"India's role in tech, particularly in Al, to be pivotal❞

Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst, on the emerging opportunities in India, the investment firm's future path, and more

- KARISHMA ASOODANI

GENERAL CATALYST is a prominent early-stage investment company with investments in companies like Stripe, Snap, and Airbnb. In an exclusive interview with BUSINESS TODAY, CEO Hemant Taneja, shares his insights on the evolving investment landscape in India. He discusses how the firm is transitioning from a venture capital focus to a broader role as a global investment and transformation company. Edited excerpts:

General Catalyst (GC) has evolved into a global investment and transformation company. How do you see your company?

We describe ourselves as a global investment and transformation company. At our core, we still focus on early-stage venture capital. This year, we acquired Venture Highway in India and a similar firm in Europe. We aim to create companies not just for local markets, but for global ones as well, including through leveraging advanced technologies like AI.

How significant is General Catalyst's investment in India?

We've been investing in India for years and see it as an exciting market.

The opportunity here is incredibly compelling, especially in sectors like fintech, healthcare, energy, and software development. We started investing in India before the pandemic, with a long-term focus on the country's potential to scale globally.

What are the emerging sectors in India that you believe will do well?