Founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, Andreessen Horowitz (known as "a16z") is a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, California, that backs bold entrepreneurs building the future through technology. We are stage agnostic: We invest in seed to late-stage technology companies, across the consumer, enterprise, bio/healthcare, crypto, and fintech spaces. a16z has $19.2B in assets under management across multiple funds, including the $1.4B Bio funds, the $3.1B Crypto funds, and the Cultural Leadership Fund.

a16z is defined by respect for the entrepreneur and the entrepreneurial company building process; we know what it’s like to be in the founder’s shoes. The firm is led by general partners, many of whom are former founders/operators, CEOs, or CTOs of successful technology companies, and who have domain expertise ranging from biology to crypto to distributed systems to security to marketplaces to financial services.

We aim to connect entrepreneurs, investors, executives, engineers, academics, industry experts, and others in the technology ecosystem. We have built a network of experts including technical and executive talent; top media and marketing resources; Fortune 500/Global 2000 companies; as well as other technology decision makers, influencers, and key opinion leaders. a16z uses this network as part of our commitment to help our portfolio companies grow their business, so our operating teams provide entrepreneurs with access to expertise and insights across the entire spectrum of company building.

How big is a scout’s budget?

Around $200 000 total, deployed in $10k‑$25k cheques over two‑three years.  

Can I apply publicly?

No. Participation is by GP invitation and existing‑scout referral only.  

Do scouts need to be accredited investors?

Personal accreditation isn’t required unless the scout chooses to co‑invest personal capital.  

What carry percentage do scouts earn?

They receive roughly 10 % of the GP’s carry on each originated deal.  

Are there sector restrictions?

Yes—scouts cannot invest directly in NFTs or tokens and focus on tech equity rounds.  

How long does onboarding take?

Roughly two weeks from nomination to wired funds.  

Does a16z guarantee follow‑on?

No guarantee, but every scout deal is automatically evaluated by the core funds.  

Can scouts collaborate?

While there is no formal cohort, scouts connect through a private Slack and an annual summit.  

Is the program global?

Yes—dozens of scouts operate across six continents, with a growing European focus.  

What happens if a deal fails?

There is no downside claw‑back; scouts simply lose unrealised carry.  

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