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welcome back to Chain reactiona podcast interviewing crypto newsmakers to better understand the technology behind the hype and the people working to build a decentralized future.
For this week episode, jaquelyn interviewed arianna simpsonGeneral Partner of Andreessen Horowitz (commonly known as a16z).
Prior to joining a16z, Arianna founded Autonomous Partners, a cryptocurrency-focused investment fund. She also helped launch Crystal Towers Capital, an early-stage fund that invests primarily in YC companies.
A16z has delved into the crypto space after launching four funds dedicated to the industry. The most recent closed at $4.5bn in May 2022 and Arianna believes that is appropriate given the size of the opportunity.
“Certainly, I think the ecosystem has grown to a size where it absolutely supports a fund of this size and that’s why we raised a fund of this size,” Simpson said. “We didn’t have to upload any numbers; we chose a number that we thought spoke to the size of the opportunity. Obviously, the ecosystem has grown tremendously and continues to attract tons of early-stage entrepreneurs who are building across the board.”
Asked if there would be a fifth a16z crypto fund, Simpson said: “I certainly hope so.” He added that a16z “will continue to match the size of our funds to the opportunities we see in the market.”
Some of the company’s portfolio companies include big crypto players we’ve interviewed in the past, such as Alchemy, Avalanche, and Aptos.
Over the years, there has been an expansion of investment opportunities “into a whole new world of consumer apps, experiences and products that just weren’t possible because they couldn’t run on blockchain a few years ago, and now they are,” Simpson. saying. “To me, that’s what’s really exciting: there’s this whole world of apps that consumers can use.”
We talked about Simpson’s background, how his strategy has changed over the years, what he looks for in founders, and whether he would launch another VC firm in the future.
We also discuss:
- The current investment climate
- The web3 game space
- Where the founders are building
- The regulatory landscape
- Tips for founders
Chain Reaction comes out every other Thursday at 12:00pm PT, so be sure to subscribe to us at apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite pod platform to keep up with the latest in web3 and crypto.
