Best General Catalyst Podcasts (2025)

1
Ali Partovi is using these indicators to spot future tech billionaires 28:43

4d ago28:43

28:43

In this episode of StrictlyVC Download, hosts Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are joined by, Ali Partovi, co-founder and CEO of Neo. They talk about Neo's evolution from a scholar program that provides grants to talented technical young people to a venture fund that recently raised $320 million in committed capital. Partovi discusses Neo's investment p…

1
How to make partner in less than three years: Cherry Ventures' Dinika Mahtani 43:12

9d ago43:12

43:12

Today on Startup Europe — the Sifted Podcast, Amy is joined by Dinika Mahtani, London-based partner at European early-stage VC Cherry Ventures. Dinika explains why she thinks deeptech is 'back', why Europe is having a moment — and what impact tariff turmoil is having on her portfolio companies. She also shares how she made the jump from general man…

1
The RealReal founder Julie Wainwright has written a memoir–and an entrepreneurial survival guide 29:16

11d ago29:16

29:16

This week on Strictly VC Download, TechCrunch Editor in Chief, Connie Loizos, sits down with Julie Wainwright, the founder of The RealReal who faced one of tech's most public failures with Pets.com. They discuss Julie's recent memoir, Time to Get Real. They get into board dynamics, leadership challenges, and how she rebuilt her career when Silicon …

1
Hans Swildens of Industry Ventures on the ways VCs are "manufacturing" liquidity in 2025 25:36

18d ago25:36

25:36

This week Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are joined by return guest Hans Swildens. Hans is the founder and CEO of Industry Ventures, a firm known for its pioneering role in the venture secondary market. With stakes in over 700 venture funds and years of experience in the secondaries market, we wanted to have him on to discuss how VCs are thinking abou…

1
AI has opened a new era in Venture Capital with Forerunner's Kirsten Green 16:18

25d ago16:18

16:18

Forerunner has seen a number of high-profile successes in their investments, showing an ability to get ahead of consumer trends with investments in Oura, Chime, the Farmer's Dog and beyond in non-B2C companies. And to get a sense of how that happened, and what's next for Forerunner in the AI era, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos spoke with …

1
Trump's tariffs swift impacts on the global supply chain with Flexport CEO Ryan Peterson 21:27

28d ago21:27

21:27

In this bonus episode, Connie Loizos is joined by Flexport's CEO Ryan Petersen to discuss the ins and outs of the tariffs' impact, the industry's reaction and why Petersen still sees long-term opportunity in global trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Connie Loizos & Alex Gove

1
Peter Diamandis answers the question: is longevity only for the wealthy? 35:22

1M ago35:22

35:22

In this week's episode, Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are joined by entrepreneur, futurist, and best-selling author Peter Diamandis. He's founder of XPRIZE Foundation and the co-founder of SIngularity University. In this conversation he laid out his vision for how tech will transform our lives and make longevity advances in the near future. The quest…

1
Three exits and a failure: Motorway's Tom Leathes on how to disrupt big industries 46:55

1M ago46:55

46:55

On this episode of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast, Amy sits down with Tom Leathes, CEO and cofounder of used car marketplace Motorway. The company, founded in 2017, has helped more than half a million people sell their cars, and has raised $273m from investors like Index, Iconiq, LocalGlobe and BMW i Ventures. Tom and his two cofounders have l…

1
Why the founder of BuzzFeed is building an AI-Native social media platform with Jonah Peretti 33:41

1M ago33:41

33:41

Today Connie and Alex are joined by Jonah Peretti who has been working in digital media for the past two decades as the founder and CEO of BuzzFeed—a brand that has seen a ton of evolution. Last month, Jonah announced the next phase of Buzzfeed, a social media platform that will use AI to ensure a positive environment. They’re investing $10 million…

1
The rise of secondaries and seed-stage liquidity with Michael Kim 24:36

2M ago24:36

24:36

This week on StrictlyVC Download TechCrunch editor-in-chief Connie Loizos and StrictlyVC’s Alex Gove are joined by Michael Kim, the long-time VC and founder of Cendana Capital where he has built a $2.6 billion portfolio focused exclusively on seed and pre-seed funds, backing some of the most successful emerging managers in the industry. In this epi…

1
VC Aileen Lee Still Sees the Most Promise in Mundane Tech 35:28

2M ago35:28

35:28

In this episode TechCrunch Editor in Chief, Connie Loizos, is joined by Aileen Lee the founder of Cowboy Ventures. Aileen coined the term "unicorn" in a TechCrunch article all the way back in late 2013. In this conversation, they discuss what’s on the horizon for Cowboy Ventures and how she’s thinking about AI’s impact on job creation, automation, …

1
Can Kevin Rose and Alexis Ohanian bring Digg back? 37:50

2M ago37:50

37:50

In this week's episode, Connie Loizos is joined by Kevin Rose, best known for founding Digg. The news aggregator changed the way people engaged with the news back in 2004, and it's apparently coming back. That’s right. Kevin joined forces with Alexis Ohanian – his former rival and the co-founder of Reddit, and Digg’s new CEO Justin Mezzell to relau…

1
Chris Farmer of SignalFire is betting the venture industry will never look the same 18:09

2M ago18:09

18:09

In this episode of StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos is joined by Chris Farmer, founder of SignalFire, to discuss the current state of venture capital. With many startups stuck in financial limbo and no clear path to exit, Farmer shares why he believes the industry has a structural problem. He also shares his perspective on new funding mechanisms,…

1
Nord's Tomas Okmanas on why he had to launch an AI startup 30:17

2M ago30:17

30:17

Tomas Okmanas is no stranger to scaling a company in a highly competitive space. When he launched NordVPN in 2012, the market was crowded with competitors, but today his company has 15m users, a $3bn valuation and a consistent stream of new features and products in development. Now, as if he wasn't busy enough, Tomas is launching a new startup — Ne…

1
Slow Ventures creates a creators fund, Meta enters the humanoid bot race, and everything else you may have missed 22:17

2M ago22:17

22:17

This week on StrictlyVC Download, we're catching our breath and catching up with all of the news that's been happening in the industry. Connie Loizos and Alex Gove are breaking down the top headlines from Slow Ventures’ new creator fund, to Meta’s step into the humanoid robot race, to the continued saga between Elon Musk and Open AI. Learn more abo…

1
Nirav Tolia is turning to AI to keep things neighborly on Nextdoor 31:49

3M ago31:49

31:49

In this episode, Nextdoor CEO Nirav Tolia joins Connie and Alex to talk about the challenges of running a public company, his strategy to improve user engagement, and why he’s betting on AI and third-party content to make Nextdoor indispensable. They also get into Nextdoor's current product overhaul and whether an acquisition is on the table. Chapt…

1
Dub, an app at the intersection of TikTok and Wall Street, has teens talking 34:39

3M ago34:39

34:39

In this episode, hosts Connie and Alex sit down with Steven Wang, the 23-year-old founder of Dub, a rapidly growing copy trading platform. Wang shares how Dub is revolutionizing retail investing by allowing users to automatically mirror the portfolios of top traders, hedge fund managers, and even politicians like Nancy Pelosi. He also dives into th…

1
As Boom breaks the sound barrier, founder Blake Scholl says supersonic travel is around the corner 32:47

3M ago32:47

32:47

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, to discuss the company’s ambitious mission to revolutionize commercial aviation. From developing the Overture, a supersonic airliner, to embracing sustainable aviation fuels, Blake shares how Boom plans to make faster, greener air travel a reality. They also discuss their recen…

1
The 101 of angel investing with Jenny Tooth 47:25

3M ago47:25

47:25

To kick off 2025, we're talking "business angels": the people who take big bets investing their personal wealth into startups at their earliest stages, and without whom most companies would never get off the ground. So, how do you actually become an angel investor? How much money do you need to commit? How many investments should you be making? And…

1
Fifth Wall’s Brendan Wallace on wildfires, insurance, and the unquenchable demand for data centers 31:46

4M ago31:46

31:46

In this episode, Brendan Wallace of Fifth Wall Ventures shares his insights on the transformative power of PropTech in addressing modern challenges like sustainability, housing affordability, and urban resilience. From rebuilding wildfire-stricken Los Angeles to navigating the intersection of real estate and AI-driven data centers, Wallace explores…

1
Robinhood, already a ‘comeback’ stock, has even more aggressive plans for 2025 45:28

4M ago45:28

45:28

In this episode of The StrictlyVC Download, Connie Loizos talks withwith Vlad Tenev, the co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, to discuss the company’s remarkable evolution and recent designation as Yahoo Finance’s "Comeback Stock of the Year." Tenev shares how Robinhood is poised for significant growth through its innovative approach to prediction mark…

1
GV CEO David Krane on what it takes to manage 800 investments in five years 24:46

5M ago24:46

24:46

This week on the StrictlyVC Download, Connie sits down with GV CEO David Krane at our December StrictlyVC event in San Francisco to discuss his approach to identifying potential investments, what it's like to work so closely with Google while helping potential competitors, and why their approach to successful exits is much more long-term than other…

1
Replacing fossil fuels: Proxima Fusion’s Francesco Sciortino on his mission to revolutionise clean energy 30:33

5M ago30:33

30:33

On 2024's last episode of the Sifted Podcast, Amy is joined by an entrepreneur on a very big mission. Munich-based startup Proxima Fusion is developing a nuclear fusion reactor — a technology which many hope could help solve the climate crisis by producing clean, cheap and abundant energy that could replace a lot of fossil fuel power. But the techn…

1
Why Lead Edge founder Mitchell Green keeps buying Bytedance shares 34:09

5M ago34:09

34:09

This week, Connie and Alex are joined by the founder of Lead Edge Capital, Mitchell Green, to discuss his firm’s $5 billion portfolio, its eight-point investment criteria, and their playbook for discovering early stage startups in less popular markets. He also weighs in on Bytedance’s future, the aspects of AI that he thinks may be overhyped, and t…

1
Oura Ring founder Petteri Lahtela on fending off acquisition offers from Big Tech 36:17

5M ago36:17

36:17

Podcast host and Sifted editor Amy Lewin sits down with Petteri Lahtela, founder of smart wearable company Oura Ring, to discuss how the business has grown to making $500m in revenue, hitting profitability and selling more than 2.5m devices in the process. They discuss the big idea behind Oura, how Petteri has turned down multiple offers from buyer…

1
How AI is powering a comeback in consumer startups, with Brynn Putnam and Ben Lerer 24:26

5M ago24:26

24:26

In this episode, Connie sits down with Brynn Putnam, the former CEO of Mirror, and VC Ben Lerer to discuss why founders – and investors – are getting excited about consumer-focused startups for the first time in a handful of years. Putnam already turned her home fitness company into a $500 million success story. Now she’s building something new tha…

1
Marc Lore Has Big Plans for Wonder That Go Beyond Fast Casual 47:47

6M ago47:47

47:47

At a StrictlyVC event in New York this past Wednesday, Connie talked to Marc Lore, founder and CEO of Wonder, about Wonder's plans for the future, including the news that Wonder is buying GrubHub for $650 million, or $6.65 billion less than the Netherlands-based food delivery company Just Eat Takeaway paid for the company just four years ago.…

1
Ashton Kutcher Never Wants to See Your Pitch Deck Again 32:05

6M ago32:05

32:05

Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary, and Effie Epstein of Sound Ventures talk about their AI strategy and why they think we are in the early innings of artificial intelligence startups.By Connie Loizos & Alex Gove

1
Live from Disrupt: Vinod Khosla Is Optimistic about AI despite the Risks 29:42

6M ago29:42

29:42

Connie talks to legendary venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, founder and managing director at Khosla Ventures.By Connie Loizos & Alex Gove

1
Billionaire Frank McCourt Wants to Buy TikTok; Here’s His Plan 25:47

7M ago25:47

25:47

Connie and Alex talk to billionaire Frank McCourt about his plan to buy TikTok and transform it into a decentralized platform where users have control over their data and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Connie Loizos & Alex Gove

1
General Catalyst Layers in Financing to Boost Its Fortunes 44:13

7M ago44:13

44:13

Connie & Alex talk to Hemant Taneja and Pranav Singhvi of General Catalyst about their “Customer Value” strategy, a funding model in which General Catalyst pre-funds a company's customer acquisition cost in exchange for a capped return linked directly to the customer value generated from its investment. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https:…

1
General Catalyst’s Jeannette zu Fürstenberg on how to scale European moonshot ideas 45:42

7M ago45:42

45:42

This month we’re joined by Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, managing director at global VC firm General Catalyst and cofounder of La Famiglia VC — a Berlin-based early-stage investor which merged with General Catalyst last year. Jeannette’s investments include companies like HR platform Deel, logistics startup Forto, HR tech unicorn Personio, defence unic…

1
A Frustrated Al Gore Compares Climate Pledges to "New Year’s Resolutions" 32:38

8M ago32:38

32:38

Connie talks with former Vice President Al Gore and his business partner, Lila Preston, about a new, annual climate report that their sustainability-focused investment management firm, Generation Investment Management, has issued.By Connie Loizos & Alex Gove

1
Mistral, DeepL and Kry investor Avid Larizadeh Duggan on where AI is creating value 45:55

8M ago45:55

45:55

Avid Larizadeh Duggan, senior managing director at Ontario-HQed growth-stage investor Teachers’ Venture Growth, is one of Europe’s first operator-turned-VCs. Her career in tech began with stints as a product manager at places like eBay and Skype, and has switched between operational and investing roles ever since. In 2021 she joined TVG, which is p…

1
Programmable plants and neurotech devices: Inside the UK government’s £800m “inventions” agency 38:20

8M ago38:20

38:20

This month we’re joined by Ilan Gur, CEO of the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (or ARIA), a government body set up last year to fund ambitious, breakthrough innovations. Before joining Aria, Gur was a programme director at ARPA-E, the US government’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, which was established to develop new cutting-edge t…

1
Climate tech’s growing pains with Pale Blue Dot’s Heidi Lindvall 41:27

9M ago41:27

41:27

She’s one of the three founders of Pale Blue Dot, a Malmö-based early-stage climate tech fund which launched in 2020 and backs pre-seed and seed-stage startups reducing and reversing the effects of climate change, in Europe and the US. Pale Blue Dot came along just ahead of the wave of climate tech funds which launched in Europe amid the tech boom.…

1
DeepL founder Jarek Kutylowski on how his AI startup took on Google Translate — and won 32:10

10M ago32:10

32:10

This week on the pod we’re joined by Jarek Kutylowski, founder and CEO of German AI startup DeepL. He’s built a profitable business in a field where he’s had to compete with the likes of Google, by developing cutting edge language translation technology. The company says it now has “a customer network of 100k+ businesses, governments and other orga…

1
FTC Chair Lina Khan on Startups, Scaling, and “Innovations in Potential Lawbreaking” 38:39

11M ago38:39

38:39

Connie talks to Lina Khan, Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, about the need for regulation in the tech industry to ensure competition and address potential risks of AI, the challenges of regulating innovation in a rapidly changing tech environment, and the potential risks and benefits of breaking up big tech companies.…

1
The Ins and Outs of Investing in Europe, according to VC Saul Klein 37:58

11M ago37:58

37:58

Connie chats with seed-stage investor Saul Klein about the European startup scene. Music: 1. "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired) 2. "Blippy Trance" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance) 3. "Dream Catcher" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4650-…

1
Index Ventures partner Martin Mignot on where Revolut should list 47:19

12M ago47:19

47:19

Name a big European tech company, and there’s a high chance Martin Mignot, partner at Index Ventures, invested in it. Martin’s portfolio includes some of the continent’s big winners, like car sharing platform BlaBlaCar, digital bank Revolut, digital health provider Kry, HR platform Personio and delivery company Deliveroo — and some of its big failu…

1
EP 39 - The Catalyst for Change 56:50

12M ago56:50

56:50

Send us a text Welcome to S!de Quest! In this week's episode, Bolder, Dr. Cogsbuckle, and Marla process devastating events! The city of New Haven is a singular dichotomy. A potent mixture of sophistication and barbarism, technological advancement and primitive ruthlessness, extravagant wealth and unmitigated desolation. Corruption is rampant across…

1
EP 38 - On Paying the Piper 1:01:10

12M ago1:01:10

1:01:10

Send us a text Welcome to S!de Quest! In this week's episode, LaGrange, Dr. Cogsbuckle, and Vi enter the final showdown with the B-team! The city of New Haven is a singular dichotomy. A potent mixture of sophistication and barbarism, technological advancement and primitive ruthlessness, extravagant wealth and unmitigated desolation. Corruption is r…

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