁 GIVE: As someone with extensive financial services experience and a founder focused on women's economic empowerment, I can contribute to The Fourth Effect community in the following ways:
- Provide feedback and best practices on user experience
- Share my journey from traditional finance to founding BeeCene
- Provide insight into the transition from corporate roles to startup founder
- Facilitate introductions between women investors and promising investment opportunities
🙏 GET: Access to strategic board members - particularly those with investment and/or underwriting expertise and
- Connect with investors who align with my mission
- Build relationships with other founders who might become strategic partners
- Access a network of potential customers and users for BeeCene
- Access guidance on navigating regulatory requirements in fintech
🔥 FUN FACT: I was second in national gymnastics when I was 12. These days I'm more focused on helping women stick the landing in their investment journeys, but I still remember what it feels like to nail that perfect dismount.
📰 NEWS: Yes! BeeCene just announced a pilot. Between March and May, we will be funding 3 women-owned businesses with microloans to support their growth.This pilot is our first step in proving that investors can drive meaningful capital into women-led businesses while earning predictable returns. By starting with microloans, we’re testing our investment model, refining our platform, and demonstrating the power of community-driven funding.
📣 PRESS: I was accepted into the Nasdaq Milestone Circles program.
💡 TIPS & TRICKS: While I do not have a formal board in place yet, I have been regularly meeting with advisors who I've met along my professional journey—these are people who share my values, understand my skill set and blind spots, and who are invested in me personally. This has been really helpful to have a safe space to share my thoughts and get feedback that has been incredibly beneficial to refining my business.
🌈 DREAM INTRO WISH: Not a specific person, but I'd love to get an intro to someone who is an expert in private credit loans and/or underwriting. This is a critical piece to my business in terms of building credibility and a successful business model.
Bonus intro: Elizabeth Gore from Hello Alice - My goal is to eventually have BeeCene featured on Hello Alice as a partner in their Small Business Financing Marketplace or Microlenders section.