LONDON, Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- General Catalyst, a leading venture capital firm, today announces the joining of Chris Bischoff, a seasoned London-based investor, as Managing Director. Mr. Bischoff has backed notable consumer, financial services and healthcare companies in both the United States and Europe including Avito, Babylon, Betterment, Cedar, VillageMD, Livongo and Cityblock Health.
Prior to joining General Catalyst, Mr. Bischoff was the senior investment director at Kinnevik AB, where he led venture and growth investments in mission-driven businesses that leverage disruptive technology, with a particular focus on healthcare. In that capacity, his work often intersected with General Catalyst, most recently through investments in Livongo (now Teladoc, NYSE: TDOC, where Mr. Bischoff serves as a Board Member) and Cityblock.
“As a firm, GC looks to partner with the brightest and most ambitious founders who are taking on societal-level challenges. To do that, we ourselves need to be an exceptional team,” said Hemant Taneja, Managing Partner, General Catalyst. “Having invested alongside and worked with Chris as a fellow director, I know firsthand that he shares our commitment to backing and building enduring companies with the potential to materially improve the lives of many.”
With General Catalyst, Mr. Bischoff will further strengthen the firm’s bench of experienced healthcare investors who have built a portfolio of transformational software and tech-enabled services companies in the sector. In care delivery, investments in addition to Livongo and Cityblock include Oscar, Color, and Ro Health; in care infrastructure, investments include Commure, Olive, SonderMind, and Transcarent.
Over the past half a decade, General Catalyst has expanded its focus to Europe and Israel under the leadership of Managing Director Adam Valkin. The firm has assembled a portfolio of several of the leading internet and software companies in the region. In the consumer and financial services categories, investments include Lemonade, Bloom & Wild, Brainly, Cazoo, Deliveroo, Grammarly, Fundbox, Melio, Monzo, and Rapyd; and in enterprise, investments include Airslate, Contentful, Multiverse, Remote.com and Shift Technology. Mr. Bischoff will work in concert with Mr. Valkin to extend and deepen the firm’s network of opportunities across Europe and Israel.
“Europe and Israel have unequivocally become major centers for global-scale innovation, and having Chris on the ground here is a huge asset for our firm,” said Adam Valkin, managing director at General Catalyst. “I have known Chris for many years and have observed his talent as an investor, his outstanding portfolio, and importantly, his reputation as a trusted partner for ambitious founders."
Mr. Bischoff commented: “I’ve known and greatly admired GC for many years and have successfully partnered with the team on multiple occasions. I am strongly aligned with their purpose, approach and culture, so this is a natural step. Whilst I am leaving an excellent firm at Kinnevik, I could not be more excited about the path forward and opportunities ahead with this team and this firm."
About General Catalyst
General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive change that endures — for our entrepreneurs, our investors, our people, and society. We support founders with a long-term view who challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth stage and beyond to build companies that withstand the test of time. With offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York City, and Boston, the firm has helped support the growth of businesses such as: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Guild, Gusto, Hubspot, Livongo, Oscar, Samsara, Snap, Stripe, and Warby Parker. For more: www.generalcatalyst.com.