David Fialkow of General Catalyst: Documentary Filmmaker to Venture Capitalist

Episode Summary:
Join us for episode 2 where we speak with Managing Director and Co-founder of General Catalyst Partners, David Fialkow.  In this episode, we learn more about David’s journey from documentary filmmaker to venture capitalist and the common thread they share.   

What is Uncovered: 

• David’s unique path to starting General Catalyst alongside his long time friend Joel Cutler
• The importance of mentorship and following your passion 
• The lessons that Joel and David learned while starting their own travel company (last-minute travel) 
• The story behind David signing up and completing his first Ironman with only 90 days of training  
• Why David and Joel saw themselves as B entrepreneurs and how this realization was the impetus to starting GC Partners 
• What makes a successful VC firm and GC’s early wins 
• The common thread between founding a venture capital firm, a start-up, and creating documentary films. 

Learn More About:
David Fialkow is a co-founder and managing director of General Catalyst, a venture capital firm that partners with founders from seed to growth stage to build companies that withstand the test of time.  David's focus areas include financial services, digital health AI and data analytics, as well as leading General Catalyst’s XIR program. His portfolio of investments includes Casana, Catalant, Crossfit, CLEAResult (acquired by General Atlantic), Datalogix (acquired by Oracle), Datto (acquired by Vista Equity Partners), Highwinds (acquired by StackPath), NotCo, OGSystems (acquired by Parsons Corporation), PathAI, TrueMotion, and Vitrue (acquired by Oracle).

Before going into business, David studied film at Colgate University, earned a law degree from Boston College and made documentary films. David has raised millions in dollars in philanthropy to support kids’ programs by biking, running, climbing, and rowing. He and his wife Nina produce documentary films focused on social justice. Their film Icarus won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2018. His non-profit boards include Facing History and Ourselves, The Pan-Mass Challenge (former chairman), the Dean's Advisory Council at the MIT School of Engineering, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is chair of the Investment Advisory Committee of The Engine (launched by MIT).

Select Current Investments: Casana, Catalant, CrossFit, Elysium, NotCo, Outdoor Voices, PathAI, and TrueMotion

Alumni Investments: BBN Technologies (acquired by Raytheon), CLEAResult (acquired by General Atlantic), Datalogix (acquired by Oracle), Datto (acquired by Vista Equity Partners), Highwinds (acquired by StackPath), Index (acquired by Stripe), OGSystems (acquired by Parsons Corp.), Rue La La (acquired by GSI Commerce), Vitrue (acquired by Oracle)

Education: BA Fine Arts from Colgate University; JD from Boston College

General Catalyst: General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that provides early-stage and growth equity investments. They provide ongoing momentum that accelerates ideas, careers, and companies toward standout success. They create the ideal conditions for growth, surround clients with the right people, and offer mentorship based on deep experience.To date, General Catalyst has managed eight venture capital funds totaling approximately $3.75 billion in capital commitments.

Quotes from David Fialkow: 

• “Founders need empathy to drive their vision and dreams." 
• “Great firms are defined by great funds and great funds are defined by great companies” 
• “In order to win, you need people to win with, nobody is so good that they can do it on their own.”