General Catalyst

We believe Europe faces a once-in-a-generation opportunity to supercharge its economy and build resilience by modernizing critical infrastructure 🇪🇺 In our latest piece, we explore our Global Resilience thesis through the lens of the European market. Within, we share our view on Europe’s strengths, present its challenges, and shed light on the technological opportunities to chart a clear path toward European Resilience.  Here are some key opportunities for innovation: 1. Technologies to enable the energy transition Many of these technologies—including wind generation, biofuels, carbon capture technologies, alternative proteins, and electric vehicles—already exist; however, a huge infusion of capital and patience is required to commercialize and scale these solutions for mass adoption. We are interested in technologies that bridge the transition period of climate-related innovations to achieve self-sustaining unit economics, enabling them to thrive in the free market without reliance on subsidies, for example. 2. Modernization through automation and electrification  We believe there is incredible potential to drive new value in industrial categories. General Catalyst has the privilege of backing visionary European companies and global startups that are bringing their technologies to Europe. From our perspective, there are three primary ways in which innovators are poised to help industrial incumbents in Europe modernize, boost efficiency, and become more competitive in the upcoming years. 3. AI for defense  We believe it’s vital to bring AI defense applications to Europe. Our portfolio company, Helsing, is a leader in defense tech; its platform boosts defense and national security for liberal democracies using live data. Helsing is a software-first company in a traditionally hardware-led industry. By rapidly bringing its software capabilities to market, Helsing has secured program-of-record partnerships with multiple European governments, including Germany, France, and Ukraine. We’re optimistic about a more resilient and prosperous Europe and are proud to support some of the most ambitious technical founders in AI! CC Paul, Paula, Hemant, Alexa, Teresa, Genevieve, Will, Matthew, smalt, Marius, Khurram, Alsym Energy, Mukesh, Rahul, Fever, Klas, Ron, Ruben, PhysicsX, Jacomo, EthonAI, Julian, Bernhard, Collaborative Robotics, Brad, Torsten, Gundbert

"In reality, late-stage tech companies are really two sub-companies: 1) the 'CAC Machine' and 2) the 'Operating Company.'" Hear why this matters from GC's Pranav and why CEOs & CFOs alike should be thinking about this much more. Our Customer Value strategy (CVF) demonstrates the power of a business reducing its cost of capital in a thoughtful, risk-aligned manner. On the latest Rebellionaire episode with Matt and Bradford, Pranav highlights how CVF can unlock long-term growth for companies, and more in a few key ways: 1. Approaching Sales & Marketing spend with rationality "When [companies] spend a dollar on Sales & Marketing, they generate a fairly structured rate of return on that spend on that dollar…it is highly underwritable and structured in nature." 2. Modeling a business as two separate entities: the 'CAC Machine' and 'Operating Company' "When you start to think about the world this way, something interesting happens. When you remove the CAC machine, or effectively the investment in Sales & Marketing and the ROI on Sales & Marketing from a company’s P&L you almost treat it as an asset that can be taken off the balance sheet, the company starts becoming very cash generative in nature.” 3. Rethinking the metrics that matter “We think of these businesses not in the context of EBITDA, but actually EBITCAC. Meaning if you remove CAC from the earnings of these businesses, are they profitable in nature? Because CAC is a discretionary decision they are making to invest for a higher ROI." 4. Solving the asset-liability mismatch "The CVF strategy provides a source of capital that is exactly aligned with the performance of the asset, which is the ROI on S&M." Watch the full interview, linked in the comments below.

🇪🇺 Reflecting on a Milestone Discussion on the Future of European AI 🇪🇺 Yesterday, I had the distinct honor of moderating a transformative roundtable discussion initiated by President Emmanuel Macron and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Bundespräsidialamt. This gathering brought together influential French and German business leaders, distinguished scientists, and key policymakers. Our focus? Charting the path for Europe’s leadership in artificial intelligence and technology. The dialogue was rich and insightful, addressing pivotal questions: What does Europe need to excel in AI competitiveness? How can we attract and retain top talent? How can we strengthen European resilience and competitiveness This was more than a conversation; it was a reaffirmation of the deep friendship between Germany and France, a testament to our shared commitment to strengthening our liberal democracies and bolstering our competitive edge through cooperation. We explored the potential of creating a pan-European AI initiative, discussing the essential ingredients needed for such a venture, including governmental support in research and talent mobility. The outcome is clear: Europe faces real challenges, but also unprecedented opportunities. By uniting our efforts, we can shape a resilient continent that thrives on unique, cutting-edge technology. That way, Europe can become a pioneer of digital transformation. Thank you to President Macron and Federal President Steinmeier for championing this cause and to all participants for their valuable contributions, Michael Backes, Katharina Hölzle, Christian Müller, Cedrik Neike, Bastian Nominacher, Dr. Gundbert Scherf, Susanne Wiegand. Together, we are paving the way for a brighter, tech-driven future for Europe.

I firmly believe in Europe. Peter Brors, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Handelsblatt, and I discussed some of the most pressing issues and opportunities facing Europe. Looking at the European economy right now, I feel a strong sense of urgency to heighten our ambition levels and leverage the tech-enabled transformative potential of the most crucial sectors. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: 1. Innovation and AI Europe’s top-tier AI research, exemplified by Mistral AI in France, showcases our digital transformation and economic growth potential. With their AI-driven defense technologies, companies like Helsing demonstrate how advanced tech can safeguard our democratic values. Communicating the benefits of AI effectively is crucial to alleviate public fears and ensure long-term competitiveness. 2. European Resilience Sectors that pose the greatest need for systemic change: climate and energy, industrials, defense, and security. These areas are where tech-enabled transformation can have a significant and lasting impact. Enhancing critical infrastructures and controlling key elements of future value chains is essential. Despite high energy costs and global competition, Germany's renowned innovation capability can re-establish value chains in new growth sectors like electronics, semiconductors, and batteries – and attract top-tier talent. We have seen time and time again that the future starts with founders. Let’s pave the way for them. 3. Beyond Bureaucracy We need to shift our focus from debates centered on prohibitions and regulations to a clear vision for our future. As a society and entrepreneurs, we should contribute to shaping a collective ambition for Europe. Key areas for immediate focus include commercializing our research, strengthening energy and defense resilience, and reducing bureaucratic hurdles for businesses. 4. Optimism for the Future Echoing George Bernard Shaw, progress relies on those who challenge the status quo. Our "unreasonable" entrepreneurs in Germany and Europe are the catalysts for future advancements. Let's embrace these opportunities and work together towards a thriving European future! 🇪🇺

Developing better leaders is at the core of how we work with founders at GC and Kenneth C. Frazier and Kenneth I. Chenault play a crucial role on that journey—both for our portfolio and our firm. On the latest episode of the Rapid Response podcast with host Bob Safian, Ken and Ken engage in a wide-ranging conversation, covering key topics related to great leadership including… 1. How to lead through uncertainty as CEOs “It’s important for all of us as business leaders to understand that we are very divided people right now. But at the same time, our businesses depend on certain bedrock principles of our democracy and our free market, in order for us to continue to be successful over the long term.” -Frazier 2. What leaders can learn from recent campus protests “I had this term that I used at American Express: I wanted people to engage in ‘constructive confrontation.’ Do it respectfully. We need to debate and argue, certainly on our college campuses. That’s part of what you have to learn. But you have to understand the other person’s perspective.” -Chenault 3. Critical attributes of an *enduring* leader “Courage” and “the bravery to act on those beliefs.” -Chenault & Frazier And much more. Listen, in full, here → https://spoti.fi/3QYFLmR Read more in Fast Company here ↓ https://bit.ly/3VdVaSL

Super excited about joining Mark43 as a board observer and advisor supporting our General Catalyst investment along with Larry Bohn who represents GC on the board. Working with the CEO Robert Hughes and his team to bring awareness to the increased mission opportunity with the use of transformative technology in public safety that increases state, local and federal resilience on a global scale!

On Tuesday, we brought together founders, CEOs, and close friends of the GC family at the SFJAZZ Theatre for a fantastic fireside chat between GC's CEO Hemant Taneja & Qasar Younis, Co-Founder & CEO of Applied Intuition. They discussed the importance of radical pragmatism, how to hire high-quality & aligned talent, how to think about the age of AI, & more.

We’re thrilled to officially welcome Sam Faycurry, Mark Stefanski, and the entire Fay team to the GC family! "Nutrition is a core part of our Health Assurance thesis given the vast surface area it touches. So many people have broken relationships with food, which can often result in expensive health complications, and nutrition is often a critical component of chronic care management and recovery. Fay has grown rapidly to build a strong value proposition for both dietitians and patients, and we're excited to continue to support the team as they scale their mission to help people better eat and live longer." -GC’s Holly Maloney More from TechCrunch ↓

Today, Transcarent announced WayFinding, a GPT-4 powered AI bot that seamlessly provides benefits navigation, clinical guidance, and virtual or in-person care delivery. We're proud to see Transcarent propelling its mission as the "One Place for Health and Care." Learn more from Forbes ↓ https://lnkd.in/e_njzDNW

Congratulations to our portfolio companies featured on CNBC's Disruptor 50 list for "riding the AI wave" across sectors! 🌊 Anduril Industries | Stripe | Canva | Relativity Space | Monzo Bank | Transcarent | Ramp | Glean | Discord | Maven Clinic | Cityblock Health Full list ↓