CEO & Managing Director
General CatalystCheck size: $1M-$100M+ (multi-stage, GC manages $25B+)
'Responsible innovation' thesis: technology should solve real problems for real people, not create consumer distractions. Strong health and enterprise focus. Author of 'Unscaled' — argues that technology is unscaling the economy, allowing small, nimble companies to compete with large incumbents by renting scale (cloud, AI, platforms) rather than building it. Recently evolved GC into a 'global transformation company' — not just investing but also building internal ventures, acquiring companies, and providing 'transformation services' to portfolio companies and external partners. This is a controversial evolution — GC is now part VC, part PE, part consulting firm. Hemant believes the traditional VC model is outdated and that the next great investment firm needs to do more than write checks. Backs companies that endure and compound over decades. Deep conviction that AI will transform healthcare, reducing costs 10x while improving outcomes. Views technology as a tool for social good, not just wealth creation.
Mission-driven founders solving important problems. Companies with strong unit economics and clear paths to profitability. Products that improve outcomes in healthcare, education, or financial services. Founders who think about second-order effects of their technology. Companies that can leverage GC's operational support and transformation services. Healthcare companies that simultaneously reduce costs and improve outcomes.
Pure consumer entertainment without lasting value. Companies without clear business models. Technology for technology's sake. Founders who can't articulate real-world impact. Companies that need to burn unsustainably to grow. Startups that aren't aligned with the 'responsible innovation' ethos.
Lead with impact. Who benefits and how? Don't pitch technology for technology's sake — pitch the outcome for the end user. He wants to know your mission, not just your metrics. Show that you're building for the long term, not for a quick flip. If you're in healthcare, show how you reduce costs while improving outcomes — both matter. Articulate the second-order effects of your technology. Show awareness of responsible innovation — that you've thought about potential negative consequences and designed against them. If you can benefit from GC's 'transformation services' (operational support, strategic introductions, talent), mention it. Be prepared to discuss your 20-year vision, not just your 18-month roadmap. Hemant is deeply intellectual — he appreciates founders who think systemically about markets, not just tactically about products.
The core Hemant Taneja thesis: technology (cloud, AI, platforms) allows small companies to 'rent' scale instead of building it. This means nimble upstarts can compete with entrenched incumbents in every industry. The economy is shifting from economies of scale to economies of unscale.
Shift from reactive 'sick care' (treating illness after it occurs) to proactive 'health assurance' (preventing illness and maintaining health continuously). Enabled by AI, wearables, continuous monitoring, and preventive interventions. Companies should be designed around keeping people healthy, not profiting from their illness.
Technology companies must consider societal impact from day one, not as an afterthought. This isn't about slowing innovation — it's about directing it toward outcomes that genuinely benefit people. Second-order effects matter as much as first-order benefits.
GC's evolution: instead of just investing, provide operational support, strategic guidance, talent networks, and adjacent capabilities. This creates deeper partnerships with portfolio companies and more durable competitive advantages as an investment firm. Controversial but distinctive.
Invest in companies that will be important in 20+ years. This means focusing on mission, unit economics, and sustainable growth rather than short-term hype. The best companies compound value over decades, not just through an exit cycle.
Technology companies have a responsibility to consider the societal impact of their products. 'Move fast and break things' is irresponsible when the things you're breaking are people's lives, privacy, and livelihoods. Responsible innovation means thinking about second-order effects from the beginning.
The traditional VC model of writing checks and sitting on boards is necessary but insufficient. The best companies need operational support, strategic guidance, talent networks, and sometimes adjacent acquisitions. GC is evolving to provide all of these under one roof.
AI will reduce healthcare costs by 10x while improving outcomes. The technology exists today — the barriers are regulatory, institutional, and cultural. Companies that navigate these barriers will build generational businesses.
Healthcare needs to shift from 'sick care' (treating illness) to 'health assurance' (preventing illness and maintaining health). Technology — AI, wearables, telemedicine — enables this shift. The current healthcare system is designed around episodes of illness; the future system should be designed around continuous health maintenance.
The economy is 'unscaling' — for a century, bigger was better (economies of scale). Now, technology allows small companies to rent scale (via cloud, AI, platforms) and compete with giants. This creates opportunities in every industry for nimble, technology-native upstarts to challenge incumbents. The unscaling thesis explains why Stripe can challenge banks, why Livongo can challenge healthcare systems.
“The economy is unscaling. For a century, bigger was better. Now, technology allows small companies to rent scale and compete with giants.”
— Unscaled book
“Healthcare needs to shift from sick care to health assurance. We don't need a better system for treating disease — we need a system designed to prevent it.”
— UnHealthcare book / talks
“Responsible innovation isn't about slowing down. It's about making sure the things you build make the world genuinely better, not just more profitable.”
— Various talks
“AI will reduce healthcare costs by 10x. The question is whether we have the institutional courage to let it.”
— Healthcare keynotes
“The traditional VC model of writing a check and sitting on a board is necessary but insufficient. The best companies need more from their investors.”
— GC transformation strategy talks
“I invest in companies that I believe will be important in 20 years, not companies that will have a good exit in 3 years.”
— Interviews
Born in India. Studied electrical engineering at IIT Bombay, then Master's at MIT, and MBA from Stanford. Joined General Catalyst in 2003, straight out of Stanford. Rose to become Managing Director and then CEO of General Catalyst — one of the youngest people to lead a major venture firm. Under his leadership, GC has grown from a $1B+ firm to managing over $25B in assets. Transformed GC from a traditional venture capital firm into what he calls a 'global transformation company' — combining venture investing, growth investing, buyouts, and operational services. This transformation has been both praised (for innovation) and criticized (for mission creep). Author of 'Unscaled: How AI and a New Generation of Upstarts Are Creating the Economy of the Future' (2018). Co-authored 'UnHealthcare: A Manifesto for Health Assurance' (2020) with Dr. Stephen Klasko, arguing for a fundamental reimagination of healthcare delivery. Deeply intellectual — brings an engineer's systems-thinking approach to investing. Board member of Khan Academy and other mission-driven organizations. Known for thinking in decades rather than years.