Speaking during a global CEO roundtable attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Taneja said, “It’s one of the largest dedicated venture capital commitments to India ever made.”
The firm raised $8 billion for a global investment fund in October 2024 to back startups worldwide. The India allocation is its largest commitment to the country so far.
In June 2024, after acquiring early-stage venture capital fund Venture Highway, General Catalyst said it would set aside between $500 million and $1 billion for India to expand its presence.
Its investments in India include Zepto, Meesho, Cred, MPL, Raphe mPhibr, ShareChat and Spinny.
In a LinkedIn post, Taneja said Indian founders are building products for very large populations. “India’s current generation of innovators is now…solving for billion-person complexity that can reshape global markets — something no other ecosystem can replicate,” he said.
He said artificial intelligence could help address gaps in healthcare and education. “The same country that gave the world generic pharmaceuticals and has the largest school-age population in the world can use AI to close gaps in healthcare and education that have persisted for generations.”
Taneja said India’s position as the world’s largest IT exporter and an IT workforce of about 5.8 million people could support growth in the AI sector. He also noted that about one million young people enter the workforce every month.
He cited strengthening economic and strategic ties between India, the United States and Europe as another factor. “The US, Europe, and India share democratic values, complementary capabilities, and a common interest in keeping Asia open,” he said.
On artificial intelligence, Taneja said India’s opportunity lies in deploying the technology at scale. “We believe India’s greatest AI opportunity is diffusion — deploying AI at scale in ways no other market can match.”
He added that India had previously set standards with digital public infrastructure. “India leapfrogged layered legacy systems of the West and set global standards with platforms like Aadhaar and UPI.”
General Catalyst’s India and Middle East operations will continue to be led by Neeraj Arora, former chief business officer of WhatsApp, who joined the firm after the Venture Highway merger. Taneja said the new investment continues the strategy established by the India and MENA team.
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