Andreessen Horowitz

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a distinguished venture capital firm established in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. The firm is acclaimed for supporting audacious entrepreneurs harnessing technology to shape the future. Operating with a stage-agnostic approach, a16z invests in companies ranging from seed to late-stage across a broad spectrum of industries. These include consumer, enterprise, bio/healthcare, crypto, fintech, and games.

What sets a16z apart is its profound respect for the entrepreneurial journey. The leadership team is composed of general partners who are former founders, operators, CEOs, and CTOs of successful technology companies. These partners bring domain expertise in areas like biology, crypto, distributed systems, security, marketplaces, and financial services.

a16z's mission is to connect a global network of entrepreneurs, investors, executives, engineers, academics, and industry experts, fostering the growth of the technology ecosystem. The firm has nurtured a robust network that includes technical and executive talent, along with top media and market influencers.

One of the firm’s key advocacies is its strong support for 'Little Tech,' a term used to describe tech startups as opposed to Big Tech incumbents. a16z believes poor government policies are the primary threat to the success of Little Tech. Consequently, the firm is actively involved in political efforts focused on defending the freedom to research, invent, create jobs, and build the future. These efforts target politicians across the spectrum, prioritizing those who support Little Tech and opposing those against it.

a16z also champions the significance of American technology supremacy on the global stage, viewing the success of American startups as essential for maintaining the nation's leadership in technology, economic growth, and military strength. The firm emphasizes the historical role of startups in the American technological narrative, from Edison and Ford to modern innovators like SpaceX and Tesla. Despite facing many disadvantages, startups bring new ideas and drive innovation, challenging established incumbents.

Nonetheless, a16z identifies several challenges facing startups today, including regulatory hurdles, financial system pressures, and anti-startup biases from government agencies. The firm contends that these challenges threaten the vibrancy and health of American technology and, by extension, the American economy and military.

In response, a16z advocates for regulatory reforms and positive policies to dismantle incumbents' regulatory captures, encourage innovation, and drive competition. These policies span across healthcare, education, and housing, automation-driven reconstruction of the American manufacturing sector, reinvention of the military-industrial base with new defense systems, and expansion of high-skilled immigration.