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Niko Bonatsos

Investor in tech startups

Niko Bonatsos is a Managing Director at General Catalyst, a venture capital firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area.1 He has been with General Catalyst since January 2011, focusing on early-stage investments in technology startups.1

Professional Experience

Bonatsos holds several board member positions, including:

  • Board Member at Remote since June 20191
  • Board Member at Numerade since February 20191
  • Board Member at Sleeper since October 20181
  • Board Member at Medely since February 20171
  • Board Member at Hive since October 20131

Investment Focus

Bonatsos specializes in investing in first-time technology founders, particularly those with strong product instincts and a desire to create innovations that can benefit millions.3 He has been instrumental in General Catalyst's investments in companies such as Atrium, Audius, ClassDojo, Snap, and others.2

Education

Bonatsos has an impressive educational background:

  • M.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University (as a Fulbright Scholar)13
  • M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge1
  • Dipl.-Ing. from the National Technical University of Athens13

Career History

Before joining General Catalyst, Bonatsos worked as an R&D Engineer at Yokogawa Electric Corporation in Japan from September 2007 to August 2008.1

Bonatsos is known for his interest in consumer products that may initially be perceived as "crazy, funny, or even controversial," seeing these strong reactions as indicators of disruptive potential.3 He believes that technology should exist to improve people's lives and is always eager to learn about new ambitious startup ideas.13

Highlights

Apr 25 · twitter

VCs at work. https://t.co/fQvoB0iuUj

VCs at work. https://t.co/fQvoB0iuUj
Feb 11 · twitter

Thrilled to be back home in San Francisco!

Jan 8 · TechCrunch
Discord and Mercor investor Niko Bonatsos departs General Catalyst, plans new VC firm
Discord and Mercor investor Niko Bonatsos departs General Catalyst, plans new VC firm
Oct 10 · VentureBeat
Jadu launches multiplayer AR mobile fighting game - VentureBeat
Jadu launches multiplayer AR mobile fighting game - VentureBeat
Nov 16 · fullratchet.net
257. Investing in First-time Founders, the Evolution of Social, the ...
257. Investing in First-time Founders, the Evolution of Social, the ...
May 28 · youtube.com
Live Interview with Niko Bonatsos - Managing director at ... - YouTube
Live Interview with Niko Bonatsos - Managing director at ... - YouTube

Related Questions

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How did Niko Bonatsos transition from engineering to venture capital?
What makes Niko Bonatsos passionate about first-time technology founders?
How does Niko Bonatsos evaluate potential investments?
What are some key traits Niko Bonatsos looks for in a startup founder?
Niko Bonatsos
Niko Bonatsos, photo 1
Niko Bonatsos, photo 2
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Experience

Investor at General Catalyst (January 2011 - Present)
Board Member at Remote (June 2019 - Present), Numerade (February 2019 - Present), Sleeper (October 2018 - Present), Medely (February 2017 - Present), Hive (October 2013 - Present)

Education

M.S. from Stanford University, M.Phil. from University of Cambridge, Dipl.-Ing. from National Technical University of Athens, Attended Harvard Medical School

Location

San Francisco Bay Area