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Matt Hudson became CFO of Grammarly – the popular writing assistant tool – after the company acquired Coda (a productivity tool)- of which he was a founding member. Now as CFO at Grammarly he is overseeing rapid change at the company which has over 40 million daily active users and $700m in revenue (and a 50 person finance team). Finance is helping pioneer a company vision of AI redefining every business application and workflow, “reinventing productivity”. To this end, in May 2025, Grammarly raised $1 billion in non-dilutive financing from General Catalyst to fund sales and marketing costs and strategic acquisitions. Since then, Grammarly acquired email startup Superhuman (July 2025). You sense more is coming. In this episode Grammarly $1billion non-diluted growth investment explained Being a founding member of Coda (acquired by Grammarly) How my product expertise plugs into finance Joining YouTube when it was around $140million in revenue to $3billion by the time I left ( $36 billion today) Will CFOs see an explosion of costs because of AI FP&A set up at Grammarly and biggest KPIs Bonding over a love of Chili's
In this episode, we speak with Marc Freed-Finnegan, Co-Founder and CEO of Chalk, a data platform that powers machine learning and generative AI with real-time, Python-native infrastructure for developers and data teams. Chalk recently raised a $50 million Series A round at a $500 million valuation. The round was led by Felicis, with participation from Triatomic Capital, General Catalyst, Unusual Ventures, and Xfund. The funding will accelerate Chalk's efforts to scale its Rust-based feature engine and support a growing number of enterprise AI teams building real-time systems. I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode click to follow.
Katherine Boyle is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and cofounder of its American Dynamism practice, investing in sectors such as defense, aerospace, manufacturing, and infrastructure. She serves on the boards of Apex Space and Hadrian Automation, and is a board observer for Saronic Technologies and Castelion. Previously, she was a partner at General Catalyst, where she co-led the seed practice and backed companies like Anduril Industries and Vannevar Labs. She was also a reporter at The Washington Post. Katherine holds a BA from Georgetown, an MBA from Stanford, and a Master's from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She sits on the boards of The Free Press and the Mercatus Center. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://americanfinancing.net/srs NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://tryarmra.com/srs https://betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://meetfabric.com/shawn https://shawnlikesgold.com https://hillsdale.edu/srs https://masachips.com/srs – USE CODE SRS https://paladinpower.com/srs – USE CODE SRS https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://rocketmoney.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://trueclassic.com/srs https://USCCA.com/srs https://blackbuffalo.com Katherine Boyle Links: Website - https://a16z.com/author/katherine-boyle X - https://x.com/KTmBoyle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
If you work in tech, you're likely in one of two camps: thinking about using AI agents, or already deploying tens of them.That's why Emma Burrows cofounded Portia AI, a platform which helps businesses build and use AI agents securely, in-house — and which secured £4.4m in a seed round led by General Catalyst back in April.Emma's no stranger to a breakneck sector: before founding Portia, she was UK chief technology officer at payments giant Stripe, and previously built out the ecommerce stack at Charlotte Tilbury.In this week's episode of the Sifted podcast, Emma joins editor Amy Lewin to talk about what AI agents can and cannot do, the very real risks they pose to junior engineering jobs — and why she doesn't feel ‘mum guilt'.Key moments:0.00: Intro and about Portia AI3.00: How companies are using AI agents9.00: Impact of AI agents on junior engineers15.07: What AI Emma uses to code16.00: Transition from Stripe to founding a company19.15: Being a female founder in AI22.40: On 996 and hustle culture24.30: Emma's angel investing25.40: General Catalyst relationship27.30: The AI Act33.00: Quick fire questions and outro
Twenty Minute VC: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- Philipp Freise is Co-Head of European Private Equity at KKR, where he manages the largest private fund in Europe with $8BN in the latest fund. Philip has led KKR's investments in FGS Global, Superstruct, Axel Springer SE, BMG Rights Management, Fotolia, GetYourGuide, GfK SE, Leonine, Mediawan SAS, Scout24 Switzerland and Trainline. Previously, Philip worked at McKinsey & Company in and co-founded Berlin-based VC firm Venturepark, Europe's first pan-European incubator. Agenda: 00:00 – "We Lost $500M in Turkey. Here's Why We'll Never Do It Again." 01:40 – Inside Europe's Biggest PE Fund: $8B of Pure Firepower 03:55 – The $100M Dot-Com Failure That Changed My Career 06:45 – Why Picking the Wrong VC Will Destroy Your Company 10:20 – KKR's $500M COVID Gamble: Genius or Insane? 12:35 – Why We Ignored the Market & Deployed 40% of Our Fund 15:55 – KKR's Ruthless Portfolio Discipline: Love Doesn't Matter 17:10 – Do Power Laws Apply in PE? Freise Destroys the Myth 18:45 – The Truth About Capital Intensity in the Age of AI 20:10 – Can AI Kill the PE Model? Here's What Philipp Says 26:00 – The Secret to Great Investment Decisions at KKR 32:40 – Why There's a $3T Liquidity Time Bomb in Venture 34:25 – The Death of IPOs? How KKR Exits Without Going Public 40:05 – Will KKR Europe Hit $20B? Freise's Bold Prediction 43:45 – Helsing, Space, and Defense: The New Age of DeepTech Bets 45:30 – Tariffs, China, and the Future of the German Car Empire 47:00 – Freise vs. Bitcoin: Will USD Still Rule in 10 Years? 48:15 – 4 Global Shocks Happening Right Now That You Need to Know 51:30 – KKR Missed Spotify AND Alibaba?! The Painful Stories 53:00 – Do Andreessen & General Catalyst Scare KKR? Freise Responds 54:30 – The One Metric That Will Define KKR's Next Decade
Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.Today's conversation dives into the current state of private markets through the lens of one of the leading GP stakes firms in the industry.We sat down with Partner and Global Co-Head of the Petershill Group at Goldman Sachs Robert Hamilton Kelly. Petershill takes minority equity stakes in established and newly-established alternative asset managers. Across its different investment vehicles, Petershill participates in the fee income from over 200 underlying funds from alternative asset management firms that are diversified across asset class, investment strategy, and investment lifecycle.Petershill's Partner firms have well in excess of $340B in aggregate AUM and they've partnered with a number of the top firms and some of the industry's most recognizable names in the middle market and upper end of the market, including Clearlake, Francisco Partners, Permira, Accel-KKR, General Catalyst, Kayne Anderson Real Estate, Kennedy Lewis, and more.Rob and I had a fascinating conversation on GP stakes and the evolution of alternative asset management. We discussed:The what, why, and how of GP stakes.The benefits and drawbacks of GP stakes investing for GPs and LPs.What makes a great GP.The question of liquidity in GP stakes.Why Petershill has generally focused on middle-market alternative asset managers.How private markets will continue to evolve and the growing importance of the wealth channel in the evolution of asset management.Thanks Rob for coming on the show to share your wisdom and expertise in private markets and GP stakes. We hope you enjoy.A word from AGM podcast sponsor, Ultimus Fund SolutionsThis episode of Alt Goes Mainstream is brought to you by Ultimus Fund Solutions, a leading full-service fund administrator for asset managers in private and public markets. As private markets continue to move into the mainstream, the industry requires infrastructure solutions that help funds and investors keep pace. In an increasingly sophisticated financial marketplace, investment managers must navigate a growing array of challenges: elaborate fund structures, specialized strategies, evolving compliance requirements, a growing need for sophisticated reporting, and intensifying demands for transparency.To assist with these challenging opportunities, more and more fund sponsors and asset managers are turning to Ultimus, a leading service provider that blends high tech and high touch in unique and customized fund administration and middle office solutions for a diverse and growing universe of over 450 clients and 1,800 funds, representing $500 billion assets under administration, all handled by a team of over 1,000 professionals. Ultimus offers a wide range of capabilities across registered funds, private funds and public plans, as well as outsourced middle office services. Delivering operational excellence, Ultimus helps firms manage the ever-changing regulatory environment while meeting the needs of their institutional and retail investors. Ultimus provides comprehensive operational support and fund governance services to help managers successfully launch retail alternative products.Visit www.ultimusfundsolutions.com to learn more about Ultimus' technology enhanced services and solutions or contact Ultimus Executive Vice President of Business Development Gary Harris on email at gharris@ultimusfundsolutions.com.We thank Ultimus for their support of alts going mainstream.Show Notes00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message01:18 Podcast Opening and Theme02:06 Guest Introduction: Robert Hamilton Kelly03:32 Rob's Boat Racing Experience03:45 Parallels Between Boat Racing and Private Markets04:57 Current State of Private Markets05:14 Impact of Policy Changes on Private Markets06:53 Growth of the Private Markets Industry07:09 Early Days of Petershill07:26 Goldman's Role in Alternative Asset Management09:26 Valuing GP Stakes and Alternative Asset Managers10:01 Insights on Alternative Asset Managers12:36 Valuing GP Stakes13:22 Data-Driven Investment Strategies15:34 Management Fees and Performance Fees16:28 Growth and Evolution of Firms23:16 Strategic Imperatives for Growth26:15 Managerial Skills and Industry Dynamics30:55 Commercialization in Platform Management31:07 Challenges and Opportunities in Capital Raising31:53 Industry Consolidation Predictions32:29 Growth and Consolidation in Private Markets33:31 The Role of Mid-Market Firms34:15 GP Stakes and Wealth Channel Access36:12 Goldman's Unique Platform and Services37:57 The Importance of Strategic Advice39:39 Common Challenges for GPs40:33 Evolving LP and GP Stakes Dynamics40:44 Why LPs Invest in GP Stakes42:00 Income Generation and Capital Growth42:49 Diversification in GP Stakes43:05 Private Markets Exposure44:01 Entry Points into Private Markets45:07 Long-Term Exposure and Portfolio Construction47:00 Investing in Private Credit48:10 Evaluating GP Stakes Investments49:38 Data and Performance in GP Stakes52:04 Growth Path of Private Markets52:23 Valuing Alternative Asset Managers55:41 Liquidity in GP Stakes57:09 Structural Changes in GP Stakes57:35 The Evolution of Private Markets58:11 Future of Venture and Growth Sectors58:56 Private Credit Products and Market Share59:29 Maturation of Private Markets59:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Rob Gerberry, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Summa Health, speaks with Angela Brandt, Chief Administrative Officer, ProMedica Health System, and Daryl Tol, Transformation Leader, General Catalyst, about how health care organizations can navigate the continuing transformation of U.S. health care. They discuss some of the headwinds facing the health care industry and issues related to provider partnerships, artificial intelligence, payer mix, consolidation and integration, and the role lawyers can play in health care transformation.Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BamLo2_vZe0Essential Legal Updates, Now in Audio AHLA's popular Health Law Daily email newsletter is now a daily podcast, exclusively for AHLA Premium members. Get all your health law news from the major media outlets on this podcast! To subscribe and add this private podcast feed to your podcast app, go to americanhealthlaw.org/dailypodcast. Stay At the Forefront of Health Legal Education Learn more about AHLA and the educational resources available to the health law community at https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/.
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Philipp Freise is Co-Head of European Private Equity at KKR, where he manages the largest private fund in Europe with $8BN in the latest fund. Philip has led KKR's investments in FGS Global, Superstruct, Axel Springer SE, BMG Rights Management, Fotolia, GetYourGuide, GfK SE, Leonine, Mediawan SAS, Scout24 Switzerland and Trainline. Previously, Philip worked at McKinsey & Company in and co-founded Berlin-based VC firm Venturepark, Europe's first pan-European incubator. Agenda: 00:00 – "We Lost $500M in Turkey. Here's Why We'll Never Do It Again." 01:40 – Inside Europe's Biggest PE Fund: $8B of Pure Firepower 03:55 – The $100M Dot-Com Failure That Changed My Career 06:45 – Why Picking the Wrong VC Will Destroy Your Company 10:20 – KKR's $500M COVID Gamble: Genius or Insane? 12:35 – Why We Ignored the Market & Deployed 40% of Our Fund 15:55 – KKR's Ruthless Portfolio Discipline: Love Doesn't Matter 17:10 – Do Power Laws Apply in PE? Freise Destroys the Myth 18:45 – The Truth About Capital Intensity in the Age of AI 20:10 – Can AI Kill the PE Model? Here's What Philipp Says 26:00 – The Secret to Great Investment Decisions at KKR 32:40 – Why There's a $3T Liquidity Time Bomb in Venture 34:25 – The Death of IPOs? How KKR Exits Without Going Public 40:05 – Will KKR Europe Hit $20B? Freise's Bold Prediction 43:45 – Helsing, Space, and Defense: The New Age of DeepTech Bets 45:30 – Tariffs, China, and the Future of the German Car Empire 47:00 – Freise vs. Bitcoin: Will USD Still Rule in 10 Years? 48:15 – 4 Global Shocks Happening Right Now That You Need to Know 51:30 – KKR Missed Spotify AND Alibaba?! The Painful Stories 53:00 – Do Andreessen & General Catalyst Scare KKR? Freise Responds 54:30 – The One Metric That Will Define KKR's Next Decade
Episode 387 of The VentureFizz Podcast features John Voith, CEO & Co-Founder of InStride Health. A common theme for John that you'll hear throughout the interview is how he has always followed his head and heart. It's a philosophy, where you can build something meaningful for the world that fulfills your interests yet has a mission to help people. Healthcare is certainly an industry where one can have an impact and what's interesting is that he has never wavered. As you'll learn, John's interest in healthcare began as a child and it has followed through his career and entrepreneurial journey. InStride Health provides specialty outpatient care for pediatric anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and related presentations. The company is venture backed with $56M in funding raised by General Catalyst, .406 Ventures, Valtruis, Mass General Brigham Ventures, and Hopelab Foundation. In this episode of our podcast, we cover lots of great topics like: * John's background story and how medical illness in his family influenced his future in the healthcare industry. * Seeing rapid growth of his career at athenahealth where he became one of four General Managers in the company. * The founding story of Virtudent, a venture backed company that provides preventive dental care and care coordination through teledentistry services, on-site services and virtual support. * All the details about InStride Health and how he met his Co-Founders Drs. Mona Potter and Kathryn Boger, plus all the details on their unique and effective approach to treatment. * Lessons learned as a CEO and advice for healthcare entrepreneurs. * And so much more.
Indian drone startup Raphe mPhibr has raised $100 million in an all-equity Series B round led by General Catalyst, as the startup aims to boost its R&D and local production capabilities amid growing demand for drones in battlefields and for border surveillance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Remember Grammarly? Of course you do. The briefly ubiquitous piece of software that made sure you were using your possessive apostrophes correctly. Well, guess what? They just received $1 billion in nondilutive investment from General Catalyst to become an all-in-one AI platform? Sounds like bullshit? Well, probably. But it's a business model we'll be seeing more of. We chat through the rise of zombie AI platforms, before digressing into a chat about Perplexity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
AI rollups are gaining attention as venture capital and private equity firms buy established businesses and overhaul them with AI. Recent deals from General Catalyst, Thrive, and others show both enthusiasm and debate about whether these strategies deliver long-term value or risk becoming a bubble.Get Ad Free AI Daily Brief: https://patreon.com/AIDailyBriefBrought to you by:KPMG – Go to https://kpmg.com/ai to learn more about how KPMG can help you drive value with our AI solutions.Blitzy.com - Go to https://blitzy.com/ to build enterprise software in days, not months AGNTCY - The AGNTCY is an open-source collective dedicated to building the Internet of Agents, enabling AI agents to communicate and collaborate seamlessly across frameworks. Join a community of engineers focused on high-quality multi-agent software and support the initiative at agntcy.org - https://agntcy.org/?utm_campaign=fy25q4_agntcy_amer_paid-media_agntcy-aidailybrief_podcast&utm_channel=podcast&utm_source=podcast Vanta - Simplify compliance - https://vanta.com/nlwPlumb - The automation platform for AI experts and consultants https://useplumb.com/The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to https://besuper.ai/ to request your company's agent readiness score.The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Subscribe to the newsletter: https://aidailybrief.beehiiv.com/Join our Discord: https://bit.ly/aibreakdownInterested in sponsoring the show? nlw@breakdown.network
What if having more fun was the key to being a better founder?Seriously. Not just to feel good, but to actually unlock better decisions, more creativity, and a business that's built to last.In this episode, I sit down with Freddie, founder of POP and one of the most insightful coaches I know. We talk about something that doesn't get spoken about enough in founder circles: how to reconnect with yourself as you scale. Not in a fluffy way. But in a practical, energising, real kind of way.Together, we unpack:• The internal work that often gets left behind. • The difference between grinding through growth and actually enjoying the ride. • Why so many founders feel guilty for wanting things to be fun• Practical advise on how to make your scaling journey more enjoyableIf you're feeling stretched, stuck, or like you're starting to lose the spark you had at the beginning… give it a watch!About Freddie:Freddie has always been fascinated by what makes people tick. She started out in anthropology, then spent years headhunting top-tier venture investors, meeting 1000s of people across the tech ecosystem. That curiosity led her into coaching, where she's trained with some of the world's leading thinkers in psychology, philosophy, breathwork, and leadership development. Through her practice, POP, she now works with ambitious founders and investors—helping them scale their impact without losing themselves in the process. Her clients include 100+ VC-backed founders, from early-stage to unicorns, backed by funds like Sequoia, General Catalyst, Lightspeed, Atomico, and Northzone.More from James: Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com
In this episode, we speak with Marc Bhargava, Managing Director at General Catalyst, an investment and transformation firm partnering with entrepreneurs to build global resiliency and applied AI. Founded in 2000, General Catalyst has $36B in assets under management and recently raised an additional $8B to accelerate investments in early-stage ventures, company creation, and ecosystem transformations. With a focus on innovation, GC is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs navigate the next frontier of technology and industry evolution. Marc leads GC's Creation strategy, focusing on incubations, transformations, and venture buyouts. He also invests early in both crypto and fintech and contributes to GC's expanding AI initiatives. Marc's core areas of interest include AI-driven rollups in services and software businesses, fintech innovation in bookkeeping, accounting, and insurance, and early-stage crypto incubation. Marc supports UNICEF. To learn more about this organization click here. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.
Today's show: Jason and Alex discuss the hottest tech and startup news: Grammarly secures a massive $1B investment from General Catalyst to fuel its AI ambitions and expand into deeper enterprise offerings; a DARPA-backed brain-computer interface startup emerges as a serious Neuralink rival, signaling renewed momentum in the neurotech space; and The New York Times signs a licensing deal with Amazon, suggesting that traditional media may be starting to find common ground with large language models.Timestamps:(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:26) Jason's take on Singapore's regional cuisine(5:50) Why founders should get permission first and more lessons from Udio, Suno, and Spotify(10:07) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(15:54) The New York Times and Amazon signed a landmark AI deal: what's in it?(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(25:36) Why is Grammarly worth so much money?(30:14) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twist(39:15) How does Autopilot make money?(43:03) So how long until we all have a computer in our brain?(54:43) How much does revenue predictability really matter?(59:26) Laurene Powell Jobs and Jony Ive go FULL DOOMER(1:03:35) Perplexity, Samsung, and the rest...Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.comCheck out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcpLinks from episode:Udio: https://www.udio.com/Jason's Stolen Voice: https://x.com/Jason/status/1928995534276088151Autopilot: https://www.joinautopilot.com/Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelmFollow Jason:X: https://twitter.com/JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanisThank you to our partners:(10:07) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist(20:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST(30:14) Notion - Try it for free today at https://notion.com/twistGreat TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarlandCheck out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanisFollow TWiST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartupsSubstack: https://twistartups.substack.comSubscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
In April 2025, startup funding decreased as major investors reduced their activity. Andreessen Horowitz led with 13 deals, including a $200 million Series B for Base Power and over $100 million for residential real estate startup Flow, co-founded by Adam Neumann. Khosla Ventures followed with 10 deals, notably investing in a $104 million round for biotech firm Science and substantial funding for Cyberhaven and Mainspring Energy. General Catalyst participated in 9 deals, marking a slowdown from the previous months. BoxGroup and Index Ventures each completed 8 deals, while Ocampo Capital led 7. Greenoaks Capital Partners coordinated the largest rounds, including a $2 billion investment in Safe Superintelligence. Y Combinator remained the most active incubator, funding 22 startups. The analysis includes U.S.-based investors and excludes variable incubator or accelerator activities.Learn more on this news visit us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today on the Giant Ideas podcast we are joined by Katherine Boyle, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. In 2022 Katherine unveiled her thesis - ‘Building American Dynamism' - which has both inspired the tech landscape and provided a central philosophical plank of Trump's America. American Dynamism is defined as “embodying the spirit of innovation, progress, and resilience that drives the United States forward”. Putting her money where her mouth is, Katherine Boyle co-founded Andreessen Horowitz's American Dynamism fund, investing in companies supporting the American national interest across aerospace, defence, manufacturing, energy, and critical infrastructure. She has backed the wildly successful defence tech startup Anduril, Elon Musk's SpaceX and many more. Katherine is one of America's most powerful investors. She previously led seed investing at another top firm, General Catalyst. She's also a big advocate of free speech: she started her career as a reporter on the Washington Post and is now on the board of The Free Press.Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc.Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING. Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.
Welcome to the latest episode of Lunch with Shelley with our special guest Teresa Carlson. Teresa is the founding President of the General Catalyst Institute, where she leverages her decades of leadership experience as a visionary industry builder. She also serves as an international advisor and board member for General Catalyst and is a veteran executive of several large tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Splunk and Flex port. Not surprisingly she's been referenced often as one of the most influential women in technology! Teresa is a fellow Café Milano aficionado - so join us at our corner table for a delicious conversation about fascinating career stories, good business practices, the arc of technologies over the past few decades, and really interesting personal insights at www.lunchwithshelley.com or wherever you get your favorite podcast and in the meantime Peace, Love and Lunch!
In this episode of The Speed of Culture, Matt Britton speaks with Arielle Gross Samuels, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at General Catalyst. They explore how VC firms are rebranding for the AI era, why applied AI is reshaping industries, and what founders—and marketers—need to know about agility, brand, and building what's next.Follow Suzy on Twitter: @AskSuzyBizArielle Gross Samuels on LinkedInSubscribe to The Speed of Culture on your favorite podcast platform.And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at suzy@suzy.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Filip Kaliszan is the Founder & CEO of Verkada, the physical security company.Verkada started in 2016 by building the best camera for physical security teams, and has since evolved into a full suite of security products for buildings. Filip takes us inside Verkada's rapid growth to almost a billion in annual revenue, over 2,000 employees, and raising capital from investors like Sequoia, Meritech, First Round, General Catalyst, and Next47.We get into how AI and LLMs are changing hardware, the power of customer therapy, how Filip iterated on early startup ideas, inside Verkada's very difficult first funding round, how signing their first big customers changed the trajectory of the business, and how to think about adding new products over time.We also talk through Verkada's commitment to in-person work in the summer of 2020, how you should evaluate joining a startup as an employee, Verkada's “software zero” employee bonus policy, and building a rooftop bar for the office.Thanks to Numeral for supporting this episode, the end-to-end platform for sales tax and compliance. Try it here: https://bit.ly/NumeralThePeelTimestamps:(4:20) Verkada, the physical security technology company + Demo!(11:02) Building software powered hardware(12:56) LLM opportunities in cameras(15:49) Filip's lifelong fascination with photography(17:57) Taking one year to come up with the idea for Verkada(22:27) Building his own home security system to learn the $16B market(27:14) Why hardware experimentation is cheaper and easier than you'd think(30:36) The importance of customer therapy(32:37) How to get your first customers, importance of quick time to demo(35:06) Why early fundraising was so hard(40:38) Verkada's first big customer(42:23) How to decide what startup to join(45:45) The opportunity in “smart building tech”(50:34) How to launch new product lines(58:07) Re-architecting the security industry to be software-native(1:02:31) How hiring and managing a team changes as you scale(1:08:55) Why each team at Verkada has its own recruiters(1:14:00) Adding senior leaders to the team as you scale(1:17:06) Evolving from introverted engineer to CEO of multi-thousand person company(1:21:59) Verkada's cool office and focus on in-person work during COVID(1:28:12) Building a rooftop bar on the office(1:32:20) Verkada's Software Zero employee bonus program with 40x ROI(1:36:00) How Filip thinks about IPO vs staying privateReferencedVerkada: https://www.verkada.com/Open roles at Verkada: https://www.verkada.com/careers/Follow FilipLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliszan/Follow TurnerTwitter: https://twitter.com/TurnerNovakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turnernovakSubscribe to my newsletter to get every episode + the transcript in your inbox every week: https://www.thespl.it/
While Rippling and Deel duke it out in the field and in the courtroom alleging illegal sales and marketing tactics, here's another way to boost business growth: pick up a massive sum of cash to expand your operations in those areas. Factorial, the Barcelona-based “unicorn” startup that provides an all-in-one HR platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Would you leave a stable, high-paying job at Google to build something that competes with NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD? That's exactly what Tim Davis, co-founder and president of Modular, did. Since then, his company has raised $130M to reimagine AI compute infrastructure — but are AI startups really desperate for a new compute layer? And what's it like to build a startup when your biggest competitors are trillion-dollar giants? In this episode of Fund/Build/Scale, Tim shares his vision for the future of AI compute, why talent is the real key to success, and some of the tough lessons he's learned from three startups. RUNTIME 46:27 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (1:26) “We are building a new accelerated execution platform for compute.” (6:41) “ It will exist all over the place and it already does, but AI will be everywhere that compute is.” (11:18) “ You only you only have so much time in a week. What is the thing that you're best at?” (15:13) “ We have decided to start from the hardest part of the software stack.” (22:44) “For the most talented people in the world, the risk is actually not as great as what you think.” (30:24) “ Growing up in Australia, my view of the of the United States was very much driven from the media and from Hollywood.” (33:26) “ I sat in a room for six weeks and just met everyone that I could. And that really was the beginning of a journey to the United States.” (37:48) “ I still think there's a special place in the Bay Area, and in the United States, there is a different risk appetite.” (40:41) The one question Tim would have to ask the CEO before he'd take a job at someone else's early-stage startup. LINKS Tim Davis, co-founder, president timdavis.com Chris Lattner, co-founder, CEO Modular AI startup Modular raises $100 mln in General Catalyst-led funding, 8/24/2023, Reuters SUBSCRIBE
Episode 373 of The VentureFizz Podcast features Jeff Bussgang, General Partner at Flybridge. Jeff has accomplished so much throughout his career. I'm sure lots of people probably know him best as a Venture Capitalist and Professor at Harvard Business School. But... you might not know the details about his startup career prior to Flybridge which I was really excited to dig into because he played a key role at two incredibly successful companies in the Boston tech scene. The first being OpenMarket, which pretty much invented eCommerce with its shopping cart technology that was licensed by companies like Amazon when they were just getting started. The company went public at a billion dollar valuation back in 1996 which was a very big deal. The second company is Upromise, where he was a Co-Founder along with Michael Bronner, who was also the Founder of Digitas and really helped establish the world of direct & loyalty marketing and David Fialkow, who you might also recognize as one of the founders of General Catalyst. Upromise allowed consumers, including myself, to save for their kids' college education through a loyalty rewards program. The company was very successful and it was later acquired by Sallie Mae. In addition to being an entrepreneur, investor, and professor, Jeff is also an author of three books and his latest book is called The Experimentation Machine - Finding Product-Market Fit in the Age of AI. Plus we talk about his Dad (Julian Bussgang), a scientist and entrepreneur who developed the Bussgang Theorem, Jeff educational background in AI, Flybridge's history of investments in AI, Hack.Diversity and so much more! Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:05 Jeff's New Book - The Experimentation Engine 04:47 Jeff's Background and Early Influences 08:47 The Story of OpenMarket & Shopping Cart Tech 17:21 The Creation of Upromise 25:06 Transition to Venture Capital & Flybridge 26:37 Flybridge's History & Focus on AI 32:50 Flybridge's Investment Process 34:13 Advice on Go-to-Market Strategy 35:36 Getting Pitched by Curt Schilling 38:03 Teaching at Harvard Business School 39:48 Career Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 42:22 Must-Have Versus Nice-to-Have Products 44:00 Hack.Diversity 46:46 The Boston Tech Ecosystem & AI 52:55 Recommendations - Apps & Podcasts Episode Sponsor: As a longtime champion of the local startup ecosystem, Silicon Valley Bank supports innovative companies with the solutions and financing they need through every stage of growth. With more than 1,500 bankers and relationship advisors, and $42B in loans as of Q2 2024 – SVB delivers the right people, service and resources to support your entire financial journey. Learn more at SVB.com.
Decision Options ® by Gill Eapen: Sam Faycurry is the co-founder and CEO of Fay Inc: a vertical AI platform providing services to dietitians, covered by insurance. They've raised $75M to date from General Catalyst, Forerunner, and most recently Goldman Sachs. Please subscribe to this channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/ScientificSense?sub_confirmation=1
Katherine Boyle is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and cofounder of the firm's American Dynamism practice, which invests in companies supporting the national interest across aerospace, defense, manufacturing, energy, logistics, and critical infrastructure. She sits on the boards of Apex Space and Hadrian Automation and is a board observer for Saronic Technologies and Castelion.She was previously a partner at General Catalyst, where she co-led the firm's seed practice and invested in the inception rounds of defense technology companies including Anduril Industries and Vannevar Labs. Prior to General Catalyst, she was a general assignment reporter at The Washington Post. Katherine holds a BA in Government from Georgetown University, an MBA from Stanford and a Masters of Public Advocacy from the National University of Ireland, Galway.Katherine believes that free speech is essential to promoting American Dynamism. She is a proud champion of new media companies and academic centers that promote free speech and free thought. She serves on the boards of The Free Press and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.0:00 - Intro4:48 - The Decline in Public Service7:47 - Making Government Cool Again10:07 - Silicon Valley's Aversion to National Security13:15 - Positive Sum vs Zero Sum Cultures16:27 - China, Authoritarianism, and Doing Hard Things19:27 - What Makes America Special?23:03 - Silicon Valley and the “Real Economy”26:28 - Investing in Mature Markets29:08 - Vanna White and The Wheel of Fortune30:27 - Journalism and Loneliness32:52 - Time and Suffering38:10 - Seriousness and Purpose41:11 - Is Culture Downstream of Technology?42:48 - Propaganda and Coolness as a Strategic Asset44:40 - Florida, Texas, and Regulatory Arbitrage47:51 - DC, Silicon Valley, and Florida50:20 - What Should More People Be Thinking About?
Join us on the latest episode, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!Our Guest: Danish Qureshi, Founder & CEO at Zarminali Health.What you'll get out of this episode:From Personal Challenge to Mission-Driven Innovation: Danish Qureshi's daughter's health struggles inspired him to create Zarminali Health.$40 Million Seed Funding: Led by General Catalyst, the investment validates the need for better pediatric care coordination.Technology-Driven Care Integration: Focuses on reducing provider burnout and improving patient experience.Nationwide Expansion Plans: Aiming for a 30-state presence in the next 3-5 years to revolutionize pediatric healthcare.To learn more about Zarminali Health:Website: https://zarminali.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zarminali/Our sponsors for this episode are:Sage Growth Partners https://www.sage-growth.com/Quantum Health https://www.quantum-health.com/Show and Host's Socials:Slice of HealthcareLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sliceofhealthcare/Jared S TaylorLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/WHAT IS SLICE OF HEALTHCARE?The go-to site for digital health executive/provider interviews, technology updates, and industry news. Listed to in 65+ countries.
Together AI raised $305 million in a funding round led by General Catalyst and Saudi Arabia's Prosperity7 Ventures, achieving a valuation of $3.3 billion, up from $1.25 billion after a previous funding round. Significant investors included Salesforce Ventures, Nvidia, Kleiner Perkins, and Coatue. Together AI reported annualized revenue exceeding $100 million, an increase from $30 million in February. Investments in AI startups showed strong momentum, with Anthropic securing $1 billion from Google in January, and over $42 billion invested in AI startups during the fourth quarter of the previous year, nearly double the prior quarter's investment.Learn more on this news visit us at: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In today's episode of the EUVC Podcast, Andreas talks with Juliet Bailin, Partner at General Catalyst, to explore the firm's expansion in Europe, investment philosophy, and unique approach to venture capital. General Catalyst, known for backing companies like Stripe, Samsara, Livongo, and Mistral, operates with a global mindset while maintaining a deep commitment to early-stage investing.Juliet, who focuses on infrastructure and applied AI, shares how her history background shapes her perspective on venture, why truth-seeking is fundamental to being a great investor, and how General Catalyst's collaborative culture enables them to operate as one unified firm across geographies. She also dives into the firm's recent rebrand and refreshed core values, including playing the long game, serving others, and shaping ambiguity.In the second part of the conversation, we tackle an honest discussion on why venture needs a self-awareness reset. Juliet calls out common bad investor behaviors, from ghosting founders to exploding term sheets, and explains why overvaluing companies for ego reasons ultimately hurts founders the most. She also shares how General Catalyst ensures transparency in decision-making and why long-term relationships—not just transactional networks—are key to success.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview
This series aims to demystify Medicaid, starting with insights from federal and state agencies, FQHCs, and managed care organizations, before exploring successful founders' strategies. Readour primers on the key players and innovations here, and stay tuned for upcoming posts featuring interviews with key opinion leaders, purchasers, and startup founders.Cityblock Health is a value-based healthcare provider focused on the complex clinical, behavioral health, and social needs of dually eligible and Medicaid recipients. Cityblock offers the only fully integrated and multi-modal solution that directly delivers clinical care to one of the most at-risk and hardest-to-reach populations. Powered by advanced technology that provides its care team with a data-driven understanding of member needs and risks, Cityblock has demonstrated industry-leading engagement, member retention, meaningful reductions in avoidable hospital readmissions, and reduced total cost of care.Founded in 2017, spun off by Sidewalk Labs, and based in New York, Cityblock has raised nearly $900M to date from investors such as SoftBank, Tiger Global, Maverick Ventures, General Catalyst, Thrive Capital and 8VC, among others. It is now valued at $5.7B. Cityblock currently serves more than 100,000 members, and partners with four national Medicaid health plans and several health systems in 15 cities across seven states.Mike's career has spanned both legal and healthcare leadership roles, starting as a commercial litigator before joining UnitedHealth Group as National Vice President of Medicaid Policy and Product. He went on to serve as CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, then as Chief Transformation Officer and President of Government Programs for Optum BH Solutions, and later as Chief Growth Officer and SVP of Growth and Product at UnitedHealth Community and State. In 2024, he joined Cityblock as President to help drive the company's next phase of growth.Mike holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, a JD from Notre Dame Law School, and attended an Executive Education Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business.In this episode, we learn about how health plans evaluate startups, the complexities of improving access for Medicaid and dual-eligible populations, and Cityblock's innovative approach to building trust and engagement.
In this episode of the Newcomer podcast, Eric Newcomer and Madeline Renbarger dig into all of the chaos in Washington led by Elon Musk and his team of young staffers. They push back on the attacks from the right at the press that revealing information about public employees is anything close to "doxxing," and unpack a16z's virtue signaling by hiring new right-wing cause celebrity Daniel Penny to its investing team. Later on, Eric breaks down the General Catalyst's a pitch to investors shapeshifting into a "company." They close with even more meme discourse, this time over Marc Andreessen's reading of the "heatmap" social study.Chapters00:00 DOGE's Young Staffers03:28 Is Naming Government Staffers “Doxxing”06:20 Daniel Penny's Hiring at A16z is Virtue Signaling09:16 Debating Marc Andreessen on the Heatmap12:22 Meta's AR Bets Not In Line With Venture Capital21:03 Unpacking General Catalyst's Pitch to Investors
Arum Lee Lansel, founder of ALL-in 4 Impact, shares her unique career journey from fashion design to international development, philanthropy, and venture capital. Driven by her immigrant family's experience and desire to create more equity, she has developed a deep understanding of how organizations can better support their employees. Her perspective bridges the worlds of venture capital and nonprofit sectors, highlighting the critical importance of investing in talent. Drawing from her experiences at the Packard Foundation, and at the venture capital firm General Catalyst, Arum discusses the key lessons that philanthropy can learn from venture capital, particularly the emphasis on investing in people as the primary driver of organizational success. She introduces her "Thrive" model, a practical framework for nonprofit leaders to systematically improve their workplace environment, which consists of three levels: stabilize (basic compliance), support (creating conditions for best work), and sustain (building a culture of innovation and well-being). In the episode, Arum argues that funders and nonprofit leaders must recognize that the success of their mission depends directly on the health, engagement, and development of their employees. By providing resources, creating supportive structures, and giving staff space to breathe and innovate, organizations can dramatically improve their impact and effectiveness. Key Takeaways: Nonprofit success is fundamentally tied to investing in and supporting staff, not just program outputs. The "Thrive" model provides a structured approach for nonprofits to progressively improve their workplace environment. Funders should view staff investment as a critical strategy for maximizing organizational impact, similar to venture capital's approach. Creating "space to breathe" for nonprofit workers is a form of equity and resource allocation that enables innovation and sustainability. Small nonprofits can start improving their workplace with affordable, targeted interventions, even without a full-time HR staff. Bio: Arum Lee Lansel is an accomplished leader with two decades of experience in the nonprofit, philanthropy, international development, and venture capital sectors. Arum's journey has taken her through vastly different work cultures and operating environments. Formerly she was Vice President of Learning & Development at General Catalyst, a leading venture capital firm with over $32 billion in assets under management. At GC she served as an HR leader where she led change management, shaped the culture, and designed employee development and performance management systems using a growth-mindset lens. She is certified in Employee Relations & Investigations and has led many trainings and facilitated tough conversations. Arum designed and spearheaded GC's first racial equity initiative and helped GC become a DEI leader within the VC industry. Arum led program operations at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. She worked with nonprofits across the globe to support their organizational effectiveness and designed capacity building strategies. She helped shape the organizational effectiveness team's theory of change and designed and led monitoring, evaluation, and learning strategies. Arum was also a core member of the initial funder collaborative of several large foundations working to combat the “nonprofit starvation cycle” and encourage funders to give unrestricted grants and pay for the real, indirect costs nonprofits incur to fulfill their mission. Resources: ALL-in 4 Impact Arum@allin4impact.com Arum Lansel on LinkedIn Buying vs Building Talent-value chain document in FTP Toolkit Jamaica Maxwell podcast episode You can find all the episodes of this podcast plus our blog, toolkit and other resources at fundthepeople.org. And we invite you to learn from all the amazing past guests of Fund the People - A Podcast with Rusty Stahl at fundthepeople.org/ftp_podcast.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Paradox, the conversational AI platform helping global employers like Chipotle, 7-Eleven, General Motors, Nestlè, and nearly 1,000 clients automate recruiting and hiring work, announced today the acquisition of people analytics platform Eqtble. https://hrtechfeed.com/paradox-acquires-people-analytics-platform-eqtble/ CareerArc announced the launch of HireSocial, a reimagined social recruiting platform.HireSocial replaces CareerArc Social Recruiting, offering two tailored subscriptions: HireSocial Enterprise and HireSocial Growth. https://hrtechfeed.com/careerarc-unveils-new-social-recruiting-platform/ Leading payroll and HR company Deel today announced that new anchor investors, including General Catalyst and a sovereign investor, have purchased close to $300 million in Deel secondaries from early investors in the company. These investments signal not only Deel's momentum, but also the long-term vision investors see in the company. https://hrtechfeed.com/deel-announces-new-anchor-investors-and-financial-milestone/ ERIN, the leading employee referral and internal mobility software platform, has announced the rollout of powerful new features designed to enhance data visibility, streamline reporting, and improve the user experience for talent acquisition teams. The update introduces Enterprise Dashboards, Custom Dashboards & Reports, Scheduled Reports, and a more seamless job referral experience. https://hrtechfeed.com/erin-adds-new-features/ Remember SquarePeg? They came onto the scene in 2022 with an all-in-one recruiting platform designed specifically for startups. Well,they have pivoted and gotten some funding …they've just announced a successful funding round. They've secured a hefty $3.5 million! https://hrtechfeed.com/candidate-evaluation-platform-lands-3-5m-in-seed-funding/
Jacob sits down with Hemant Taneja, the CEO & Managing Director of General Catalyst. GC is one of the world's largest venture capital firms, most recently raising an $8B fund in 2024. The firm has invested in companies like Livongo, Cityblock Health, and Hippocratic AI. They discuss the possibility of a $100B healthcare company, how buying a health system can accelerate partnerships, what will succeed in AI, and more. [0:00] Intro[0:54] Hemant's Healthcare Journey[2:25] A Vision for 2030[3:36] Transforming Healthcare Systems[6:03] The Role of AI and Technology in Healthcare[9:04] Incubation and Investment Strategies[13:43] Platform Focus in Health Tech[21:42] Exploring International Healthcare Opportunities[24:48] AI Transformations Across Industries[25:51] Innovative Financing in Venture Capital[34:41] The Future of AI and Venture Capital[38:18] Quickfire Out-Of-Pocket: https://www.outofpocket.health/
In this episode of The Brand Called You, Priya Mohan, partner at General Catalyst shares her fascinating journey from a disciplined childhood in Chennai to becoming a trailblazer in venture capital, co-creating impactful companies in India. Priya discusses her approach to nurturing innovative startups, the importance of diversity, and her deep connection to Bharatnatyam. 00:36- About Priya Mohan Priya is the partner at General Catalyst - India. She is a venture capital firm that partners with founders from seed through growth stages.
Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst discusses the firm's evolution from an artisanal business to an enduring venture platform, focusing on operational rigor, fund size, talent strategy, and investments in companies like Stripe and Snap, while emphasizing the importance of responsible innovation and long-term industry transformations. —
Today, Andreas talks with Paula Wehmeyer, Partner at General Catalyst, a global investment powerhouse that partners with the world's most ambitious entrepreneurs to drive resilience and applied AI.General Catalyst has $8B in new capital, with a track record spanning over 700 investments in transformative companies like Stripe, Airbnb, Anduril, and Helsing. Paula has an extensive background in investing across stages, from pre-seed to pre-IPO, and she has expertise in navigating the global venture landscape.Together, we'll explore how General Catalyst approaches cross-sector investments and what it takes to build resilience in the ever-evolving tech ecosystem. We'll also discuss how applied AI reshapes industries and the opportunities this presents for founders and investors.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview
All entrepreneurs should understand what venture debt is so they can make an informed decision to take it or not. Heidi poses a series of questions and scenarios to help founders know whether it's a good option for their company. And if it is, how to set it up and use it. More Information: https://www.threshold.vc/podcast/the-case-of-the-venture-debt-dilemma Further Reading: As I mentioned in the episode, General Catalyst has an interesting offering around a financing model for growth equity that is a hybrid of debt and equity: https://www.generalcatalyst.com/stories/the-unbundling-of-growth-equity Also, as mentioned, the next version of the SAFE has arrived in the form of a SAFERloan agreement, which allows for some repayment instead of conversion: https://www.liquiditygroup.com/resource-funding/what-is-the-safer-agreement Here's a solid primer on debt covenants:https://www.lightercapital.com/blog/what-are-debt-covenants-on-a-loan#:~:text=A%20debt%20covenant%20lays%20out,more%20specific%20and%20complex%20requirements Finally, one thing I didn't cover in the episode but is relevant to the decision-making about debt is that the lender may ask you to move all your banking business to their bank. And that can prove disastrous in situations like what happened to SVB. Here's a great piece on that danger: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wake-svbs-collapse-some-tech-founders-turn-against-venture-tanya-dua
Lemonade, founded in 2015, has harnessed AI to revolutionize insurance products and operations. CEO Daniel Schreiber joins host Ann Berry to share his vision for growing the business 10x. They dive into AI's role in expanding into auto insurance, the use of “synthetic agents” to drive cash flow with General Catalyst, and the psychology behind insurance fraud. $LMND 00:27 Lemonade's Business Model and Growth 00:51 Financial Performance and Market Challenges 02:18 Deep Dive into Auto Insurance 04:20 AI and Telematics in Car Insurance 07:29 AI in Customer Acquisition and Retention 11:33 Synthetic Agents and Financial Strategy 24:16 Philanthropy and Social Impact After Earnings is brought to you by Stakeholder Labs and Morning Brew. For more go to https://www.afterearnings.com Follow Us X: https://twitter.com/AfterEarnings TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@AfterEarnings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterearnings_/ Reach Out Email: afterearnings@morningbrew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Marty and his co-founders lived full-time in their office for several months. They worked on their startup 24/7. To come up with the idea, they messaged 120 potential customers every day for 3 months. Originally, when they pitched YC they were told their idea would never work. YC said they'd seen it several times and it was destined to fail. So in 2 weeks Marty landed a customer and built a product-- and YC let him in. He went on to raise a $3M seed round from General Catalyst in 6 days and later a $17M Series A from a16z in 14 days.We go deep into how to come up with massive ideas, how to get to product-market fit, and how to quickly fundraise from tier 1 VCs.Why you should listenWhy all 3 founders living in the office was the best decision they ever made. How to raise a seed round in 6 days and a Series A in 14-- all from tier 1 VCs. How to leverage LinkedIn to get exposure and lots of leads. How to get more mindshare from your employees.Why Pylon has almost no meetings.How to come up with an idea using both top-down and bottoms-up processes.Keywordsfounders, startup, customer support, Pylon, co-founders, omnichannel, B2B, venture capital, product market fit, entrepreneurship, startup, Y Combinator, fundraising, product development, market trends, customer support, AI integration, team dynamics, venture capital, entrepreneurshipTimestamps(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:35) Why he chose to sleep in the office(00:07:11) Project Management instead of People Management(00:11:24) How it all started(00:23:33) Cold Messaging Potential customers(00:28:02) Finding the Trend(00:35:49) Building V1(00:38:32) Getting into YC as ChatGPT Comes Out(00:42:37) Why fundraising is a "social game"(01:01:21) Raising Series A from A16Send me a message to let me know what you think!
In this episode of Building The Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula sit down with Teresa Carlson, founding president of General Catalyst Institute. Drawing from her extensive experience leading public sector teams at AWS and Microsoft, Carlson shares invaluable insights on building successful government-technology partnerships, the evolution of cloud adoption, and the current state of defense tech investment. She discusses her journey from Kentucky to becoming a pivotal figure in government technology transformation, while offering practical advice on everything from procurement strategies to maintaining work-life balance in male-dominated fields.Five Key Takeaways: 1. Building successful public sector teams requires prioritizing mission-oriented individuals who are deeply invested in government success rather than just sales performance.2. Successfully navigating government-technology partnerships demands a comprehensive strategy incorporating direct contracts, reseller networks, and strategic integrator alliances.3. Global startups continue gravitating toward the U.S. market due to its unmatched speed in technology adoption and more efficient procurement pathways.4. The emergence of applied AI as a transformative force in government operations promises end-to-end automation of complex processes without human intervention.5. Defense technology has witnessed a dramatic shift in venture capital interest, evolving from a niche market in 2010 to a highly sought-after investment sector today.
Summary In this conversation, Yong-Soo Chung shares his journey into entrepreneurship, discussing her early aspirations, the importance of building a strong team, and the evolution of his businesses. He emphasizes the significance of curiosity and adaptability in his career. He talks about the creation of a personal holding company. While there are challenges with managing remote teams, Yong-Soo shares his creative hiring process. More, he touches on his experience as a content creator and how he encourages people to start today. Takeaways I always knew that I was going to start a business. Finding good people is how you're going to scale. Clarity is kindness when it comes to working with our colleagues. Emotional intelligence is crucial in hiring decisions. Building an online brand requires patience and consistency. Perceived authority differs from actual authority in content creation. Resilience is key when building a network from scratch. Focus on personal values when navigating online spaces. Life's too short to stress over external validation. Chapters 00:00 The Journey to Entrepreneurship 07:47 Building a Business Framework 14:04 The Importance of Good People 20:12 Managing Remote Teams Effectively 25:55 Hiring and Assessing Talent 29:59 Innovative Interview Techniques 38:06 Building an Online Brand 49:00 Strategies for Content Creation 56:44 Resilience in Building Networks Connect with Yong-Soo Chung here https://x.com/YongSooChung https://www.linkedin.com/in/yongsoo/ About Sabrina Wang Hi! I'm Sabrina. I was born and raised in Chengdu, China. I moved to LA at 16 years old to attend USC with a scholarship. My mom ran a business called "Sabrina's Country Store" selling American groceries to expats in China. I've been involved in our business since elementary school - from mopping doors to training employees - which taught me invaluable lessons about entrepreneurship and people, two pillars of my current coaching career. Now, I run Evergrowth Coaching where I specialize in coaching CEOs of 8-9 figure revenue. My clients include CEOs and founders from top tech companies like Wayflyer, Synchron, Opswerks, Code States, Ownwell, Tribe, and RevenueCat. I also worked with investors from YC Continuity, General Catalyst, Left Lane Capital, and Innovation Endeavors. Before Evergrowth, I was the Head of Coaching at Mochary Method, created by CEO coach Matt Mochary who coached Sam Altman, Naval, and other leading CEOs. I have a strong background in GTM, product, and design, having worked at Headspace for Work on B2B SaaS products that reached over a million users. Today, I work with solopreneurs to unicorn founders - whoever is inspired by a big mission to make the world a better place with their gifts. We work together to cut through blocks and procrastination, so they can learn to lead and create from an effortlessly authentic place. Follow me on LinkedIn here: www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-ziqin-wang/
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Torsten Reil is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Helsing, a new type of defence company providing artificial intelligence to protect our democracies. Torsten has raised over $825M from the likes of Prima Materia, Elad Gil, Accel and General Catalyst. Previously Torsten founded NaturalMotion, one of the UK's most successful games and technology start-ups. Torsten was named as one of MIT's Top 100 Innovators and is a member of the Munich Security Conference Innovation Board. In Today's Episode with Torsten Reil We Discuss: 1. The World Around Us: China, Russia and Trump: What will happen between China and Taiwan? What will happen between Russia and Ukraine? How will a Trump administration impact the US' commitment to fund European defence? What conflict do people not pay enough attention to in the world today? 2. Are We Ready and What Needs to Be Done: Are the west ready to fight against our adversaries as we stand today? What do we need to do to equip ourselves? What needs to change in our defence budgets? Where do they need to go? How does the procurement process for defence need to change? 3. The Future of War: Why does Torsten believe the future of war is contactless? In the next wave of defence, what are the most important elements for allies to own? What elements concern Torsten the most? What role does AI and autonomous play in the future of war? 4. Is Europe F********: Why does Torsten believe that Europe's biggest problem is ambition not capital? Why does Torsten believ that we put too much weight on the location in which companies are founded? Why does it not matter? How does Torsten respond to the statement that we do not have the depth of experienced talent in Europe to recruit?
Send us a text[Original air date, October 10, 2023] Miguel Armaza sits down with Josh Reeves, CEO & Co-Founder of Gusto, one of the largest HR & Payroll companies in the US, focused on serving small and medium-sized businesses. In addition to HR, payroll, and benefits, Gusto is a strong player of embedded fintech solutions and in 2023 announced a very large partnership with JPM Chase.Founded in 2011, Gusto now serves over 300,000 businesses in the US and in 2022 Gusto had revenues of more than $500 million dollars. They are backed by General Catalyst, YC, Kleiner Perkins, Obvious Ventures, Felicis, Ribbit, CapitalG, Altimeter, and a very long list of fintech investors.We discuss:Finding Product-market fit in the highly complex SMB sector Becoming a strategic partner and building the people platform for small businessesLessons from building and launching Gusto's embedded fintech strategyHow Gusto built a structured and scalable hiring processInsights and learnings from the evolving role of CEO… and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp
The series, Fast Forward @ One Madison, brings together some of the world's most compelling innovators for intimate and provocative conversations on technology, culture, and leadership. In this episode, Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Content Officer at Mansueto Ventures, parent of Inc. and Fast Company, talks to Ken Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director of General Catalyst.
SummaryYour CXO host Jackie Kimmell discusses three significant developments in the healthcare sector that highlight innovative approaches to value-based care and investment. The first topic covers the surprising acquisition of Summa Health by General Catalyst, exploring the implications of this investment for healthcare systems. The second segment focuses on Longitude Health, a new collaborative initiative among several health systems aimed at driving innovation and efficiency in value-based care. Finally, Jackie delves into Risen Health, a consortium that aims to transform healthcare delivery through technology and shared resources, featuring insights from Chris Cornue on the motivations behind these partnerships.Welcome to the Health System CXO Podcast, sponsored by The Health Management Academy, featuring content designed for Health System Nurse Executives, Health Equity Officers and Strategy Executives provided by our company SME's - Anne Herleth, Jasmaine McClain, Ph.D. and Jackie Kimmell. Subscribe today and receive the latest insights from the country's leading Health System CXO experts regularly, helping you remain current and guide your health system strategy with thought leadership and success.The Health System CXO Podcast activates health system leaders towards outcomes and scalable solutions you can implement now.About The Health Management Academy:Since 1998, The Health Management Academy has cultivated the premier community of healthcare's most influential changemakers from the top U.S. health systems and innovative industry partners. We power more than 2,000 health system senior executives and 200 industry organizations through exceptional peer groups, original market insights, world-class leadership development programs and novel member alliances. Our industry-leading programs and solutions enable members to facilitate meaningful relationships, navigate strategic transformation and address critical industry issues. To learn more, visit hmacademy.com and follow The Health Management Academy on ...
General Catalyst's HATco signs a definitive agreement to purchase Akron, OH-based Summa Health. The Food and Drug Administration plans to remove a common—but ineffective—decongestant ingredient from the market. And, more young people are landing in the emergency department for consuming too much caffeine. We'll get that story—and more—coming up on today's episode of the Gist Healthcare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this insightful conversation, Amir Ben-Efraim takes us on a journey through his remarkable career in cybersecurity, from growing up in Silicon Valley to building and scaling two successful ventures—Altor Networks and Menlo Security. Menlo Security has attracted funding from top-tier investors like Vista Equity Partners, Neuberger Berman, General Catalyst, American Express Ventures, and Ericsson Ventures.
The Equity crew was live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024! Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Devin Coldewey and Margaux MacColl took over the Builders Stage to kick off day 2 of Disrupt with no shortage of conference highlights, startups deals and venture news to chew through.Listen to the full episode to hear about:Devin's plans to go to space thanks to his chat with Rocket Lab Founder Peter Beck.What Sierra, the AI startup co-founded by Bret Taylor, plans to do with its fresh $175 million funds.Waymo's who's who of Silicon Valley round, and why Kirsten's routing for the robotaxis over the competition.How General Catalyst is breaking down its latest fund and setting its sights on European startups.Equity will be back with a special interview episode on Friday, so stay tuned!Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes over at Simplecast. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.
Blake Rouse is the co-founder and CEO of Buster, an AI-powered analytics platform backed by investors like Y Combinator, General Catalyst, Kulveer Taggar, and more. Prior to Buster, Blake was hire #1 at DataSpark and led product development from MVP to 5,000 customers. Blake is originally from South Carolina. He studied Product Management and Computer Science at BYU for three years before dropping out to start Buster. If you want to learn more about Buster, check it out here - https://www.buster.so/ Want more content from Brandon? Check it out here - https://linktr.ee/getoveryourself_podcast?utm_source=linktree_profile_share
My guest today is Hemant Taneja. Hemant is the CEO and Managing Director of General Catalyst, the global venture capital firm you'll hear us refer to as GC. GC has set out to build resiliency across critical industries worldwide. The firm leverages technology to retool sectors such as healthcare, energy, defense, and manufacturing and explores innovative capital structures to support founders and businesses. Hemant discusses how the firm is positioned to respond to the aftermath of crises, including the pandemic, wars, energy issues, and beyond. We also discuss the building of a category-defining healthcare company, Livongo and much more. Please enjoy this conversation with Hemant Taneja. Listen to Founders Podcast For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- This episode is brought to you by Ramp. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Ramp is the fastest growing FinTech company in history and it's backed by more of my favorite past guests (at least 16 of them!) than probably any other company I'm aware of. It's also notable that many best-in-class businesses use Ramp—companies like Airbnb, Anduril, and Shopify, as well as investors like Sequoia Capital and Vista Equity. They use Ramp to manage their spending, automate tedious financial processes, and reinvest saved dollars and hours into growth. At Colossus and Positive Sum, we use Ramp for exactly the same reason. Go to Ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. ----- This episode is brought to you by Tegus, where we're changing the game in investment research. Step away from outdated, inefficient methods and into the future with our platform, proudly hosting over 100,000 transcripts – with over 25,000 transcripts added just this year alone. Our platform grows eight times faster and adds twice as much monthly content as our competitors, putting us at the forefront of the industry. Plus, with 75% of private market transcripts available exclusively on Tegus, we offer insights you simply can't find elsewhere. See the difference a vast, quality-driven transcript library makes. Unlock your free trial at tegus.com/patrick. ----- Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more. Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Show Notes: (00:00:00) Our Partners: Ramp and Tegus (00:03:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best (00:03:57) Introducing Hemant Taneja and General Catalyst (00:04:17) Global Resilience and Innovation Post-Pandemic (00:05:56) Re-Globalization and Manufacturing (00:07:03) Building Livongo: A 20-Year Overnight Success (00:13:23) Aligning Incentives in Healthcare (00:15:40) Re-imagining the Investment Business (00:20:54) Evolution of General Catalyst (00:27:04) Succession and Trust in Asset Management (00:35:00) Founder-Centric Capital Goals (00:36:32) Balancing Growth and Liquidity (00:41:39) AI and Onshoring Productivity (00:47:10) Defense Investments and Ethics (00:50:11) Geopolitics and Regulation (00:53:16) Reflections on Leadership and Strategy (01:01:14) Hemant's Future Plans (01:02:55) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done for Him