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The Ben & Marc Show: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz
Andreessen Horowitz ("a16z") co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz explore everything from science to business to culture, all through the lens of technology.
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- Jan 15, 202656 min
a16z, AI and Investing in the new era (ft. Packy McCormick)
a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz join a16z general partner Erik Torenberg and Not Boring founder Packy McCormick for a conversation on how the media and information ecosystem has changed over the past decade. The discussion breaks down the shift toward a more open and decentralized speech environment, the rise of writer- and creator-led platforms like Substack, and the erosion of centralized media gatekeepers. Marc and Ben also tie these dynamics to their investing worldview, outlining how supply-driven markets, major technological step changes, and reputation-driven venture platforms shape outcomes in the AI era.Timecodes:00:00 Introduction00:46 How the media ecosystem is changing4:20 Why a16z invested in Substack6:28 Supply-driven markets and new content creation8:07 Why writers felt trapped by media companies10:09 Databricks and the 10x cloud multiplier13:58 Long-form podcasting proves demand15:40 What the new fund signals about the future16:24 AI as a universal problem solver18:49 Why market sizing is broken20:45 Go-to-market, policy, and platform power22:37 Turning inventors into confident CEOs25:58 Borrowing power to scale faster27:29 Building dreamers, not killing dreams30:46 Reputation as a core competitive advantage35:57 Taking arrows in public38:56 Avoiding big company failure modes40:39 Autonomous teams inside a16z41:54 Venture capital as the last job46:01 Why intangibles matter more than ever48:17 Original thinkers with charisma50:06 Why Zoomers are differentResources: Follow Marc Andreessen on X: https://twitter.com/pmarcaFollow Ben Horowitz on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitzFollow Erik Torenberg on X: https://twitter.com/eriktorenbergFollow Packy McCormick on X: https://twitter.com/packyMRead Packy’s piece: https://www.notboring.co/p/a16z-the-power-brokersRead David Haber’s piece ‘Firm > Fund’: https://www.a16z.news/p/firm-fund Stay Updated:If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg](https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Nov 26, 202558 min
The Secret Marketing Strategy That Built a16z: From Zero to Legendary VC Firm
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with Margit Wennmachers—the woman who turned two unknown entrepreneurs with $300 million and zero investing track record into the most talked-about firm in venture capital. She unpacks how they weaponized transparency in an industry built on secrecy, why Fortune's cover story triggered a cartel meltdown, and the exact moment a casual lunch conversation became "Software Is Eating the World." This is the origin story of how A16Z broke every unwritten rule, made enemies of every top-tier firm, and permanently rewired what it means to build companies in public. Resources:Follow Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaFollow Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitzFollow Margit on X: https://x.com/wennmachersFollow Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenbergPlease 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Nov 19, 20251h 14m
Why Silicon Valley Turned Against Defense (And How We’re Fixing It)
Palmer Luckey got fired from Meta for backing the wrong candidate—now he's the hero saving American defense, and that shift tells you everything about how fast the ground moved beneath Silicon Valley's feet. For decades, tech and defense were allies, then came 15 years of hostility so visceral that Google employees revolted over a Pentagon AI contract, and when leadership caved, only three people showed up to hear what border security actually involves. But something broke: COVID exposed our inability to make things, Ukraine revealed wars now iterate in days not decades, and suddenly the Harvard dorm room generation realized the people building satellites and drones weren't just necessary—they were the future, while legacy defense contractors still operate on Soviet-style five-year plans that guarantee cost overruns and obsolescence. Now the question isn't whether Silicon Valley returns to its Cold War roots, but whether America wins by becoming more like China's centralized system or doubles down on the chaotic creativity that built nine of the world's ten most valuable companies in 25 years—and the founders flooding into defense, energy, mining, and manufacturing suggest the second American century is just getting started.Resources:Follow Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitzFollow Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaFollow Katherine on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyleFollow David on X: https://x.com/daviduFollow Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenbergStay Updated:If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Please 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Sep 29, 202556 min
China Has Mass. Can America Catch Up?
Ben, Marc, and Erik Torenberg are joined by Brian Schimpf, Cofounder & CEO of Anduril, and Chris Power, Founder & CEO of Hadrian. Together, they dig into America’s defense production gap: why the U.S. can out-innovate but not out-produce—and what it will take to turn that around.They discuss why U.S. war games show we run out of munitions in a week, the myth of “exquisite-only” systems, how to rebuild industrial capacity with software-led automation, financing factories like data centers, and what it takes to create real deterrence in a Taiwan scenario.Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction 0:54 The Myth of Technical Superiority3:31 Erosion of US Manufacturing6:50 Challenges in Rebuilding Industrial Capacity8:31 The Skilled Labor Crisis15:01 Automation and the Future of Manufacturing17:57 Supply Chain Vulnerabilities26:05 Regulatory and Policy Barriers36:49 Financial Engineering vs. Industrial Policy46:15 US vs. China: Strategic Competition46:55 The Taiwan Scenario & War Gaming52:55 Demographics, Economics, and CCP StrategyResources: Find Chris on X: https://x.com/chris_powerFind Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bschimpf/Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarcaMarc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitzListen to Us! Apple: https://bit.ly/3SdsfNtSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3SclPOrStay Updated: Find us on X:https://x.com/a16zFind us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zThe 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/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- Jul 25, 20251h 39m
New Media: Podcasts, Politics & the Collapse of Trust
On this episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with Erik Torenberg— General Partner at a16z and founder of the media company Turpentine—to unpack how the internet shattered the old media order and reshaped the way power works in America.What begins as a look at the evolution of media quickly becomes something bigger: a conversation about truth, trust, and the collapse of institutional authority. They explore how social media became both an x-ray and an engine, why authenticity now beats polish, and how the rules of politics, and journalism, have permanently changed.Together, they break down:Why 2017 marked a structural break between tech and the pressThe tension between objectivity, activism, and “speaking truth to power”Why podcasters. not pundits, are setting the agendaHow the barbell strategy is reshaping media: short-form virality meets long-form depthWith stops at Watergate, the rise of Rogan, the fall of legacy gatekeepers, and the media playbooks behind Obama, Trump, and the Kardashians—this episode explores how we got here, what’s next, and what it means for founders, voters, and anyone trying to build (or tell) a story.Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction00:40 The Evolution of Media: From Centralization to Disruption02:33 The Internet’s Impact on Legacy Media09:32 Activism in the Modern Tech Press12:30 The Rise and Fall of Institutional Trust15:07 Recognizing the Shift in Legacy Media20:51 Journalism: Objectivity vs. Activism25:08 Martin Gurri and the Collapse of Authority28:30 The Trump Era and the Media Paradigm Shift32:23 Decentralization: From Talk Radio to Social Media37:04 Is Social Media an Engine or a Camera?43:50 Ben’s Early Perspective on Media and Politics49:49 Trump as a Bridge Between Legacy and Social Media55:44 Media Training vs. Unfiltered Authenticity57:57 Reality TV, Professional Wrestling, and the New Playbook1:01:04 Drama, Partisanship, and the Age of Personality1:03:13 How Cable News Became 24/7 Entertainment1:09:27 The UFC’s Early Struggles for Media Access1:14:44 The Barbell Effect: Short Clips vs. Long-Form Podcasts1:29:30 The Tools of Subversion When Out of Power 1:32:00 Media Strategy for Founders1:37:16 The Power of Going Direct: Founders, Brands, and Audiences Listen to Us!Apple: https://bit.ly/3SdsfNtSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3SclPOr Resources: Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarca Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenbergErik's Substack:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir
- Jun 12, 20251h 28m
Adam Neumann: This is How You Build Iconic Companies
On this episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with Adam Neumann—founder of WeWork and now, Flow—to unpack one of the most unlikely comeback stories in tech.What began as a personal reckoning after a very public fall has become a bold new vision for how we live and belong. Flow isn’t just a real estate company—it’s an operating system for community, built on first-principles software, design, and soul. Joined by a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg, the group goes deep on: - Why Adam’s childhood shaped his obsession with community - Adam’s fall from WeWork—and how he found a new path to redemption - How Flow is re-architecting real estate from scratch - Why loneliness is the greatest design challenge of our time With reflections on dyslexia, the American dream, and the thin line between failure and greatness, this is a candid and wide-ranging conversation about redemption, vision, and building something that matters in this world. We hope you enjoy this deeply human conversation about the future of living. Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 00:51 Adam's Early Life and Family Background 07:56 Military Service and Discipline 10:08 Transition to the US and Education 14:43 Entrepreneurial Journey Begins 17:49 The Concept of Flow and Vision 20:28 Meeting and Partnership Formation 25:22 Overcoming Challenges and Resilience 28:30 The Isolation Phenomenon 30:03 Navigating Post-Crisis Relationships 31:50 Real Estate Strategies During COVID 33:47 The Genesis of a New Venture 36:47 Lessons from WeWork 38:49 Building Flow: The Vision 41:44 The Importance of Alignment 51:23 Technological Innovations in Real Estate 55:44 Revolutionizing Real Estate Software and Flexible Living Solutions 56:28 Challenges and Innovations in Multifamily Housing Rental Markets 58:40 Global Housing Crisis and Solutions 01:06:10 Expanding to Saudi Arabia 01:08:49 Success in Saudi Arabia 01:12:43 Real Estate Funds and Future Plans 01:19:10: Why Is This an Opportunity? 01:20:45 Impact of COVID on Living and Working 01:26:14 Future Potential of Housing and Living Resources: Read Marc's blog post about Flow: https://a16z.com/announcement/flow/Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarca Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/ Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/ Stay Updated: Find us on X: https://x.com/a16z Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- May 31, 20251h 15m
Rick Rubin: Vibe Coding is the Punk Rock of Software
On this episode of "The Ben & Marc Show", a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with legendary music producer and bestselling author Rick Rubin to explore the origin of his unexpected new creation: "The Way of Code" Blending ancient philosophy and modern AI, The Way of Code reimagines the 3,000-year-old Tao Te Ching for the age of artificial intelligence, software, and “vibe coding.” What began as a viral tweet quickly evolved into a creative manifesto—part book, part tool, part spiritual operating system for the future. Joined by a16z General Partners Anjney Midha and Erik Torenberg, the group dives deep into: - How Rick became a meme for Vibe Coding —and then quickly wrote "The Way of Code" - Why AI is just another artistic tool - Remix culture, creativity, and collective consciousness - Why great founders and artists need to stay true to themselves With shout outs to punk rock, the collective unconscious, and Johnny Cash’s famed acoustic sessions, this conversation is a sprawling, soul-searching journey across music, philosophy, tech, and truth. We hope you enjoy this deeply personal and surprisingly practical conversation on how to live—and create—in the age of AI. The Way of Code: https://www.thewayofcode.com/ 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/ Stay Updated: Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- May 20, 202532 min
Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz: Rewriting the Rules of Venture — Live From the a16z LP Summit
On this special live episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz take the stage for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on the evolution—and future—of Andreessen Horowitz. Recorded live at a16z’s LP Summit in Las Vegas, Marc and Ben unpack how the firm grew from a disruptive newcomer into one of the most ambitious and adaptive forces in VC. They share how a16z broke from industry orthodoxy to build a firm designed to scale with innovation itself—powered by structural agility, a platform model, and a long-term commitment to transformational founders. Moderated by a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg, this live chat dives deep into the firm’s internal culture, its speed of decision-making, and the philosophy that underpins every strategic move—from launching into crypto and AI to reshaping the role of media and memes in tech. Together, they explore:- How a16z restructured to lead across multiple emerging markets- The importance of the firm's cultural enforcement- What it means to build a generational firm- Why narrative control is more vital than ever in the age of social media Enjoy this behind-the-scenes story of how a16z became the leading VC firm -- and what comes next! 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/ Stay Updated: Find us on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z This information is for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any investment or financial product. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described in this podcast are not representative of all a16z investments and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is no guarantee of future results and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance. Before making decisions with legal, tax, or accounting effects, you should consult appropriate professionals. Information is from sources deemed reliable on the date of publication, but a16z does not guarantee its accuracy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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About The Ben & Marc Show
Andreessen Horowitz ("a16z") co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz explore everything from science to business to culture, all through the lens of technology.
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