The cost of launching payloads to orbit has dramatically dropped, igniting a space renaissance. In 2022, a record 186 rocket launches (41 more than the previous year!) underscores this shift.In Part 1 of our satellite economy mini-series, we sit down with John Gedmark, co-founder of Astranis, to reflect on today's innovations, who’s on the other side of the satellite market, the capabilities they’re looking for, competition, and their mission to provide internet access to 4 billion underserved people.Look out for Part 2, where we tackle the challenges of rapidly reusable rockets with Andy Lapsa from Stoke Space. Resources: Learn more about Astranis: https://www.astranis.comFind John on Twitter: https://x.com/Gedmark?s=20 Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

The Evolution of the Satellite Economy

With recent landmark legislation being passed around salary transparency, many companies are playing catch up as they interpret and implement changes.In this episode, members of the a16z People Operations team,  Shannon Schiltz and Brandon Cherry explore how companies can best prepare themselves to not just survive, but thrive in this new environment. Topics Covered:00:00 - Salary transparency legislation01:52 - The culture around pay transparency 03:39 - What is the legislation?07:01 - How are companies reacting?11:03 - Structuring a compensation philosophy 12:30 - Pay ranges15:35 - Exceptions to the pay range18:17 - Leveling staff22:30 - Ranges and roles and company growth28:24 - Location based pay30:05 - What should employees look for when applying for work?32:19 - Job postings35:05 - Reviewing compensation ranges 35:42 - At what stage do you hire help? Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

Salary Transparency: Clarity or Chaos?

with @alive_eth @danboneh @smc90This week&#39;s all-new episode covers the convergence of two important, very top-of-mind trends: AI (artificial intelligence) &amp; blockchains/ crypto. These domains together have major implications for how we all live our lives everyday; so this episode is for anyone just curious about, or already building in the space. The conversation covers topics ranging from deep fakes, bots, and the need for proof-of-humanity in a world of AI; to big data, large language models like ChatGPT, user control, governance, privacy and security, zero knowledge and zkML; to MEV, media, art, and much more. Our expert guests (in conversation with host Sonal Chokshi) include: Dan Boneh, Stanford Professor (and Senior Research Advisor at a16z crypto), a cryptographer who’s been working on blockchains for over a decade and who specializes in cryptography, computer security, and machine learning -- all of which intersect in this episode;Ali Yahya, general partner at a16z crypto, who also previously worked at Google -- where he not only worked on a distributed system for a fleet of robots (a sort of &quot;collective reinforcement learning&quot;) but also worked on Google Brain, where he was one of the core contributors to the machine learning library TensorFlow built at Google.The first half of the hallway-style conversation between Ali &amp; Dan (who go back together as student and professor at Stanford) is all about how AI could benefit from crypto, and the second half on how crypto could benefit from AI... the thread throughout is the tension between centralization vs. decentralization.  So we also discuss where the intersection of crypto and AI can bring about things that aren&#39;t possible by either one of them alone...pieces referenced in this episode/ related reading:The Next Cyber Reasoning System for Cyber Security (2023) by Mohamed Ferrag, Ammar Battah, Norbert Tihanyi, Merouane Debbah, Thierry Lestable, Lucas CordeiroA New Era in Software Security: Towards Self-Healing Software via Large Language Models and Formal Verification (2023) by  Yiannis Charalambous, Norbert Tihanyi, Ridhi Jain, Youcheng Sun, Mohamed Ferrag, Lucas CordeiroFixing Hardware Security Bugs with Large Language Models (2023) by Baleegh Ahmad, Shailja Thakur, Benjamin Tan, Ramesh Karri, Hammond PearceDo Users Write More Insecure Code with AI Assistants? (2022) by Neil Perry, Megha Srivastava, Deepak Kumar, Dan BonehAsleep at the Keyboard? Assessing the Security of GitHub Copilot&#39;s Code Contributions (2021) by Hammond Pearce, Baleegh Ahmad, Benjamin Tan, Brendan Dolan-Gavitt, Ramesh KarriVoting, Security, and Governance in Blockchains (2019) with Ali Yahya and Phil Daian    As a reminder: none of the following should be taken as investment, legal, business, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including to a link to a list of our investments – especially since we are investors in companies men

AI x Crypto

How many people spend more time organizing their “second brains”, instead of leveraging the information within them? With consumer AI now capable of processing simple language prompts and interfacing with unstructured data, is the landscape of information management on the brink of a transformative evolution?Founders of Mem, Kevin Moody and Dennis Xu, plus writer Nat Eliason, explore what’s gotten in the way of a true second brain, and how AI may finally unlock what “knowledge management” tools have promised for so long.  Topics Covered:00:00 - A true second brain02:45 -  Knowledge management06:01 - Thiago Forte's ‘Building a Second Brain’10:24 - Digital hoarding12:53 - The fun of organizing 14:16 - Levels of utility19:09 - Can the unstructured nature of AI help?21:46 - What does a second brain unlock? 25:23 - Time spent  searching for information31:07: LLMs and technology unlocks34:22 - Personalization 36:24 - Is the second brain a new PA and EA?38:57 - Challenges44:32 - Moats and differentiators  Resources:Link to Mem’s website: https://mem.aiFind Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinfmoodyFind Dennis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisHXuFInd Nat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nateliasonNat’s course on Effortless Output in Roam: https://www.effortlessoutput.com/ Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

A True Second Brain

In this exclusive conversation from a16z’s Bio and Health BUILD Summit, founding partner Ben Horowitz sits down with general partner Jorge Conde. They discuss everything from the inspiration behind Ben’s book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, how the open Internet was secured, the difference between wartime and peacetime CEOs, scaling culture, and understanding how bio & healthcare differs from other forms of technology. Topics Covered:00:00 - Introduction02:09 - What are the most important lessons for a CEO?08:45 - Surprising leaders in history11:41 - Wartime CEO vs the peacetime CEO14:54 - Cultures role20:59 - Communication and scaling 25:39 - Culture as a moat27:46 - The interplay between startups and incumbents30:22 - Advice for founders on navigating AI Resources:Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitzFind Jorge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorgecondebioBen’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205 Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

Wartime vs Peacetime: Ben Horowitz on Leadership

From artificial limbs to memory foam, many inventions have emerged from our quest to understand the cosmos. In this episode we explore cosmic history, space's impact on technology, and the enduring human fascination with space exploration. To take us on this journey is astrophysicist John Mather, a Nobel Prize winner for his work on the COBE satellite and a key figure in the James Webb Space Telescope project.Prepare to be intrigued and left with a sense of wonder about the universe's influence on our world. Topics Covered:00:00 –  Innovations through the pursuit of space03:52– John’s early life 06:44 – Proving The Big Bang Theory 13:30 – The mysteries of quantum mechanics15:10 –  Leading the James Webb Telescope17:12 – Images from James Webb20:32 – Are we alone? 24:20 – New telescopes25:18 – Engineering in space for earth29:31 –  What would you like to see solved in your lifetime?32:24 – What came before The Big Bang? 25:04 – Misconceptions about space37:17 – Can humans be a multiplanetary species?38:20 - Private vs public spending in space40:24 – What’s the future of space exploration? Resources:COBE satellite imagery: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/cobe_20th.htmlImages from the James Webb Telescope: https://webbtelescope.org/imagesExoplanet transmission spectrum: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/032/01G72VSFW756JW5SXWV1HYMQK4 Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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

From Big Bang to James Webb: Exploring Space with Nobel Laureate John Mather

With students learning in more places and different ways than we have ever seen, the pace of change in education is dizzying. Can this progress narrow learning gaps exacerbated by COVID-19 or will it fuel divides? How can we make the most of this once-in-a-generation opportunity?Join our panelists from Khan Academy, PrismsVR, and Minecraft Education as we discuss the classroom of the future, and how important technologies including AI, XR, and gaming should play a role in it. Topics Covered:00:00 – The classroom of 202304:30 – Data on the current classroom05:40– Developing the next gen of STEM talent08:00 –  AI in the classroom 13:10 – The role of gaming in the classroom16:00 – Misconceptions of technology in classroom17:51 – The ways teachers and students use AI21:15 - The future role of a teacher24:25 – Personalization and ownership in education27:11 – Getting hardware into the classroom29:54 - Misconceptions of teacher’s abilities and appetite for tech31:25 – Why implement these changes now?36:05 – Call to action for the classroom of 2050 Resources:Find Sal Khan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/salkhanacademyFind Romy Drucker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/romydruckerFind Allison Matthews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-matthews-4050677/Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379/Learn more about Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/Learn more about The Walton Family Foundation: https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/Learn more about Minecraft Education: https://education.minecraft.net/en-usLearn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.com/Watch more panel discussions from The Aspen Ideas Festival 2023: https://www.aspenideas.org/ Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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. 

Classroom 2050: Unleashing AI, XR, Gaming

With software becoming more important than ever, hardware is following suit.As the world generates more data, unlocking the full potential of AI means a constant need for faster and more resilient hardware. But how much does this all really cost? In this final segment of our AI hardware series, we tackle that question head on. Be sure to check part 1 and 2, where we explore the emerging architectures and the momentous competition for AI hardware. Topics Covered:00:00 – The cost of compute02:20 – Is this sustainable?03:23 – The cost to train a model05:39 – Computation requirements09:05  – The relationship between compute, capital, and technology11:15 – GPT4 commenting on the technology with help from ElevenLabs Resources: Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

The True Cost of Compute

With the world constantly generating more data, unlocking the full potential of AI means a constant need for faster and more resilient hardware.In this episode – the second in our three-part series – we explore the challenges for founders trying to build AI companies. We dive into the delta between supply and demand, whether to own or rent, where moats can be found, and even where open source comes into play.Look out for the rest of our series, where we dive into terminology and technology that is the backbone of the AI, how much the cost of compute truly costs! Topics Covered:00:00 – Supply and demand02:44 –  Competition for AI hardware04:32– Who gets access to the supply available06:16– How to select which hardware to use08:39– Cloud versus bringing infrastructure in house12:43– What role does open source play? 15:47– Cheaper and decentralized compute19:04– Rebuilding the stack20:29– Upcoming episodes on cost of compute Resources: Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

Chasing Silicon: The Race for GPUs

In 2011, Marc Andreessen said, “software is eating the world.” And in the last year, we’ve seen a new wave of generative AI, with some apps becoming some of the most swiftly adopted software products of all time.So if software is becoming more important than ever, hardware is following suit. In this episode – the first in our three-part series – we explore the terminology and technology that is now the backbone of the AI models taking the world by storm. We’ll explore what GPUs are, how they work, the key players like Nvidia competing for chip dominance, and also… whether Moore’s Law is dead?Look out for the rest of our series, where we dive even deeper; covering supply and demand mechanics, including why we can’t just “print” our way out of a shortage, how founders get access to inventory, whether they should own or rent, where open source plays a role, and of course… how much all of this truly costs! Topics Covered:00:00 – AI terminology and technology03:44 - Chips, semiconductors, servers, and compute04:48 - CPUs and GPUs06:07 - Future architecture and performance07:01 - The hardware ecosystem09:05 - Software optimizations12:23 - What do we expect for the future?14:35 - Upcoming episodes on market  and cost Resources: Find Guido on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/appenz/Find Guido on Twitter: https://twitter.com/appenz Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

AI Hardware, Explained

Despite the ease of product building, sustainable growth has become increasingly challenging as many traditional channels no longer deliver the same results.In these challenging times, we explore the remaining growth opportunities. How can we achieve a balance between efficiency, profitability, and growth? Which channels are still relevant and how can they be effectively mastered in 2023?Join us as we discuss these questions with three seasoned experts who have successfully navigated similar confusing times in the past: Gina Gotthilf, leading Latitud and renowned for her impressive tenure as the VP of Growth at Duolingo; Kieran Flanagan, a long-time SVP of Marketing at HubSpot; and Bryan Kim, Consumer Partner at a16z, who held various leadership roles during Snap's hypergrowth phase up to its IPO. Topics Covered:00:00 – What growth opportunities exist in 2023?03:00 – What still works in growth?05:02 – The fundamentals and framework of growth07:02 – Assessing growth potential and product lead growth09:33 – Distribution11:15 – Your moat and growth14:00 – Integrating AI for product lead growth16:23 –Trust as a moat17:23 – B2C growth - discovery and breaking through18:51 – Can you get ahead of the incumbents?22:03 – Examples of companies and products24:59 – How do you foster a growth culture?28:38 – Experimentation  34:20 – How companies using AI in distribution44:43 – Growth challenge: What would you do with $10K? Resources:Check out Latitud: https://go.latitud.com/Check out Zapier: https://zapier.com/Find Bryan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirbyman01Find Kieran on Twitter :https://twitter.com/searchbratFind Gina on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginag Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

Growth vs Efficiency: Can You Have Both?

Today’s episode is with Mark Cuban, founder of multiple businesses, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, one of the sharks on Shark Tank, and cofounder of the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. He is joined by Vijay Pande, founding partner of a16z Bio + Health. Together, they talk market forces in healthcare, the importance of trust to patients, and Mark’s ideas to tackle the Gordian knot that is American healthcare. Listen to our last two episodes on Healthcare x Fintech:When Two Giants Intersect: Healthcare Meets FintechHow Fintech is Reshaping Our $4T Healthcare Industry Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

Curing the Trust Problem with Mark Cuban

Remote work is a big, divisive topic right now. Some think it’s the future, while others think it was an experiment gone wrong.But it’s also not the only way to attract top talent. And the equation for doing so has only gotten more confusion as a myriad of trends intersect, from layoffs to emerging technologies like AI.So how can companies navigate this storm and truly attract the talent that matters? Listen in to find out.Topics Covered:00:00 – Introduction03:26 – What it takes to attract top talent in 202306:36 – What employees really care about14:13 – Positives and negatives of benefits17:32 – Generational differences27:44 – Will the return to office work?34:35 – Differentiating through benefits38:35 – Advice to attract top talent44:16 – Closing thoughtsResources:A-Team study referenced:https://www.a.team/mission/college-grads-surveyiCIMS study referenced: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2q3hepreozaurte/iCIMS-Class-of-2021-Report.pdfMost recent iCIMS study: https://www.icims.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/iCIMS-2023-Workforce-Report-FINAL.pdfFind AJ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItsAJThomasFind Rob on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobFrohweinFind Hung on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HungLeeCheck out Keep Financial: https://keepfinancial.com/Check out Recruiting Brainfood: https://www.recruitingbrainfood.com/

Inside the 2023 Talent Tsunami: Layoffs, Remote Work & More

Self-driving cars have been on the horizon for quite some time. But, they might actually be here.We got to ride around in one all over San Francisco with Waymo’s Chief Product Officer, Saswat Panigrahi.We discussed so much, including the five levels of autonomy, the infamous LIDAR vs video debate, regulation, UX, and the role of AI in fine-tuning these models. But most importantly, if autonomy is here… now what?!Topics Covered:00:00 - Introduction03:20 - A first look at Waymo05:21 - 5 levels of autonomy09:45 - Technology challenges14:32 - LiDAR vs video debate18:19 - How Waymo differentiates19:01 - Technological unlocks on the horizon20:39 - The role of AI in autonomous vehicles25:37 - How Waymo views safety32:05 - Collaborating with regulators37:26 - Learnings from the first 2m miles39:45 - Driving user retention43:47 - Waymo’s expansion strategy47:00 - Changing regulation47:41 - Societal unlocks enabled by autonomy52:21 - Will self-driving cars replace humans?52:58 - Closing thoughtsResources:Check out Waymo: https://waymo.com/Check out Waymo's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WaymoFind Saswat on Twitter: https://twitter.com/saswat101Check out a16z's 8-part series on the autonomous vehicle ecosystem: https://a16z.com/2018/02/03/autonomy-ecosystem-frank-chen-summit/Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

The Road to Autonomous Vehicles: Are We There Yet?

with @skominers @smc90In this deep dive and tour through key business concepts, from theory to practice, we cover the topics of strategy, competitive advantage,  network effects, moats, and more -- covering both both basic foundations, as well as the tricky nuances in a new world of open source, including web3.  In the first half of this discussion, we cover foundational business concepts and questions -- such as the nature of competition, and how it *really* changes in web3; as well as how network effects really work -- and then, in the second half (in case you want to skip ahead), we cover mindsets and general guidance for builders…Our expert guest -- in conversation with editor in chief and host Sonal Chokshi -- is a16z crypto research partner Scott Duke Kominers, who is also a professor at Harvard Business School; a faculty affiliate in Harvard’s Department of Economics; and advises several companies on marketplace development, incentive design, and more; as well as advises, and is directly involved, in several NFT communities. Scott also teaches on these topics -- both at Harvard and also recently at our Crypto Startup School -- so be sure to subscribe to our playlist for those talks on the a16z crypto YouTube channel to get the latest updates as we release more videos from the 2023 cohort.  Listen to web3 with a16z: https://web3-with-a16z.simplecast.com/related links // see also:Can web3 bring back competition to digital platforms? by Christian Catalini and Scott Duke KominersWhy build in web3 by Jad Esber and Scott Duke KominersVampire attacks: A theory (and thread) on 'blood sucking' platform competition by John William Hatfield and Scott Duke KominersWhy NFT creators are going cc0 by Flashrekt and Scott Duke KominersDecentralized identity: Your reputation travels with you by Scott Duke Kominers and Jad EsberIncreasing returns and the new world of business (1996) by W. Brian ArthurNetwork effects, origin Stories, and the evolution of tech with W. Brian Arthur, Marc Andreeessen, and Sonal ChokshiThe five competitive forces that shape strategy (2008 reformulation of 1979 paper) by Michael PorterStrategies for two-sided markets (2006) by Tom Eisenmann, Geoffrey Parker, and Marshall Van Alstyne Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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. 

Network Effects, Moats, & the Business of web3

This week, a16z’s own cofounder Marc Andreessen published a nearly 7,000-word article that aimed to dispel fears over AI's risks to our humanity – both real and imagined. Instead, Marc elaborates on how AI can "make everything we care about better." In this timely one-on-one conversation with a16z General Partner Martin Casado, Marc discusses how this technology will maximize human potential, why the future of AI should be decided by the free market, and most importantly, why AI won’t destroy the world. In fact, it may save it. Read Marc’s full article “Why AI Will Save the World” here: https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/ Resources:Marc on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pmarca Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ gptplaysminecraft - Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/gptplaysminecraftWhy AI Will Save the World: https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/Youtube discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wIUK0nsyUg Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

AI Will Save The World with Marc Andreessen and Martin Casado

The holy grail of company building is finding product-market fit. But what most people don’t tell you is that once you’ve found it, product-market fit brings its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to scaling rapidly and hiring the right executives at the right time.Drawing from their extensive experiences, a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz and Databricks cofounder and CEO Ali Ghodsi sit down to talk about the hardest things about executive hiring and firing, and what is at stake.They dive into the common reasons an exec fails, why sometimes micromanagement is a good idea, and the difference between someone who has written a playbook and someone who has only run one.If you’d like to dive even deeper, the Growth team at a16z has spent the last year compiling insights from dozens of leaders at late-stage startups to literally write the book on hiring executives to scale. You can find that book at: http://a16z.com/executive-hiring-playbookTopics Covered:00:00 - When is it time to let someone go?05:41 - When do you give someone a chance to grow into the role?07:05-  Let go or level?09:27 - How do you have the tough conversation? 16:39 - Exit packages18:40 - Setting a new leader up for success24:27 - The importance of the first quick win 26:24 - The impact a new leader has on culture32:52 - Common ways new leaders fail37:35 - Closing thoughtsResources:Read the Executive Hiring: The Key to Scaling in the Growth Stages: http://a16z.com/executive-hiring-playbookLearn more about Databricks: https://www.databricks.comFind Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitzFind Ali on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alighodsiStay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures

The Hard Things About Scaling: Executive Hiring with Ben Horowitz and Ali Ghodsi

Demand for electric cars is booming. More than 10 million electric cars were sold worldwide in 2022, and consumer behavior is changing as more people embrace alternative and sustainable modes of mobility.While the electrification movement is a critical element of climate action, it also presents new challenges - from the sky to the sea.In this episode, industry experts Gregory Davis, CEO of Eviation Planes, Mitch Lee, co-founder and CEO of Arc Boats, and Duncan McIntyre, founder and CEO of Highland Electric Fleets, dive into how the electrification movement is shaping the future of transport and technology.Topics Covered:00:00 - Introduction03:29 - The sustainable aviation industry04:47 - Electric school, municipal and government vehicles07:57 - Electric boats10:49 - What can be transferred from the EV car market?14:06 - Battery challenges and architecture19:06 - Providing grid services 22:55 - Building a multimodal business33:19 - Gaps in the market46:16 - Do you make, buy, or borrow?57:26 - What does the future look like for each industry?Resources:Learn more about Arc Boats: https://arcboats.comLearn more about Highland Electric Fleets: https://highlandfleets.comLearn more about Eviation: https://www.eviation.com Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

The Electrification of Everything: From Sky to Sea

Today’s episode is with Magi Richani, founder and CEO of Nobell Foods. She is joined by a16z Bio + Health general partner Vijay Pande.Together, they talk about the details of engineering plants to create the future of food, why Nobell started with soybeans to produce their cheese, and her dream of finding a cheese pizza—with Nobell cheese—at any pizza shop across the country.

The Future of Cheese

Many companies today are grappling with a few things: an economic downturn, potential layoffs and restructuring, and trying to keep up with the latest tech trends… all while still maintaining a growth trajectory.In this episode, you’ll learn which companies are uniquely designed to weather this storm and what attributes these exponential organizations have. We’re joined by the co-authors of Exponential Organzations, Peter Diamandids and Salim Ismail, both also well-known for their involvement in XPrize and Singularity University, among many other companies.Topics Covered:00:00 - Introduction03:11 -What is an ‘Exponential Organization’?04:46 - What has changed in business since 201407:06 - Building companies with minimal cost supply ***11:49 - Can  incumbents become exponential organizations?16:27 - Massive Transformative Purpose (MTPs)19:04 - How can you tell if you have a good MTP22:34 - Unilever’s MTP23:27 - Staff on demand29:35 - Building interfaces and dashboards30:36 - The importance of experimenting34:19 - The economic downturn and restructuring38:00 - Peer-to-peer collaborative technologies42:30 - Digitizing your business43:53 - Kodak example45:37 - Automation and the humans role52:06 - How have you seen companies integrate AI?56:56 - Emerging roles due to exponential trends59:56 - The framework and diagnostic survey01:00:02 - Creating APIs you can build on01:05:00 - Opportunities in the marketResources:Attend the Exponential Organization workshop on June 6: https://www.diamandis.com/exoLearn more about Peter: https://www.diamandis.com/aboutLearn more about Salim: https://salimismail.com/ Stay Updated: Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zSubscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithioPlease 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.

Get Started

Download the App