I’m such a pedant. The definition you give covers a catalyst but also a covers reagents that act as accelerants. The unique property of a catalyst is that it is not itself changed by the reaction. It’s a tough job to apply this human affairs and doing so possibly misses something import i.e. that things are changed through their involvement with stuff like creativity. This is particularly the case with technology which is often seen as a neutral actor but in fact has a much more active role in shaping and being shaped by events – as science and technology studies shows us. So the hunt is probably for Accelerants and also for the changes that are brought about in them through their contact with, say, creative people. So what aids online creativity – well: IP, access to technology, open source, closed source. Given the circumstances just about anything can aid the creative process, give me a stick and some dirt, that can help sometimes. Actually, if I could work out the key thing that creative people need right now, I’d go make it and make a bunch of money out of it :)