Why Catalyst Investors: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Catalyst Investors Overview

Catalyst Investors is a growth equity firm which primarily invests in high-growth tech companies.

The firm uses a research-based approach to identify market trends and partners with companies to leverage those trends and gain long-term value.

They partner with B2B companies who are at their turning point of expansion.

Some of the things they look for in a company include:

• Check Size: $10mm – 20mm+
• Transaction Type: Expansion capital (Primary & Secondary)
• Traction: $5mm+ of ARR
• Key Attributes: Post Product Market Fit
• Target Holding Period: 5+ Years

Brian Rich, Ryan McNally, and Christopher Shipman founded Catalyst Investors in 1999. The firm is based in New York, NY, USA.

Catalyst Investors AUM

As of writing, there is no available information about the assets under management of Catalyst Investors.

Catalyst Investors Interview Process & Questions

Firms can make modifications in their interview process for each candidate. However, when you interview at Catalyst Investors (or similar firms), you can expect the following:

• Around 4-6 rounds of interviews
• Junior investment professionals supervise the initial rounds, while the senior staff handle the later phase of the interview.
• The whole process can take multiple weeks – unless it’s an on-cycle or on-campus recruiting

Interviews at Catalyst Investors will be a mixture of a set of questions: fit, behavioral, and technical / investing.

Need help preparing for interviews? My Growth Equity Interview Guide is right for you.

Why Catalyst Investors

The most common question you’ll receive during interviews is “Why this firm”.

If you’ve done networking prior to your interviews, this is your chance to mention whoever you’ve met and how they’ve positively influenced your decision to apply at their firm.

Also, I would recommend learning more about the firm. A great way to do this is to listen to interviews with its founders, investors, and employees.

To start, here’s an interview with Greg Marchbanks, Operating Partner at Catalyst Investors:

More Interviews

• Brian Rich, Co-Founder of Catalyst Investors, at 2nd Annual PE/VC Conference

Catalyst Investors Case Study

Case studies almost always show up during interviews at firms like Catalyst Investors. The reason is firms use case studies to evaluate each candidate’s technical and communication skills – both crucial to investor’s success.

Most case studies revolve around investment recommendations and financial modeling. But for junior roles, cold calling case study may also be required.

For case study preparation, check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Catalyst Investors Salary & Compensation

According to Glassdoor, the median total pay for analysts at Catalyst Investors is $130K, while associates receive a median total pay of $119K. Figures may vary depending on various factors such as location, experience, and education.

Analyst

Associate

Catalyst Investors Careers, Jobs, & Internships

To stay updated with open roles at Catalyst Investors (or similar firms), visit our job board which features promising opportunities for them and other growth / VC firms.

Catalyst Investors Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Catalyst Investors has made 53 investments across three funds. Some of their notable deals include Burro, Breezeway, and Rivet.

Notable Transaction: Tava Health

Tava Health is a company which provides a mental health platform to bridge the gap between health providers and those who need support.

With Tava Health, therapists and other health providers now have access to electronic medical records, billing, telehealth, and referral management.

Since its founding, Tava Health has already made agreements with national carriers like UHC and Aetna. They also have made local partnerships with 45 regional medical carriers.

In March 2024, Catalyst Investors led a Series B funding round which helped Tava Health secure a $20 million investment.

Peterson Partners, SpringTide, Toba Capital, and Blue Heron Capital also participated in the funding round.

The investment helps Tava Health in product development, expansion of their network, and creating new partnerships with health employers and providers.

Next Steps

If you decide to send your application and build your investing career at Catalyst Investors, I would highly recommend that you check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide first before attending interviews.

Growth Equity Interview Guide helps professionals get a good grasp of topics that are typically covered during interviews such as financial modeling, case studies, and more. Check it out and start learning today!