"It turns out the spreadsheet is not actually the business, despite what you may have learned in business school." - Ben Horowitz 

Welcome back to "The Ben & Marc Show" featuring a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. In this second episode of a two-part series, Marc and Ben answer MORE questions about startup building in the post-COVID world. 

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc discuss how startups can think differently about organizational design and talent deployment, unpack the lore around layoffs, and even tackle the future of customer service. They also reveal some unexpected benefits of nicotine and Ozempic. That and much more. Enjoy! 

*Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/Fw4p85jSfQc

Connect with Ben & Marc: 

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca 

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ 

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz 

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z 

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z 

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to "The Ben & Marc Show" featuring a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. In this first episode of a two-part series, Marc and Ben visit the Twittersphere (or X-sphere) to answer YOUR questions about startup building in this post-COVID world.

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc discuss the biggest tech disruptions of the past four years, dive into the major problems facing American cities – including crime and a commercial real estate crisis – and question the future of our 40-hour work week.  That and much more.  Enjoy!

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-zzrGs5Z1yk

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Book mentioned in this episode: 

- “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair amzn.to/3Ue2snA

Films mentioned in this episode: 

- “The Graduate” (1967; Dir. Mike Nichols) amzn.to/44a7BSi

- “The Hunt for Red October”  (1990; Dir. John McTiernan) amzn.to/3UvYc4j

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

“If America is going to be America in the next one hundred years, we have to get this right.” - Ben Horowitz

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this latest episode,  Marc and Ben take on one of the most hot button issues facing technology today: tech regulation and policy.

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc delve into why the political interests of “Big Tech” conflict with a positive technological future, the necessity of decentralized AI, and how the future of American innovation is at its most critical point. They also answer YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter). That and much more.  Enjoy!

Watch full episode: https://youtu.be/dX7d6bRJI9k

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

* Ben’s Article: “Politics and the Future” bit.ly/3PGKrgw

Stay Updated:

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z’s co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  This week, Marc and Ben are joined by guest Chris Dixon to discuss his recent NY Times bestselling book “Read Write Own”, as well as the future of crypto, blockchain and Web3.

Chris Dixon has been a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz since 2012. He founded and leads a16z crypto, which invests in web3 technologies through four dedicated funds with more than $7 billion under management. Previously, Chris was the cofounder and CEO of two startups, SiteAdvisor (acquired by McAfee in 2006) and Hunch (acquired by eBay in 2011).

In this wide-ranging conversation, the three discuss the evolution of the internet, the current relationship between AI and cryptocurrencies, and how the Web3 movement could inspire a new political ideology. They also take questions from X. Enjoy!

Watch the Full Video: https://youtu.be/u95r025U9K8

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Chris Dixon on X: https://twitter.com/cdixon

More info on Chris Dixon’s book “Read Write Own”: https://readwriteown.com/

Book referenced on this episode:

“Fully Automated Luxury Communism” by Aaron Bastani bit.ly/3Td7HVw

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this latest episode -- the final in a three part series on the current crisis in higher education -- Marc and Ben answer YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter).

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc unpack the merits of a Harvard undergrad education versus a Thiel Fellowship, discuss the benefits of trade school, and determine what universities are going to look like ten years from now. That and much more!  Please enjoy.

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to "The Ben & Marc Show," featuring a16z's co-founders Ben Horowitz & Marc Andreessen. In this latest episode, Marc and Ben continue their in-depth exploration of the current education system. While Part I of their discussion unpacked the crisis facing higher education, Part II presents solutions to overhaul the modern university. 

In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc delve into actions that existing institutions can take to improve their current and future situations. This includes exploring new methods for talent recruitment, providing a more individualized education experience for students, and reducing administrative bloat. They also apply an entrepreneurial lens to each university function, revealing startup opportunities poised to emerge – including the building of brand new institutions, nonprofits, and research entities. Enjoy! 

*Watch Part I: https://youtu.be/7J2_G4oHRQ0 

*Watch Part II: https://youtu.be/EeIdalo2huI

Resources: 

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca 

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ 

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz 

“South Park” episode mentioned in this discussion: – Eps 1505 (stream on Max): https://bit.ly/3HrZQg0 

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z 

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z 

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this latest episode, Marc and Ben tackle the university system – a hot topic that’s been dominating the news over the past few months.

As Marc states at the top of the episode, universities matter tremendously to our world, but they’re currently in a state of crisis.  In this one-on-one conversation, Ben and Marc take a “structural” look at higher education, delving deep into the twelve functions of the modern university.  They also unpack the numerous challenges that universities face today – the student debt and the replication crisis, among them.  

As colleges face an existential dilemma that could have long lasting repercussions, how can we find ways to improve these institutions, while being open to new entrepreneurial opportunities in education? Enjoy!

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Books mentioned on this podcast:

– “The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money” by Bryan Kaplan https://amzn.to/47HOSOO

– “Public Opinion” by Walter Lippmann amzn.to/48uY3m5

Article mentioned on this podcast:

– “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False” by John Ioannidis bit.ly/3RZnqWa

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z’s co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this week’s episode, Marc and Ben are joined by special guest Tony Robbins to discuss the future of longevity.  

Tony Robbins is an entrepreneur, #1 NY Times bestselling author, philanthropist, and the nation’s #1 life & business strategist.  For over four and a half decades, Tony has empowered more than 50 million people from 100 countries around the world through his audio programs, educational videos, and live seminars. He’s also the author of six international bestsellers, including “Money: Master the Game” (2014), “Unshakable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook” (2017) and “Life Force: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life and Those You Love” (2022).

Joined by a16z’s own Dr. Vijay Pande, PhD – General Partner since 2014, and founder and leader of a16z Bio + Health – the group discusses new breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, AI, biohacking, gene editing, mindset and confirms why this might be the best time to be alive. Enjoy!

Watch the full video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/V8h11baC_ok

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Dr. Vijay Pande on X: https://twitter.com/vijaypande

Learn more about Tony Robbins https://tonyrobbins.com

Tony’s Time to Rise Summit (Jan 25-27, 2024): https://timetorisesummit.com/join-now  

Pre-order Tony’s upcoming book “The Holy Grail of Investing” (Feb 2024): http://theholygrailofinvesting.com

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Welcome to “The Ben & Marc Show”, featuring a16z co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen.  In this week’s episode, Marc and Ben answer YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter).

In this one on one conversation, Ben and Marc discuss the best way to approach a VC, how their views on crypto have evolved over the past few years, and whether we should be using AI to bring iconic musical artists back from the dead.  That and more!  Please enjoy.

Topics Covered:

00:00:01 Teaser

00:00:31  What is the best way to approach VCs for potential funding?

00:04:53  Which of your foundational investment dogmas have withstood the test of time? 

00:13:31  What are your thoughts on the creator economy blending into startup territory?

00:21:32  What happens when the cost of AI goes to zero? 

00:27:18  How will generative AI change public education?

00:34:33  How soon before AI advancement allows ALL people to access their greatest creativity?

00:38:53  Are data centers in a position today to accommodate the growth of AI apps?

00:43:49  Could AI replace governments in the future?

00:49:20  What are your thoughts on AI being used to create new songs by mimicking deceased artists?

00:53:57  Is the issue of a growing wealth gap in society solved through techno-optimism? 01:00:35  How do you assess the future economic and technological growth potential in the Middle East?

01:07:29  Do you see recent crypto scandals (like FTX) leading to more government regulations?

01:11:41 How have your views on crypto changed over the past 5 years?

01:15:08  What was your last strongly held belief that you’ve changed your mind on?

01:20:25  Sign off

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Book mentioned on this podcast:

– “The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money” by Bryan Kaplan https://amzn.to/47HOSOO

Films mentioned on this podcast:

- “Who Killed the Electric Car?” https://amzn.to/3Ne2uZU

- “Tropic Thunder” https://amzn.to/41bVzXg

Stay Updated: 

Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. 

PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/

Last week, Marc Andreessen released his new vision for the future – “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto” (https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/). In an article that has sparked widespread conversation across the media and social media, Marc challenges the pessimistic narrative surrounding technology today, and instead celebrates technology as a liberating force that can lead to growth, progress and abundance for all.

In this one-on-one conversation based on YOUR questions from X (formerly Twitter), Ben Horowitz and Marc discuss how technological advancements can improve the quality of human life, uplift marginalized communities, and even encourage us to answer the bigger questions of the universe.

We hope you’ll be inspired to join us in this Techno-Optimist movement. Enjoy!

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/HCfwKBwxLYk?si=c5HaDwI-_nlKxRsb 

Resources:

Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca

Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/

Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz

Book mentioned on this podcast:

– “When Reason Goes on Holiday: Philosophers in Politics” by Neven Sesardic https://amzn.to/455zYRv

– “The Ultimate Resource” by Julian Lincoln Simon https://amzn.to/3Ft2MIi

Stay Updated: 

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

The views expressed here are those of the individual personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any a16z funds. PLEASE SEE MORE HERE: https://a16z.com/disclosures/