The Critical Technology in Finding Critical Materials

Critical materials like copper, lithium, and gallium have been mined for decades, but their role in core technologies, geopolitics, and the energy transition have come to a height in recent years. In this episode, a16z partner Connie Chan discusses how technology is changing the game of  identification and exploration, together with leading company KoBold and … Read more

Ben Horowitz Sharing History with Dr. Clarence Jones, MLK’s Speechwriter

This week, a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz had a rare and invaluable conversation with Dr. Clarence B. Jones, a pivotal figure in American history.  Dr. Jones, who served as speechwriter, attorney, and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., shared his personal insights on race, inclusion, and the lasting legacy of the civil rights movement in … Read more

How AI Is Changing Warfare with Brian Schimpf, CEO of Anduril

How is AI reshaping modern warfare?  Speaking with a16z Growth General Partner David George, Anduril cofounder and CEO Brian Schimpf discusses how AI helps humans make better strategic decisions by sorting through the enormous amount of data collected from modern battlefields. Schimpf also discusses navigating the US government’s complex procurement processes, using commercial technologies to … Read more

RIP to RPA: How AI Makes Operations Work

Intelligent automation is transforming industries by tackling messy, unstructured workflows that traditional Robotic Process Automation (RPA) couldn’t handle. In this episode, a16z partner Kimberly Tan discusses the shift from rigid RPA systems to AI-powered agents and why this evolution unlocks massive opportunities in legacy markets. Drawing on her article “RIP to RPA: The Rise of … Read more

Building Substack: Reinventing Media Through the Inbox

Email, a technology from 1971, is powering one of today’s most disruptive media platforms. In this episode, Substack cofounder and CEO Chris Best joins a16z General Partner Andrew Chen to discuss the origins and evolution of Substack, a platform redefining media and empowering creators to connect directly with their audiences. They dive into how Substack’s … Read more

Crypto Trends for 2025: Stablecoins, App Stores, UX, and More

with @sambroner @meigga @darenmatsuoka @jneu_net @chrislyons and @rhhackett @smc90 Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes — which also look ahead to 2025 —  covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the … Read more

Super Staffing Healthcare, Codifying Compliance, & Scaling Services

As we prepare to step into 2025, the possibilities for applied AI are reshaping industries in profound ways.  In this episode, a16z General Partners Julie Yoo and Angela Strange, and Partner Joe Schmidt, dive into the transformative power of AI across healthcare, fintech, and traditional service sectors. We explore: Super Staffing for Healthcare: How AI … Read more