Website : https://a16z.com/
X : @a16z
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
Andreessen Horowitz, better known as a16z, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capital firms. Founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, a16z has invested in category-defining companies like Airbnb, Coinbase, Stripe, GitHub, Facebook, Instacart, and OpenAI. With over $35 billion under management, a16z isn’t just a checkbook—it’s a full-blown platform for startup growth.
While not an accelerator, a16z is relevant to founders evaluating where and how to raise money because of its deep involvement in early-stage venture, its sector-specific funds, and its aggressive founder services model. The firm functions almost like a private startup services agency—offering support in everything from talent and marketing to policy and crypto regulation.
Who Should Pitch a16z?
a16z is a great fit for:
- Ambitious, venture-scale companies building in large, disruptive markets.
- Founders who already have some traction or differentiation—this isn’t pre-idea angel investing.
- Startups in sectors where a16z is heavily active:
- Enterprise SaaS & Infrastructure
- Bio + Health
- Consumer Tech
- Crypto/Web3
- Games & Culture
- AI & Data
a16z is a thesis-driven investor. If your startup aligns with their long-term worldview and you’re building with big scale in mind, you’ll get more than capital—you’ll get a full-stack team.
What a16z Offers (Besides Money)
- Capital: a16z writes checks across stages, but is extremely active in seed to Series B. Check sizes typically range from $500K to $20M+, depending on stage.
- Talent Network: Dedicated recruiting and executive search support.
- Go-to-Market Help: Intros to customers, enterprise partners, and key users.
- Policy & Regulatory Support: Especially for startups in healthtech, crypto, and fintech.
- Media & Comms: PR support, narrative development, and the backing of a brand that opens doors.
- Crypto, Games, and Bio Practices: These operate almost like specialist mini-firms within the broader fund.
How to Approach a16z
This is not a “cold pitch and hope” kind of firm. Most successful a16z deals come through:
- Warm intros from trusted operators, portfolio founders, or other investors
- Strong traction or technical credibility
- Unique IP, positioning, or vision in one of their core sectors
a16z has also launched START, a pre-seed program offering $1M on founder-friendly terms—an attempt to compete with accelerators like YC at the very early stage.