Niko Bonatsos is leaving General Catalyst to establish his own venture fund
Investor Niko Bonatsos, who managed the seed strategy at General Catalyst, announced his departure from the firm. He plans to create a new venture fund for early-stage investments.
Bonatsos gained recognition for supporting successful projects such as Discord and the high-value AI startup Mercor. His decision to leave was mutual with General Catalyst, and the investor describes his experience at the company as “wonderful.” Despite this, specific details about the new fund are not yet available, including its name and the start of the capital-raising process. Bonatsos plans to collaborate with experienced founders and investors, whom he calls his “friends.”
Bonatsos’s departure is part of broader personnel changes at General Catalyst. Before him, the company had already seen the exits of Dip Nishar, Kyle Doherty, and Adam Valkin. These changes occur amid a review of the firm’s strategy, which increasingly focuses on capital management, AI asset acquisition, and revenue-based financing. Despite the new focus, General Catalyst continues to invest in seed stages, including the hiring of Yuri Sagalov to lead the seed focus in the USA.
In recent years, General Catalyst has also shown activity on other fronts. In May 2025, the company invested $1 billion in Grammarly, aiding in the expansion of this service’s client base. General Catalyst’s new strategic focus allows them to combine continuous development with innovations in the technology market.
