Podcast
a16z Live
a16z Live is the place to listen to recorded live discussions and events featuring, hosted, or co-hosted by a16z partners (with outside voices too). As a reminder, all content posted here is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Views expressed are those of the individuals and not the views of Andreessen Horowitz, please see a16z.com/disclosures for more. To learn more about the broader a16z Podcast network and ...more
Episodes
The Importance of Partnerships in the Great Unbundling
Jun 29 2022
The API economy and a Cambrian explosion of apps are transforming best-in-class tech from monolithic tools to a stack of 20 applications that work together. Amid this unbundling, partnerships have become a critical part of early go-to-market strategy that can lead to higher quality pipeline and accelerated sales. In this fireside chat, recorded at the 2022 Crossbeam Supernode conference, a16z General Partner Sarah Wang and Bob Moore, Cofounder and CEO of Crossbeam, discuss how partnerships have ...more
Goldman Sachs' Stephanie Cohen on How the Firm's Approach to Technology Has Evolved
Jun 23 2022
a16z General Partner David Haber chats with his former colleague Stephanie Cohen, Goldman Sachs' Global Co-Head of Consumer and Wealth Management, about her journey from being an investment banker to running a global division, how Goldman Sachs stays relevant to different client audiences, and how fintech entrepreneurs can think about partnering with the financial services giant.
CISA Deputy Director Nitin Natarajan on What Cybersecurity Threats Keep Him Up At Night
Jun 10 2022
As the deputy director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Nitin Natarajan spends most of his days worrying about everything from risk identification and mitigation, to educating young people and small businesses on their potential to be victims. In this fireside chat with Joel de la Garza, a16z operating partner for security, the two men discuss what keeps the CISA official up at night, his view of the situation in Ukraine and Russia, and how being tech savvy doesn’...more
Building Towards American Dynamism with Chris Power, CEO of Hadrian
Apr 09 2022
Katherine Boyle, General Partner at a16z is joined by Hadrian founder and CEO Chris Power, Packy McCormick, founder of Not Boring, and a16z co-founder Marc Andreessen to discuss the opportunity to automate and upskill in the precision parts industry and shore up U.S. manufacturing with new technology.
Ken Griffin on Unfettered Conversations with A and Z
Dec 03 2021
An excerpt from a Clubhouse conversation, where Marc interviews Ken Griffin, CEO and founder of Citadel, on GameStop one year later and why the stock price hasn't crashed, as well as about his winning bid for the Constitution in the auction against ConstitutionDAO.
a16z Bio + Health #20: How useful is real world data in medicine?
Nov 14 2021
What are you doing with real world data? [1:39]How valuable is real world data? [7:24]How and where do we need shared data infrastructure? [16:37]Can real world data be used for clinical decision support? [20:40]Are diagnostic companies becoming the data aggregator layer? [26:52]What will define the core competency of academic medical centers (AMCs)? [30:35] How could drug manufacturers use real world data? [33:58]For more on the digital health, visit a16z.com/digital-health-builders. And for m...more
a16z Bio + Health #19: Going B2C2B in Digital Health
Oct 29 2021
Who is your "B" and who is your "C"? [2:02]Why did they choose B2C2B? [6:36]How did they craft their enterprise story? [11:42]Does going B2C2B increase CAC (customer acquisition costs)? [16:56]Three things to build an enterprise story around [22:26]How did their choice of B2C2B impact investor conversations? [34:23]What mix of consumer vs. healthcare talent did they need? [40:42] For more on the new digital health go-to-market, visit a16z.com/digital-health-builders. And for more great a16z Bio ...more
One on One with A and Z #12: What is the most misunderstood area of markets?
Oct 18 2021
This is an excerpt from the a16z Clubhouse show One on One with A and Z, where a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz answer questions on tech trends, company building, and more. To catch full live episodes of the show, follow the a16z Club on Clubhouse.
Good Time Show: Performance with Purpose with Indra Nooyi
Oct 06 2021
Indra didn't plan her career -- and that was a good thing [2:15]The personal tradeoffs of professional success [4:24]Deciding between a job at GE and PepsiCo [7:27]Rising up the ranks of PepsiCo [12:13]Transitioning PepsiCo to healthier foods... and doing well by doing good [16:34]Management hack: writing letters to parents [19:04] "Performance with Purpose" -- what is it and why does it matter? [22:15]Work-life balance requires tradeoffs [23:24]Meeting Steve Jobs and learning the power of desig...more
One on One with A and Z #11: How much rare knowledge is there?
Sep 28 2021
This is an excerpt from the a16z Clubhouse show One on One with A and Z, where a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz answer questions on tech trends, company building, and more. To catch full live episodes of the show, follow the a16z Club on Clubhouse.
Good Time Show: What It Takes to Survive with Lyft Founder John Zimmer
Sep 08 2021
The early days of Zimrides [2:08]Driving early virality [7:56]Competing with Uber [15:47]Why they took political stances [27:03]Managing through the pandemic [38:09]The future focus for Lyft -- autonomous vehicles and the end of car ownership [42:50]Follow the a16z Club to join conversations with tech founders, builders, and leaders live and in-full.
a16z Bio + Health #18: What will it take to cure diabetes?
Sep 03 2021
An overview of diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 [2:58]Thinking beyond Type 1 and Type 2 [6:58]New treatment options: stem cells, continuous glucose monitoring [14:19]What's the timeline on stem cell therapies? [17:15]Therapies for controlling, rather than curing, diabetes [23:52]The current technology challenges to treating diabetes [29:52]The challenges in education and access [35:41]This is an excerpt from the a16z Bio show on Clubhouse, where we explore all the ways that biology is technology. To c...more
a16z Bio + Health #17: Proteomics and Product around a Technological Breakthrough
Aug 31 2021
Founding story of Nautilus [1:43]Why was the Nautilus approach to proteomics a breakthrough? [6:12]Why a startup instead of academic research? [9:57]How to pick a good cofounder (it's not that different from choosing a spouse) [15:32]Advice for academic founders: how to work with VCs [21:14]The tipping points of scale & the challenges of finding good talent [25:17]Is proteomics really a gamechanger? [30:49]How is Nautilus bringing it to market? [34:17]What Nautilus can learn from Illumina and ...more
One on One with A and Z #10: The Impact of System Design on Culture
Aug 25 2021
This is an excerpt from the a16z Clubhouse show One on One with A and Z, where a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz answer questions on tech trends, company building, and more live . To catch full episodes of the show, follow the a16z Club on Clubhouse.
Capital Markets #1 with MSCI CEO Henry Fernandez: What goes into an index?
Aug 23 2021
The MSCI origin story [1:07]How does an index get constructed? [6:51]How do you keep an index accurate? [11:42]MSCI business model... how do they get paid? [16:27]MSCI, competition, and why not an open source index? [23:14]ESG and investment objectives [27:00]ESG disclosure frameworks and the role of government in ESG [32:50]Defining ESG [34:44]MSCI, crypto, and other asset classes [42:55]Why an index business instead of principal investing? [51:09]Follow the a16z Club to join conversations with...more
Good Time Show: Metaverse + Crypto
Aug 18 2021
SPEAKERS:Aarthi Ramamurthy, international, ClubhouseDonnie Dinch, founder and CEO, BitskiGabby Dizon, cofounder, Yield Guild GamesJarrod Dicker, operating partner, TCGJesse Walden, founder, Variant FundJon Lai, principal, a16zPacky McCormick, founder, Not BoringSriram Krishnan, general partner, a16zTwobadour, founder, MetapurseJustin “3LAU” Blau, producer and musicianoriginally aired on Clubhouse https://twitter.com/sriramk/status/1422987628958208007
a16z Infra #6: The Cost of Cloud vs. Repatriation
Jul 27 2021
This conversation centers on the arguments and findings of the a16z piece The Cost of Cloud, a Trillion Dollar Paradox. The Core Findings of The Cost of Cloud piece [5:22]Cloud is a significant part of COGS for public SaaS companies [8:38]Should you allocate engineers to reduce cloud cost or just focus on growth? [12:06]How much of a problem is not knowing cloud spend? [15:56]The tradeoff between focusing cost and engineering resources [19:33]Should large public SaaS companies repatriate? [23:41...more
Good Time Show: a16z's Journey with Crypto and Crypto Investing
Jul 19 2021
This podcast is an excerpt. Follow the a16z Club to join conversations with tech founders, builders, and leaders live and in-full.Early days of a16z crypto [2:38]New crypto governance capabilities [16:34]How is the VC model different when investing in crypto? [22:24]Crypto regulation and the recent attempt at holiday rulemaking [29:49]Is anyone effectively regulating crypto? [34:15]How do you start working in crypto? [36:58]What problems should crypto founders work on? [43:51]Identity, crypto, a...more
a16z Infra #5: Category Creation with Armon Dadger (HashiCorp) and Stephen Mullaney (Aviatrix)
Jul 16 2021
What makes a category? [0:37]The leading indicator? Everyone thinks you're crazy. [5:36]Can you create a category whole cloth? [7:02]How to create a category [12:05]The best category creation CEOs are product marketers [15:55]Category creation tactics: certification programs [18:54]Category creation tactics: persona-based storytelling [22:17]Is there a repeatable way to make a category? [25:35]The role of the CTO and product teams in creating the message [29:22]How do you structure product marke...more
People Behind the Product #3: What's Next in Retail?
Jul 14 2021
SPEAKERS (in order they are heard in the episode):Shannon Kelly, a16zConnie Chan, a16zBrandon Chu, VP Product and GM of Platform, ShopifyD'Arcy Coolican, a16zNait Jones, a16zJess Lee, Cofounder and CEO, Modern CitizenImran Khan, Co-founder and CEO, VerishopThis is an excerpt from the a16z Clubhouse show People Behind the Product. To catch full episodes of the show, follow the a16z Club on Clubhouse.
4B with Margit #9: What Exactly Is Growth Hacking?
Jun 23 2021
The origins of growth hacking [1:20]Brand building vs. growth hacking? [13:58]Where does growth fit into the organization? [31:06]The cold start problem: growth hacking from 0 to 1 [36:47]What can't be measured? [47:53]How do you test and validate new channels? [51:38] Do growth hacks always work, or at some point does it come down to product? [54:55]How do you allocate budget? [1:00:27]For the latest a16z conversations on Clubhouse, follow the a16z Club.
Future.com: The Why, The What, and The Who
Jun 22 2021
Why Future with Marc Andreessen, Margit Wennmachers, and Sonal Chokshi [2:20]The New Creator Economy with Joost van Dreunen, Wes Kao, Cuy Sheffield, Chris Lyons, Lauren Murrow, and Zoran Basich [17:58]Bubbles, Speculation, and Innovation with Byrne Hobart, Jamie Catherwood, and Zoran Basich [35:38]Work Models & Measures for the Information Age with Rajiv Ayyangar, Nicole Forsgren, and Das Rush [51:20]The Power of Subtracting, Adding, and AI in Bio with Leidy Klotz, Vijay Pande, and Lauren Rich...more
One on One with A and Z #9: The Big Questions around Remote Work
Jun 18 2021
What was the biggest surprise from the past 15 months of remote work? [5:24]How do you handle conflict and build trust? [10:09]What's the role of offsites? [15:45]Should you adjust compensation for different geographies? [24:02]How do you measure productivity? [34:10]What is the impact of remote work on retention and turnover? [49:17]How do startups built on decentralized platforms (e.g., Ethereum) function? [53:36]Is this the beginning of the end for Silicon Valley? [56:07]For the latest a16z ...more
Good Time Show with Plaid CEO Zach Perret
Jun 18 2021
This podcast is an excerpt. Follow the a16z Club to join conversations with tech founders, builders, and leaders live and in-full.In this episode: The abandoned M&A with Visa [3:47]Communicating to employees around the M&A [8:29]Plaid's near death experiences in the early days [12:41]The fintech trends that made Plaid possible [17:29]What is a bank now? [26:54]Fintech and new revenue models [29:20]Plaid's role in the creator economy [35:21]What is a neobank? [37:30]
a16z Bio + Health #16: Digital Health for Complex Care
Jun 17 2021
In what ways is digital health for complex care under or overrated? [4:04]Are digital health solutions better suited to tackling clinical or non-clinical needs for complex care? [17:32]The challenge of the physician's inbox [27:55]Have we meaningfully moved the needle on complex digital care? If so, where? [32:08]Should we focus on applying basic tech to easy optimization and automation problems or advanced tech to more complex problems? [41:48] It's Time to Heal, Mondays at 5pm PT on Clubhouse....more
Good Time Show: DAO Primer
Jun 15 2021
Decentralized autonomous organizations, or DAOs, are one of the hottest topics in crypto and tech right now. But what exactly are they? Why do they matter? And what new modes of governance, ownership, and creation do they make possible?
a16z Bio + Health #15: The mRNA Revolution with Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel
Jun 11 2021
mRNA research before COVID and how "mRNA is code" [3:21]The early days of COVID: designing a vaccine in 48 hours [5:44]The software behind the vaccine: getting mRNA researchers out of Excel and into a drug design studio [9:11]The first draft of the vaccine was the final draft [11:10]How the government sped up vaccine development for COVID [12:18]What other new vaccines will come from mRNA? [15:34]How far are we from these mRNA vaccines? What do we need for them to be widely available? [25:31]Op...more
Boss Talk #15: Copycats, Inventors vs. Operators. Hiring SDRs, and more
May 28 2021
Fab 5 Freddy on New York in the 70s, Warhol, Blondie, Basquiat, and Yo! MTV Raps [1:40]Contrarian strategy and challenging assumptions [5:12]Boring AI and solving meaningful problems [8:42]Drop-in audio copycats [14:39]How is copying software different from remixing hip hop? [21:07]Do you want a CEO as an inventor or an operator? [24:12]Recruiting sales development reps [30:34]Being a boss and having a personal life [36:56]How do you tell the story of letting someone go? [42:47]Best practices fo...more
GTM #2: Product-led Marketing
May 24 2021
The six functions in an enterprise marketing org [2:54]Why product marketing is the killer function [6:52]How do you hire a world class product marketer? [11:16]Is community or developer evangelists its own function or part of product marketing? [17:46]How does community tie into the marketing funnel? [22:56]Is community top of funnel, an accelerant for the whole funnel, or something else entirely? [29:39]If the product you're selling becomes someone's job, then your community marketing is worki...more
Boss Talk #14: New Media Models with Substack
May 21 2021
What did Substack think about the NYTimes article "Why We’re Freaking Out About Substack" [1:01]What is Substack? [4:40]The issues with social media content models and how Substack is different [5:54]What about the echo chamber? [8:54]Turning cultural principles (e.g., freedom of the press) into actual culture [12:00]Will Substack replace traditional media? [14:01]Would Donald Trump be welcome on Substack? [20:35]Why do they pay writers advances? And why is that controversial? [23:33]The origins...more
People Behind the Product #2: Collectibles Comeback
May 20 2021
eBay to today, a brief history of collectibles and tech [1:03]Are collectibles about sentiment or investment? [5:13]How do you bring the excitement of a collection to digital goods? [13:34]Is the future of all collectibles digital? [20:20]The role of blockchain and NFTs [26:39]Are collectible marketplaces different from other marketplaces? [32:19]Importance of live video [38:28]Celebrity interest in NFTs: will it last? [40:46]Are collectibles a bubble? [43:13]Listen live to the a16z show People ...more
NFT Virtual Summit (full audio)
May 19 2021
For videos of the NFT Virtual Summit, visit a16z.com. Session 1: The Future of the Digital Ownership Economy with Dan Boneh (Stanford University) and Chris Dixon (a16z)What is an NFT? [3:01]Why are NFTs so big right now? [7:04]The most exciting programmable ownership structures [11:36]NFTs and composability: what can you do with NFTs? [15:16]How would quantum impact the immutability of the blockchain ledger? [18:40]How important is decentralized permanent storage for NFTs... and when will we ...more
a16z Bio + Health #14: How do we safely deliver more gene therapies?
May 18 2021
What inspired Eric and Sam to start Dyno [4:09]How does the use of ML impact Dyno's GTM [10:40]The current challenges of gene therapy [21:43]Why Dyno wants to be a horizontal platform for gene therapy [30:56]How does Dyno think about competition [44:23]After party and audience Q&A [52:01]It's Time to Heal, Mondays at 5pm PT on Clubhouse. Join the a16z bio team — Jorge Conde, Vineeta Argawala, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande — plus special guests every week as they explore all the ways that biology is...more
Boss Talk #13: Book Club for Bosses
May 14 2021
Note: the recording of this episode starts a minute or two into the show.Ali recommends: The Hard Thing about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz [0:18]Ben recommends: High Output Management by Andy Grove [4:36]Marc recommends: Who Really Matters: The Core Group Theory of Power, Privilege, and Success by Art Kleiner [10:48]Best read for enterprise sales: Power Base Selling by Jim Holden, et al [13:06]Microsoft, Google, government contracts, and politicized workplaces [16:28]Marc recommends: The Tyranny...more
Ben Feder of Tencent America on Games Club
May 14 2021
How Ben took over Take Two [1:42]How digital distribution and publishing changed gaming [8:36]What is a next generation publisher? [13:51]Can publishers add value as tastemakers? [17:36]How do you make sure studios ship on time? And in the era of persistent game worlds, does it matter? [22:01]Lessons learned from Take Two [27:27]Taking the long view of the creative process — "Every overnight success was ten years in the making." [30:53]Is there a successful game that surprised Ben? [37:08]What's...more
Robert Smith on Unfettered Conversations with A and Z
May 13 2021
Robert's foundational experiences growing up [3:03]His introduction to computers, how he got an internship at Bell Labs, and what he learned there [6:38]Why he studied chemical engineering [13:15]Working at Kraft and engineering macaroni and cheese [15:08]Why he moved to investing [18:12]How he realized that it made sense to do buyouts in enterprise software [23:19]Creating a common playbook for running enterprise software companies [30:45]How does he think about retaining vs replacing founders ...more
4B with Margit #8: Basecamp and Banning Political Talk
May 13 2021
What happened at Basecamp and could it have gone differently? [3:51]When did Basecamp turn into a 4B? [7:45]Why were buyouts a good policy for Basecamp and Coinbase? [10:26]Why not have a more moderate policy? [11:56]What makes something "political"? [14:45]What about when political issues have a personal impact on employees? [19:18]What happened at Peloton and why they apologized [22:53]When should you issue an apology? [26:12]How do you rebuild trust after you apologize? [28:32]Audience Q&A ...more
Breach of the Week #4: Red Teaming iOS Vulnerabilities with Cedric Owens
May 11 2021
What are red teams and blue teams? [2:03]How Cedric cracked Mac Gatekeeper [6:55]Apple's response [15:22]Cedric's craziest hack [19:24]Red team advice for the blue team [22:02]Audience Q&A [26:31]🔐Breach of the Week 🔐looks at who got hacked, how it happened, and what it means for the industry. 🎙With hosts Joel de la Garza (a16z Security Operating Partner) and Geoff Belknap (CISO LinkedIn) on Clubhouse every Thursday 5-5:30pm.
a16z Bio + Health #13: Care After COVID with Shantanu Nundy
May 11 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Julie Yoo, Vijay Pande, and Jorge Conde talk to guest Shantanu Nundy, the Chief Medical Officer of Accolade. The conversation covers Dr. Nundy's new book, "Care After Covid: What the Pandemic Revealed Is Broken in Healthcare and How to Reinvent It", the next steps in the evolution of hospitals, interoperability (or lack thereof), and more.
a16z Infra #4: Segmenting the Data Analytics Stack
May 07 2021
Why does it feel like there's a database for everything? [4:46]What is the actual use case and market for streaming? [9:34]How real is real time? [20:12]Can you do everything in SQL? [25:08]Is the future SQL extensions or does SQL become embedded in data frames? [40:19]Is database consolidation coming? How many different systems will we have? (SPOILER: 3... maybe) [49:41] a16z Infra is the Clubhouse Show where the a16z enterprise team and guests discuss the foundational technology and products t...more
Boss Talk #12: The AI Edition
May 07 2021
What is AI? [2:27]AI is statistics, not consciousness [7:05]Why then so much talk about the singularity? [12:12]AI breakthroughs and FAANGs [17:21]Building the AI toolchain [26:07]AI applications in bio and medicine [30:19]Ali's favorite AI use cases [34:35]What will AI do to jobs? [39:27] AI in 10 years [46:09]Snowflake, Databricks, data Lake, data warehouse, and how it all fits together [48:16]Boss Talk is the Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of ...more
4B with Margit #7: Building Brand Communities
May 06 2021
In this episode: Melody McCloskey - CEO of StyleSeat, a booking platform that connects stylists and beauty professionals with clients. Since its founding in 2011, StyleSeat has powered 150 million beauty appointments and generated over $6.5 billion in revenue for beauty professionals. The company has created a loyal community of the country’s leading hair, makeup and nail stylists.Camille Ricketts - Head of Marketing at Notion, a popular workspace collaboration and productivity tool that has dev...more
a16z Bio + Health #12: Talking Price Transparency and Patient Engagement with Florian Otto
May 05 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Julie Yoo and Jorge Conde, managing partner Scott Kupor, and market development partner Venkat Mocherla talk to guest Florian Otto, cofounder and CEO of Cedar. The conversation covers how to improve two of the trickiest aspect of healthcare: price transparency and patient engagement.
Boss Talk #11: Second Time Founder with Sanjit Biswas (Samsara)
May 04 2021
Boss Talk is the Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff... boss stuff. Live every Tuesday 5-6pm on Clubhouse.
GTM #1: The New Enterprise Go to Market with Figma
Apr 30 2021
Inside sales, field sales, product-led, channel sales, marketing, post-sales… a16z GTM is our clubhouse show for enterprise founders and builders about what it takes to go to market and the evolving strategies and lessons learned from enterprise companies past and present. Every other Thursday 4-5pm with David Ulevitch.For our upcoming schedule of Clubhouse conversations, visit a16z.com/clubhouse.
One on One with A and Z #8: Which will last longer Harvard or the US?
Apr 29 2021
a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz answer questions on tech trends, company building, and more live on Clubhouse Mondays at 7pm PT.In this conversation: Which institution will last longer Harvard or the US? [00:58]How do you craft a good culture in a high pressure environment? [13:45]When will we have AGI? [31:15]Are network effects today so strong that big tech incumbents (e.g., Google, Facebook, Amazon) can deliver better products than startups? [44:06]What actually is the intern...more
4B with Margit #6: How Startups Can Work with Government and Policy Makers
Apr 28 2021
In this episode: Jim Messina - CEO, The Messina Group; formerly Obama's Deputy Chief of Staff; known as the "fixer" and "the most powerful person in Washington you've never heard of"Adrian Durbin - currently at Greenbrier; former Director of Policy Comms at LyftRisa Heller - CEO of Risa Heller Communications; former Director of Comms for Senator Charles Schumer"4B with Margit" is a Clubhouse show for raw and unfiltered advice from comms and marketing experts who have seen it all, as well as insi...more
a16z Bio + Health #11: The Digital Health OGs
Apr 28 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Julie Yoo, and Jorge Conde talk to guests Sean Duffy, cofounder and CEO of Omada Health, Karan Singh, cofounder and COO of Ginger, and Chris Hogg, a serial entrepreneur in the digital health space. The conversation covers go-to-market strategies, financing and aligning incentives, the struggles of interoperability (or lack thereof), and what it is like to build today versus in the early years.
People Behind the Product #1: YouTube and the Evolution of the Creator Economy
Apr 27 2021
In this episode: Jamie Byrne, Senior Director of Creator Partnerships, YouTubeShishir Mehrotra, former Director of Product Management, YouTube; former VP of Product, Engineering, UX, YouTube; current Founder & CEO, CodaShiva Rajaraman, former Director, Product Management (etc.); current VP Shops and Business, FacebookLauren Riihimimaki (aka LaurDIY), Canadian YouTuber
One on One with A and Z #7: The NFT Renaissance
Apr 23 2021
a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz answer questions on tech trends, company building, and more live on Clubhouse Mondays at 7pm PT.In this conversation:NFTs and tokenization — how will they impact the arts, media, music and investing strategies?The potential for DeFiUsing shocking new rules to create cultureStructuring options to attract talent Spending time in the markets vs. timing the marketOperation Warp Speed — will it accelerate how novel medical treatments come to market?You...more
a16z Infra #3: What Microsoft Can Teach Us about Technical Product Leadership at Scale
Apr 21 2021
a16z Infra is the Clubhouse Show where the a16z enterprise team and guests discuss the foundational technology and products that underpin all of tech. We dig deep into data, AI/ML, security, developer tools, compute, network, storage, hardware, and anything else found below the surface of modern stacks.Like what you hear? Tune in for our next show on Thursday, April 29, 4-5pm.
a16z Bio + Health #10: The Digital Health Difference with Connie Chen
Apr 21 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Julie Yoo, and Jorge Conde talk to guest Connie Chen, Chief Medical Officer at Lyra health. The conversation covers what makes digital health different from traditional healthcare delivery, how to build a sustainable business model while maintaining high standards for care, and advice for founders of digital health startups.
Technology & Talent for Defense with Anduril
Apr 20 2021
Anduril founders and team members Joe Chen, Matt Grimm, Palmer Luckey, Brian Schimpf, and Trae Stevens in conversation with Big Ideas show on Clubhouse co-host Katherine Boyle (along with Antonio Garcia-Martinez, Erik Torenberg, and Marc Andreessen).
Boss Talk #10: The Story is the Strategy with Dave McJannet
Apr 19 2021
On this episode of Boss Talk: How do the best product marketers see and explain a trend?How much is the best marketing truth vs. spin?Does the marketing function create the strategy or execute on it?What are the core skills and competencies of a great product marketer — and how do you find, or train, product marketers?Should you create a category, or try to capture an existing category?What is the minimum viable audience ?What's the role of open source in getting a minimum viable audience?How s...more
The Good Time Show: The Coinbase Story
Apr 16 2021
From first discovering the bitcoin white paper through the crypto winters to taking the company public... Coinbase founders Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam tell their story, with Good Time Show hosts Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan, plus early investors, employees, and board members — Garry Tan, Marc Andreessen, Dan Romero, Balaji Srinivasan, and Katie Haun.
Zynga cofounder Justin Waldron on Games Club
Apr 16 2021
Zynga cofounder and SVP of Product Justin Waldron discusses his early iteration process, reimagining the game industry's business model, and important game metrics with a16z partner Jonathan Lai, Stillfront SVP Andrew Green, Presence Capital managing partner Amitt Mahajan, and Indie MEGABOOTH founder Kelly Wallick on Games Club.
Breach of the Week #3: Ubiquiti and Whistleblowing
Apr 15 2021
In January, device maker Ubiquiti disclosed a breach and urged customers to change passwords. Then in late March, a whisteblower alleged that Ubiquiti had massively downplayed the severity and extent of the breach to preserve the stock price. So, how bad was the breach? What do we, and don't we, know? What does this tell us about best practices for disclosures in the aftermath of a breach? And what is the role of whistleblowers? 🔐Breach of the Week 🔐looks at who got hacked, how it happened, an...more
Steve Stoute on Unfettered Conversations with A and Z
Apr 14 2021
In this occasional Clubhouse series, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talk with Steve Stoute, the founder and CEO of UnitedMasters and a former executive at Interscope and Sony Music, about the changing music business, the role of technology, how Steve started UnitedMasters, and more. Special guests MC Hammer and Fab 5 Freddy also joined.
A Crisis of Trust with Richard Edelman, Emily Chang, and Helena Maus on 4B with Margit
Apr 13 2021
Every year, Edelman publishes a trust barometer. This year, trust in most of our social institutions — and especially in media — was down. Margit asks Richard Edelman (CEO of Edelman), Emily Chang (Executive Producer at Bloomberg), and Helena Maus (CEO of Archetype) how real is the crisis of trust in media and beyond; what’s behind it; how does it relate to the perceived friction between tech and the media… and what will it take to (re)build trust."4B with Margit" is a Clubhouse show for raw and...more
Beating the Incumbents with Michael Ovitz on Boss Talk #9
Apr 09 2021
When Ben and Marc started a16z, CAA and its founder Michael Ovitz served as inspiration for how to break into an industry dominated by a few large incumbents. In 1975, a few large talent agencies dominated the entertainment industry. To break into the industry, Michael and CAA came up with a new playbook — rather than a single agent representing an actor or actress, he turned the entire agency into a network. In this special edition of Boss Talk, Michael joins Ben, Marc, and Ali to talk about ho...more
a16z Bio + Health #9: Engineering CRISPR with Ben Oakes
Apr 08 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala and Vijay Pande talk to guest Ben Oakes, cofounder, President and CEO of Scribe Therapeutics. The conversation covers the the power of engineering gene editors, the transition from academia to a startup, and how to select the first indication to target with a novel bio platform.
The Future of Open Source in the Era of SaaS on a16z Infra
Apr 06 2021
What is the future of open source in the age of SaaS? Has it become more, or less, relevant with the rise of cloud-based services? What is the connection between open source and open standards? And what does this mean for startups building SaaS apps today? Those questions and more with Nick Schrock (Elementl, GraphQL), Christian Kleinerman (Snowflake), Andrew Shafer (RedHat), and a16z general partners Martin Casado and Peter Levine. a16z Infra is the Clubhouse Show where the a16z enterprise tea...more
Scaling Marketplace Startups with the CEOs of GOAT, Cameo, Faire, StyleSeat, Neighbor, Whatnot, & more
Apr 02 2021
The CEOs of GOAT, StyleSeat, Cameo, Faire, Whatnot, and Neighbor join a16z partners Andrew Chen, Connie Chan, D'Arcy Coolican, Jeff Jordan, Katie Baynes, and Anne Lee Skates to talk about the cold start problem, 2020 metrics, growth, and the tricky business of scaling a marketplace company.See more marketplace analysis, including a ranking of the 100 largest marketplace startups & private companies, in the Marketplace 100.
Academic CEOs, Junior v. Senior Engineers, and High Growth Mistakes on Boss Talk #8
Apr 01 2021
This week on Boss Talk: Why aren't there more academic CEOs? Should early stage companies hire junior or senior engineers? What are the common mistakes high growth companies make, especially when expanding into new markets? Plus: balancing pay equity with retainment, CEO legal risk and protection, and growing through acquisition. Boss Talk is the Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff....more
a16z Bio + Health #8: How to Innovate within Biopharma with Jay Bradner
Apr 01 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande talk to guest Jay Bradner, President of the Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research (NIBR). The conversation covers the challenges of translating basic research into a clinical application, the state of innovation in therapeutics, and the transition from drug hunting to drug farming.
Return to Work, Celebrity Investors, Institutional Distrust and More on One on One with A and Z
Apr 01 2021
a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talk tech trends, company building, and more live on Clubhouse every Monday, 7pm PT. In this conversation:What does return to work look like for a16z portfolio companies (including exclusive survey data)How the re-distribution of the workforce might affect rural AmericaThe potential for social networks to replace networking in cities Generalists vs specialists in a startupHow to think about celebrity investors and executives (like Prince Harry)Th...more
How Ben's Twitter Got Hacked on Breach of the Week #2
Mar 31 2021
What do Ben Horowitz and former President Obama have in common? They both had their twitter accounts taken over to send cryptocurrency spam.With our office now our home, all security has become personal. This week on Breach of the Week, Ben explains how his Twitter got hacked, and Geoff and Joel break down the personal threat landscape, the security measures that best protect you, and where the security industry needs to evolve to better protect individuals. 🔐Breach of the Week 🔐looks at who ...more
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen on Games Club
Mar 30 2021
Supercell CEO and co-founder Ilkka Paananen discusses collaborative decision-making on game teams, learning from failure, product design, building company culture, and more with a16z partner Jonathan Lai, Stillfront SVP Andrew Green, Proletariat CEO Seth Sivak, and Indie MEGABOOTH founder Kelly Wallick on Games Club.
a16z Bio + Health #7: The Power of Patient Data with Anne Wojcicki
Mar 30 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show, a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande, along with a16z cofounder Marc Andreessen, talk to guest Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andme. The conversation covers the shifting trends and perceptions at the intersection of bio and tech, the power of patient data and importance of giving people access to their own health data, and advice to founders on when to lead and when to listen.
Crypto Clubhouse: NFTs, NFTs, NFTs! with OpenSea + Katie Haun
Mar 30 2021
OpenSea founders Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah join Katie Haun as well as Marc Andreessen and Chris Lyons to talk about the emergence of NFTs, what it means for crypto marketplaces, and how the creator economy will continue to evolve.
The Art of Public Speaking with Matt Abrahams (Stanford), Ritu Narayan (Zūm) and Amir Movafaghi (Mixpanel) on 4B with Margit
Mar 26 2021
Speaking coach extraordinaire Matt Abrahams, cofounder of Bold Echo LLC and Lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business; Zūm CEO Ritu Narayan; and Mixpanel CEO Amir Movafaghi talk with Margit about how to master the art of public speaking, communicating in a virtual world, tailoring and testing the message with different audiences, and more. "4B with Margit" is a Clubhouse show for raw and unfiltered advice from comms and marketing experts who have seen it all, as well as insider stories fr...more
Building Trust and Diversity with Shaka Senghor on Boss Talk #7
Mar 25 2021
Ben and Ali are joined by guest Shaka Senghor, who after 20 years in prison, became an author and activist for prison reform, an entrepreneur, and most recently, head of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Tripactions. Shaka shares what prison taught him about building trust in a team, as well as what he sees as the path — and the obstacles— to meaningful diversity in the workplace. Boss Talk is the Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databri...more
SPACs, Bootstrapping and Funding, Firing Execs, and More on One on One with A and Z #5
Mar 24 2021
a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talk tech trends, company building, and more live on Clubhouse every Monday, 7pm PT. In this conversation:How can VCs be both investors and marketing/growth engines for companies they invest in? How has a16z approached this and curating talent on Clubhouse?Are SPACs the new IPO? What would you say to a founder who pitched you a plan to grow as fast as they can with the goal of selling to a SPAC in 3-5 years?If a startup is profitably bootstrapp...more
Verkada, $16 SMS hacks on Breach of the Week #1
Mar 23 2021
🔐Welcome to Breach of the Week 🔐– the show that looks at who got hacked, how it happened, and what it means for the industry. 🎙With hosts Joel de la Garza (a16z Security Operating Partner) and Geoff Belknap (CISO LinkedIn)👉 On the first episode: the Verkada hack and the Cloudflare response with Joe Sullivan (CSO Cloudflare)$16 SMS hacks, how is it possible and what does it mean for SMS? distracted guard allows intruder into Andrews Air Force BaseCapcom had a breach and made everyone return t...more
Martin Casado, David Ulevitch, and Ben Horowitz on a16z Infra #1
Mar 20 2021
Welcome to a16z Infra, the Clubhouse Show where the a16z enterprise team discusses the foundational technology and products that underpin all of tech. We dig deep into data, AI/ML, security, developer tools, compute, network, storage, hardware, and anything else found below the surface of modern stacks.On our first show, a16z general partners Ben Horowitz, Martin Casado, and David Ulevitch talk about their journeys as infrastructure founders-turned-investors; what exactly infrastructure is; h...more
Internal Comms with Amanda Atkins (Slack) and Shannon Schiltz (a16z) on 4B with Margit #3
Mar 19 2021
Amanda Atkins, who leads Internal Communications & Culture at Slack, and Shannon Schiltz, who heads up HR & People Practices at a16z, talk internal comms with Margit. They break down the basics — When do you need an internal comms function? Where should it report? Is it actually different from external comms — and share advice for the toughest parts of the job, including how to handle layoffs, divisive political issues, negative employee reviews on Glassdoor, and leaks. 4B with Margit is a Clubh...more
Riccardo Zacconi (Candy Crush Saga) and Kristian Segerstrale (Glu/Playfish) on Games Club
Mar 19 2021
King.com cofounder Riccardo Zacconi (developer of Candy Crush Saga) and Glu/Playfish cofounder Kristian Segerstrale (now the CEO of Super Evil Megacorp) discuss trends in the games industry, failing fast, and building enduring startups with a16z partner Jonathan Lai, Indie MEGABOOTH founder Kelly Wallick, and Stillfront SVP Andrew Green on Games Club.
Greg Reyes on Unfettered Conversations with A and Z
Mar 19 2021
In this occasional Clubhouse series, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talk with Greg Reyes, the former CEO of Brocade Communications who was recently pardoned after being convicted of and serving time for the fraudulent backdating of corporate stock options. Greg talks about his career before his conviction, his case and the SEC, his time in prison and what life was like after, the presidential pardon process, his advice for leaders today, and more. Catch Ben and Marc's Clubhous...more
Pricing Strategy, Category Creation on Boss Talk #6 with Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi
Mar 18 2021
Pricing has huge implications for market size. How do you know if the price isn't right? And when a customer says something is too expensive, what are they really telling you? Also on Boss Talk #6: creating a new category, how Ali learned to handle racism, and when to bet on your next product. Boss Talk is the Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff... boss stuff. Live every Tuesday 5-6p...more
a16z Bio + Health #6: AI for Biologics With Mark DePristo and Peyton Greenside
Mar 18 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show "It's Time to Heal", a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande talk to guests Peyton Greenside and Mark DePristo of BigHat Biosciences. The conversation covers the growing role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in drug development and specifically in biologics and protein therapeutics.
Startup Purgatory, Common Pitch Mistakes, Competing with Incumbents and More on One on One with A and Z #4
Mar 17 2021
Topics covered this week include:How to tell if a startup has entered "purgatory", where they're getting by each year but no longer has a chance to be a multi-billion dollar companyCommon mistakes founders make when pitching VCsWhen do the biggest disagreements happen over possible investmentsWhat happens when an idea is great, but one of the founders is toxicIs there anyone now like Silicon Valley coaching legend, Coach Bill Campbell?What kinds of large companies are easiest to compete with?R...more
a16z Bio + Health #5: From COVID to Consumerism & the Future of Virtual First Care with Stephen Klasko
Mar 13 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show "It's Time to Heal", a16z general partners Julie Yoo, Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, and Vijay Pande, along with market development partner Venkat Mocherla, talk to guest Dr. Stephen Klasko, the president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health about transforming the US healthcare system.
Failure & Comeback with Suneel Gupta et al on 4B with Margit #2
Mar 12 2021
What are the different types of failure? Which can (and can’t) we come back from? And what does it take to turn failure into a comeback story?The second episode of “4B with Margit” explores failure and comebacks with Suneel Gupta, once a poster child for failure, featured in the New York Times and on the keynote stage of FailCon, whose new book Backable is a study in turning failure into success. Also joining the conversation is Eugene Soltes, Harvard Business School professor and author of Why ...more
Competing in the Cloud on Boss Talk with Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi
Mar 11 2021
For some cloud software companies, they don't just build on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, they compete with them. So, how do you stay ahead when competing in the cloud? a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, cover that, as well as getting product-market fit on your second product, why it's difficult to do both on-prem and cloud software, the importance of making the right unpopular decision, and how to know if a potential exec hire is a cultural fit on this ep...more
a16z Bio + Health #4: The History and Future of Genome Engineering with George Church
Mar 10 2021
On this episode of the a16z Bio Clubhouse Show "It's Time to Heal", a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande, along with a16z cofounder Marc Andreessen, talk to guest Dr. George Church of Harvard University about past, future, and power of genome engineering.
a16z Bio + Health #3: Metabolic Health with Casey Means
Mar 09 2021
On this episode of the new a16z Bio Clubhouse Show "It's Time to Heal", a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Jeff Jordan, and Vijay Pande, talk to guest Dr. Casey Means, co-founder of Levels Health, about metabolism and metabolic health.
Good Time Show: The NFT Episode
Mar 05 2021
Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan welcome Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, and other experts and early adopters to discuss all things NFT (non-fungible tokens) on the Good Time Show. Guests include Mike Winkelmann (aka Beeple), the digital artist whose work is currently being auctioned at Christie's, and founders of some of the leading digital creative marketplaces including Roham Gharegozlou of Dapper Labs and Kayvon Tehranian of Foundation.
4B with Margit #1
Mar 04 2021
Marc Andreessen joins a16z's Head of Marketing Margit Wennmachers for the first episode of "4B with Margit" — a Clubhouse show for raw and unfiltered advice from comms and marketing experts who have seen it all, as well as insider stories from the builders and pioneers who were in the trenches. Think “Scandal” meets “Halt and Catch Fire.” Catch it live Wednesdays 4-5 PST. In this episode: What is a 4B? What is the playbook for dealing with a crisis? And has it changed with the rise of social m...more
Boss Talk #4
Mar 04 2021
How do you keep internal politics in check? How do you know when an employee is not working? And how do you maintain culture as you grow? Those questions and more on the fourth episode of Boss Talk, the Clubhouse show where Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff... boss stuff.
Shutdowns, Stimulus Measures, & Small Businesses
Mar 03 2021
a16z general partner Alex Rampell and Post House Capital CEO Jackie Reses (formerly of Square Capital) discuss COVID shutdowns and their impact on small business owners.
a16z Bio + Health #2: Digital Diagnostics with Gaurav Singal
Feb 26 2021
On this episode of the new a16z Bio Clubhouse Show "It's Time to Heal", a16z general partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Vijay Pande, talk to guest Dr. Gaurav Singal about the future of digital diagnostics: what are they, who stands to benefit from them, and critically, who pays.
Boss Talk #3
Feb 24 2021
Ali shares his early experiences as an Iranian refugee growing up in Sweden and what he learned about leadership. Plus, how technical founders can support and understand sales leaders, striking the balance between sales and marketing, and more on the third episode of Boss Talk – the Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff... boss stuff.
One on One with A and Z #3
Feb 24 2021
Topics covered this week include:How to handle politics in the workplaceHow to avoid hiring talent just like your ownHow to have a prepared mind and the "why now" question for startupsNuclear power and the future of energyTech literacy and elected officialsHow has their definition of success changed over timeThe lessons marriage has taught them about partnerships and vice versaScience fiction and other book recommendations
Boss Talk #2
Feb 17 2021
Conway’s Law, how to be a boss of bosses, Silicon Valley post-pandemic, and more on the second episode of Boss Talk. The Clubhouse show where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff... boss stuff.
One on One with A and Z #2
Feb 17 2021
a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talk about tech trends, company-building, and more in the second episode of their new Clubhouse show, One on One with A and Z. Catch their show live at 7pm PT every Monday.
a16z Bio + Health #1: Things That Make You Go Hmmmm in Healthcare with Nikhil Krishnan
Feb 16 2021
The first episode of the new a16z Bio Clubhouse Show "It's Time to Heal" on a16z Live. a16z General Partners Vineeta Agarwala, Jorge Conde, Vijay Pande, Julie Yoo, and a16z cofounder Marc Andreessen talk to guest Nihkil Krishnan about healthcare—the stuff we're all thinking but don't talk about.
Boss Talk #1
Feb 10 2021
The first episode of the new Clubhouse show Boss Talk, where a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi, the Founder/CEO of Databricks, discuss CEO stuff, leadership stuff, management stuff... boss stuff.
One on One with A and Z #1
Feb 10 2021
a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz talk about tech trends, company-building, and more in the first episode of their new Clubhouse show, One on One with A and Z.
Elon Musk + Vlad Tenev on The Good Time Show
Feb 01 2021
Guests Elon Musk and Vlad Tenev (of Robinhood) join hosts of The Good Time Show on Clubhouse Sriram Krishnan & Aarthi Ramamurthy, Marc Andreessen, Steven Sinofsky, Garry Tan, and others.
Announcing a16z Live
Jan 30 2021
We’re announcing and launching this new feed -- simply called “a16z LIVE” -- for conversations on Clubhouse and beyond. Our goal is to capture and share many of the live discussions and events featuring, hosted, or co-hosted by a16z partners (with outside voices too); many (though not all) of these different live events take place on the social audio/ drop-in chat app Clubhouse -- to attend those in real time or sign up, please visit joinclubhouse.com.As a reminder, all the content posted here i...more