Pros
Qatalyst is a small firm started in 2008 and still has its scrappy start-up mentality: approach situations differently and more thoughtfully in order to achieve the desired outcome. All client projects are bespoke, with no set playbook. This keeps employees engaged. The nature of M&A is such that we are given the opportunity to dig deep and learn as much as we can about a particular segment within tech every few weeks/months in order to give great advice to clients. Plenty of amenities in the office, from fully stocked snack bar, catered lunch once or twice/ week for team meetings, firm activities and outings (Giants baseball, go-karts in Sonoma, Tahoe team building, etc.).
Cons
Nothing major. Qatalyst is regarded as one of the stronger investment banks in the technology sector, and maintaining that respect requires a lot of effort, i.e., time and hard work. So be aware of that before joining. It's a challenging work environment where much is required in order to provide excellent client service. Any other cons would be the general cons of investment banking and being in a client service business, nothing Qatalyst-specific: occasional late nights, long hours, less control of schedule than one would like, etc.