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Chetan Puttagunta is a General Partner at Benchmark based in San Francisco, California, where he specializes in early-stage enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, and developer tools investments. Prior to joining Benchmark in 2018, he spent over seven years at New Enterprise Associates, eventually rising to the senior position of General Partner. Throughout his venture capital career, he has led early funding rounds for prominent open-source technology companies, including Elastic, MongoDB, and MuleSoft. Recently, he directed Benchmark's participation in a $16.5 million Series A for MindsDB and backed AI coding platform Cursor, which reached a post-money valuation exceeding $2 billion. The Stanford University engineering graduate was ranked 36th on the 2024 Forbes Midas List of top technology investors. His current investment focus remains centered on identifying and scaling foundational B2B SaaS and artificial intelligence infrastructure startups.
Chetan Puttagunta stands as a prominent figure in the venture capital landscape, serving as a General Partner at Benchmark, one of Silicon Valley's most esteemed venture capital firms. At Benchmark, Chetan is renowned for his deep expertise in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, developer tools, data infrastructure, and cybersecurity. He partners with ambitious founders who are building the foundational technologies that power modern businesses and drive digital transformation.
Chetan's investment philosophy is rooted in his strong technical background and extensive experience in the software industry. He seeks out companies that are addressing critical pain points for developers and enterprises, often leveraging open-source models or innovative cloud-native architectures. His portfolio reflects a keen eye for disruptive technologies and a commitment to long-term value creation.
Before joining Benchmark, Chetan built an impressive career trajectory in venture capital. He was previously a Partner at NEA, where he led numerous successful investments in the enterprise software space. Prior to NEA, he gained valuable experience as an associate at Lightspeed Venture Partners. His journey into venture capital was preceded by a foundational role as a software engineer at VMware, giving him firsthand insight into the complexities and opportunities within enterprise technology. This blend of operational and investment experience provides him with a unique perspective when evaluating new ventures.
Throughout his career, Chetan has been instrumental in backing some of the most impactful companies in enterprise technology. His notable investments include early involvement with companies like MongoDB, Elastic, and Docker. At Benchmark, he has continued this trend, supporting groundbreaking firms such as HashiCorp, Confluent, Cockroach Labs, Sourcegraph, Pinecone, and Vercel, among others. These investments underscore his consistent ability to identify and nurture companies that go on to achieve significant market leadership and innovation.
Chetan Puttagunta's contributions to the technology ecosystem extend beyond capital. He is known for his hands-on approach, working closely with founders to navigate strategic challenges, scale operations, and build world-class teams. His reputation as a trusted advisor makes him a sought-after partner for entrepreneurs aiming to redefine the future of enterprise software and cloud computing.
Chetan Puttagunta is a highly respected General Partner at Benchmark, a leading venture capital firm. He is known for his expertise in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, and developer tools investments, partnering with founders building transformative technologies.
Chetan Puttagunta primarily invests in companies within the enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, developer tools, data infrastructure, and cybersecurity sectors. He focuses on foundational technologies that empower businesses and developers.
Chetan Puttagunta works as a General Partner at Benchmark, a prominent venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. Benchmark is known for its early-stage investments in groundbreaking technology companies.
