Nat Levy-Westhead learned early in life that his natural love of making connections was more interesting when he understood complex topics from the inside. At Brown University, he took simultaneous degrees in computer science and economics so he could understand how digital innovation arose from the marriage of business and technology. Then he joined a boutique investment banking firm, working on deals involving Pandora, TiVO and Shutterfly.

Nat then pivoted into operations with Plaid, a fintech infrastructure startup, so he could learn how new products are inspired, created, developed, and brought to market. There he worked on developing a capital allocation strategy, evaluating M&A opportunities and raising capital to continue to fund the company’s growth. As he notes, it’s hard to believe how difficult it is to scale a company until you do it – and  people are the most critical factor for success.

With General Catalyst, Nat is part of the fintech team, looking for ways that digitizing money can increase efficiency for SMBs, help modernize emerging economies, and unleash entrepreneurial energy across industry. He observes that all fintech companies face tremendous change in the years to come, and that the winners will be those that create the most value for all stakeholders in their ecosystems.

Outside the office, Nat is becoming an avid pickleball player when he’s not outside hiking or relaxing with a good book or movie.