a16z Podcast

a16z
a16z Podcast

The a16z Podcast discusses tech and culture trends, news, and the future – especially as ‘software eats the world’. It features industry experts, business leaders, and other interesting thinkers and voices from around the world. This podcast is produced by Andreessen Horowitz (aka “a16z”), a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. Multiple episodes are released every week; visit a16z.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletters and other content as well!

  1. Stablecoins & the Future Financial System

    1 DAY AGO

    Stablecoins & the Future Financial System

    a16z Crypto General Partners Ali Yahya, Arianna Simpson, and Erik Torenberg break down what’s actually working in crypto today - starting with the rise of stablecoins as a real-world payments layer. They discuss how stablecoins are being adopted by companies like Stripe and SpaceX, why regulatory shifts are opening new doors for crypto startups, and how AI and crypto are beginning to intersect. They also cover: The future of decentralized social networksWhere Ethereum, Solana, and others stand todayMisconceptions still holding the space backA grounded conversation on what’s real, what’s hype, and where crypto’s finally finding traction. Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction to Crypto and AI 00:16 The Rise of Stable Coins 00:40 Current State of Crypto 02:02 Deep Dive into Stable Coins 07:39 Institutional and Consumer Adoption 22:09 The Future of Crypto and AI 29:13 Misconceptions and Policy Changes 33:06 Smart Contract Platforms 36:14 Closing Thoughts Resources:  Find Ali on X: https://x.com/alive_eth Find Arianna on X:  https://x.com/AriannaSimpson Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures

    38 min
  2. How Andreessen Horowitz Disrupted VC & What’s Coming Next

    3 DAYS AGO

    How Andreessen Horowitz Disrupted VC & What’s Coming Next

    On this episode, taken from The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz dive deep into the unfiltered story behind the founding of Andreessen Horowitz—and how they set out to reinvent venture capital itself.  For the first time, Marc and Ben walk through the origins, strategy, and philosophy behind building a world-class venture capital firm designed for the future—not just the next fund. They reveal how they broke industry norms with a bold brand, a full-stack support model, and a long-term commitment to backing exceptional builders—anchored in the radical idea that founders deserved real support, not just checks.  Joining them to guide the conversation is Erik Torenberg—Andreessen Horowitz’s newest General Partner—who makes his Ben & Marc Show moderating debut. Erik is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and founder of the media company Turpentine. Together, they explore:  - Why traditional VC needed reinvention  - How a16z scaled with a platform model, not a partner model  - The "barbell strategy" reshaping venture capital today  - Why venture remains a human craft, even in the age of AI  Timecodes:  00:00 - Intro  01:00 - Why Traditional Venture Capital Was Broken  03:05 - Marc on Discovering VC and Its Legends  05:12 - Surviving the Dot-Com Crash and Angel Investing Collapse  07:05 - Helping Founders Raise Venture / Fix VC Relationships  08:47 - The a16z Strategy: Building a Support Platform  12:07 - First Fund Wins: Skype, Instagram, Slack, Okta  12:50 - Building a 'World-Dominating Monster' 15:00 - The Sushi Boat VC Problem  18:07 - Treating LPs Differently  21:40 - Marc and Ben's Working Relationship  23:30 - Updating a16z’s Media Strategy for the Social Era  27:20 - History of the Decentralized Media Environment 30:36 - Decline of Corporate Brands and Going Direct  36:06 - Naming the Firm  40:13 - Building the a16z 'Cinematic Universe' of Talent  42:16 - Creating a Federated Model  51:02 - Deciding to Market the Firm  53:26 - Recruiting General Partners  56:33 - Evolution to Full-Stack Companies  01:03:53 - The Barbell Theory: The Death of Mid-Sized VCs 01:11:50 - Why Venture Capital Should Stay Overfunded  01:19:50 - When a16z Knew It Could Be Top Tier  01:25:58 - Venture Capital is an Art, Not a Science Resources: Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca  Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz  Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg  Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/

    1h 23m

  3. 6 DAYS AGO

    Enabling Agents and Battling Bots on an AI-Centric Web

    Taken from the AI + a16z podcast, Arcjet CEO David Mytton sits down with a16z partner Joel de la Garza to discuss the increasing complexity of managing who can access websites, and other web apps, and what they can do there. A primary challenge is determining whether automated traffic is coming from bad actors and troublesome bots, or perhaps AI agents trying to buy a product on behalf of a real customer.Joel and David dive into the challenge of analyzing every request without adding latency, and how faster inference at the edge opens up new possibilities for fraud prevention, content filtering, and even ad tech.Topics include: Why traditional threat analysis won’t work for the AI-powered webThe need for full-context security checksHow to perform sub-second, cost-effective inferenceThe wide range of potential actors and actions behind any given visitAs David puts it, lower inference costs are key to letting apps act on the full context window — everything you know about the user, the session, and your application.   Follow everyone on social media: David Mytton Joel de la Garza Check out everything a16z is doing with artificial intelligence here, including articles, projects, and more podcasts.   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

    26 min
  4. Marc Andreessen on Startup Timing

    2 JULY

    Marc Andreessen on Startup Timing

    What if now is the best time in decades to start a company? In this episode, taken from Speedrun, a16z’s accelerator for early-stage founders, Marc Andreessen joins games General Partner Jonathan Lai to make the case that we’re entering a once-in-a-generation window for innovation. From the rise of AI to the cultural and policy shifts reshaping the global economy, Marc explains why the next four years present a rare opportunity for builders to seize the moment. Along the way, they discuss market timing, platform shifts, and what sets successful founders apart - including lessons from Steve Jobs, insights into AI’s impact on storytelling and games, and why being “too early” can feel just like being wrong. Timecodes 0:00 Lessons from Steve Jobs on Leadership & Innovation 2:27 The AI Boom: How It’s Changing Everything 5:52 Market Timing: The #1 Factor in Startup Success 8:13 Why the Next 4 Years Are Critical for Tech 11:30 AI & The Future of Gaming, Storytelling & Virtual Worlds 14:28  Why Some Startups Fail While Others Explode 17:11  The Role of Founders in the AI Era Resources:  Find Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarca Find Jonathan on X: https://x.com/Tocelot Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

    18 min
  5. Katherine Boyle: How Tech Can Rebuild America

    30 JUNE

    Katherine Boyle: How Tech Can Rebuild America

    Why does seriousness feel radical today? a16z General Partner Katherine Boyle joins The LaBossiere Podcast to explore what it means to build for the national interest—and why that starts with purpose. Katherine, part of the American Dynamism team at a16z, shares how we got to a place where public service became uncool, how tech can help rebuild trust in government, and why suffering, friction, and responsibility are essential ingredients for growth. From the collapse of civic duty to the rise of meme-driven politics, they dig into the cultural forces shaping America—and the opportunity to reclaim a sense of mission. They also discuss why Silicon Valley is more idea than place, what journalists and investors have in common, and why being laughed at might be the clearest sign you’re on the right path. Timecodes:  0:00 - Intro 4:48 The Decline in Public Service 7:47 Making Government Cool Again 10:07 Silicon Valley’s Aversion to National Security 13:15 Positive Sum vs Zero Sum Cultures 16:27 China, Authoritarianism, and Doing Hard Things 19:27 What Makes America Special? 23:03 Silicon Valley and the “Real Economy” 26:28 Investing in Mature Markets 29:08 Vanna White and The Wheel of Fortune 30:27 Journalism and Loneliness 32:52 - Time and Suffering 38:10 - Seriousness and Purpose 41:11 - Is Culture Downstream of Technology? 42:48 - Propaganda and Coolness as a Strategic Asset 44:40 - Florida, Texas, and Regulatory Arbitrage 47:51 - DC, Silicon Valley, and Florida 50:20 - What Should More People Be Thinking About Resources:  Find Katherine on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyle Find Alex on X: https://x.com/adlabossiere Listen to more from The LaBossiere Podcast: YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/3QDLQFt⁠ Apple: ⁠https://apple.co/478Be6M⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://spoti.fi/3sfiFiE⁠ Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

    53 min
  6. Where We Are in the AI Cycle

    27 JUNE

    Where We Are in the AI Cycle

    In this episode of ‘This Week in Consumer’, a16z General Partners Anish Acharya and Erik Torenberg are joined by Steven Sinofsky - Board Partner at a16z and former President of Microsoft’s Windows division - for a deep dive on how today’s AI moment mirrors (and diverges from) past computing transitions. They explore whether we’re at the “Windows 3.1” stage of AI or still in the earliest innings, why consumer adoption is outpacing developer readiness, and how frameworks like partial autonomy, jagged intelligence, and “vibe coding” are shaping what gets built next. They also dig into where the real bottlenecks lie, not in the tech, but in how companies, products, and people work.   Resources:  Find Anish on X: https://x.com/illscience Find Steven on X: https://x.com/stevesi Watch Andrej Karpathy’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCEmiRjPEtQ   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

    30 min
  7. Building Cluely: The Viral AI Startup that raised $15M in 10 Weeks

    25 JUNE

    Building Cluely: The Viral AI Startup that raised $15M in 10 Weeks

    What if virality wasn’t a tactic — but the entire product? In this episode, a16z General Partners Erik Torenberg and Bryan Kim sit down with Roy Lee, cofounder and CEO of Cluely, one of the most talked-about consumer AI startups of 2025. Cluely didn’t raise a mega round or drop a feature suite to get traction - it broke through by turning distribution into design: launching viral short-form videos, pushing polarizing product drops, and building in public with speed and spectacle. We cover: – Why virality is Cluely’s moat – Building a brand-native AI interface – The Gen Z founder mindset – What most startups get wrong about attention – Why creators are the new product managers – Cluely’s long-term vision for ambient AI Cluely is a glimpse at the next generation of startups,  where the line between product and performance is disappearing.   Timecodes:  00:00 Introduction  01:07 Early Success 02:02 Roy's Journey: From College Kid to Tech Universe 04:37 The Turning Point: Harvard and Beyond 06:57 Building Cluey: The Early Days 08:27 The Viral Strategy: Mastering Algorithms 13:56 The 50 Interns Experiment 15:30 The Investment Journey: Roy and Bryan's Partnership 19:20 Momentum as a Moat: The Future of AI Companies 20:32 The Evolution of Product Strategy in the AI Era 21:19 The Importance of Speed and Adaptability 22:48 The Role of Distribution in Modern Startups 24:26 Roy's Journey and Product Development 25:25 The Power of User Data and Feedback 26:58 Innovative Marketing and Distribution Tactics 28:25 The Future of AI Integration and Translucent Overlays 32:15 Controversial Marketing and Authenticity 34:01 The Impact of Radical Transparency 36:42 The Changing Landscape of Professionalism 38:26 Concluding Thoughts and Future Vision Resources:  Find Roy on X: https://x.com/im_roy_lee Find Bryan on X: https://x.com/kirbyman01 Learn more about Cluely: http://cluely.com/   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

    38 min

  8. 23 JUNE

    Chris Dixon & Tyler Cowen on Crypto, AI, and Philosophy

    In this episode, general partner Chris Dixon joins economist and author Tyler Cowen to explore the themes behind Chris’s book, Read, Write, Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet. They trace the internet’s evolution from open, decentralized beginnings to today’s consolidated platforms—and ask: how can we build something better? From stablecoins, tokenized payments, and open blockchains to AI's impact on coding, media, and politics, this wide-ranging conversation dives deep into how technologies like crypto and AI could help redistribute power online and reshape the future of ownership and innovation. The two also debate: Whether banks and legacy institutions will adopt stablecoinsThe long-term role of NFTs and digital property rightsHow AI might rewrite venture capital, education, and economic planningWhether we're heading toward a creative renaissance—or a world of AI-generated monocultureListen to similar conversations, listen to web3 with a16z: https://web3-with-a16z.simplecast.com/   Resources:  Listen to Conversations with Tyler: https://conversationswithtyler.com/ Find Chris on X: https://x.com/cdixon Find Tyler on X: https://x.com/tylercowen Join a16z’s Crypto Substack:https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

    1h 6m
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About

The a16z Podcast discusses tech and culture trends, news, and the future – especially as ‘software eats the world’. It features industry experts, business leaders, and other interesting thinkers and voices from around the world. This podcast is produced by Andreessen Horowitz (aka “a16z”), a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. Multiple episodes are released every week; visit a16z.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletters and other content as well!

Information

  • Channel
    a16z
  • Creator
    Andreessen Horowitz
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2025
  • Episodes
    879
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    a16z Podcast

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