Pricey readers,
This weblog is formally again! I’m excited to restart my writing right here, after a protracted hiatus. It took greater than three years to put in writing my e-book, The Chilly Begin Downside and all my vitality went into that. However as of final December, it’s lastly out on the planet, and I need to thank all of you for making it a hit. I’ll be sharing extra about what I realized in my journey in writing and publishing the e-book in a future essay — and all my random life hacks for clearing out a couple of hours each week to place it collectively.
Within the meantime, I’ve some huge life (and work) updates:
1) LA Tech Week 2022
First, placing this up entrance, so the hyperlink doesn’t get misplaced — be a part of me at LA Tech Week 2022 in mid-August! I’ll be co-hosting a lot of occasions, together with my a16z colleague Katia Ameri. Simply register on the location to see all of the occasions. I’m concerned within the group of the convention (extra on this in a second) and will probably be internet hosting a lot of occasions associated to gaming, the metaverse, client apps, and so on. I’ll be tweeting the occasions I’ll be attending because the dates strategy, and would like to see y’all there.
2) I’ve moved to LA (effectively, particularly, Venice Calfornia!)
Associated is the the precise private information: I’ve moved to LA after almost 15 years in San Francisco. Huge change for me. That is the results of a really random collection of occasions the place the COVID lockdown satisfied me to spontaneously strive #vanlife, the place on a whim I bought and lived out of a sprinter van for months at a time. This turned my life within the again half of 2020, the place I drove from California to Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, working full-time on the week days and exploring nationwide parks on the weekends. Surprisingly, it labored effectively! All through, and notably throughout the colder months, I used LA as my dwelling base between longer journeys.
Though I had visited many instances earlier than, I hadn’t truly tried to truly reside there, so I began to strive completely different neighborhoods, and commenced to Airbnb all all through town — Malibu, Silver Lake, WeHo, Santa Monica, and in any other case — earlier than finally deciding to quiet down in a single spot. Right now, I name Venice, CA my dwelling. It’s walkable, hip, artsy, and has pockets of fantastic magnificence. In case you go to, be sure you try Abbott Kinney Blvd, the Venice Canals, the stroll streets, and Gjelina’s! And don’t fear, my SF mates and coworkers — I’ll be again to the Bay Space usually, perhaps each month or two. (I’m retaining my place there)
Since arriving in LA, I’ve been working with the startup/VC group to assist enhance the already vibrant tech ecosystem right here. We’re dedicated to have a serious presence right here — a16z just lately signed an workplace in Santa Monica (opening quickly, it’s an entire constructing with a number of flooring and so on) and already has a number of dozen staff right here, as a part of our transfer to the cloud. I’ve arrange quite a few Whatsapp teams, together with for the a number of hundred traders based mostly right here, and in addition keep a number of rotating dinner collection for video games business founders and executives.
3) A brand new position at a16z: GAMES FUND ONE
Earlier this yr, we launched GAMES FUND ONE, a16z’s first funding fund targeted on investing within the metaverse, AR/VR, video games studios, social platforms for avid gamers, and so forth. Check out the launch video!
I’ve been dabbling within the business, backing a lot of high startups spun out of Riot Video games, Epic, and in any other case. However as a part of this launch, I joined the fund full-time, the place I’ll be targeted on the convergence of client apps and video games together with my colleagues Jon and James who will cowl content material and infrastructure, respectively. In fact, I keep a lot of my board seats and a broad portfolio for client startups that I’ll proceed to assist, however am excited to focus my new investments inside Video games.
I’ll be writing extra about why I’m excited for video games (and the “metaverse,” no matter that’s!) to outline the following technology of client tech.
Extra on that quickly.
Lastly, I simply need to thank everybody who has been a subscriber to this weblog (and publication) over the previous few years. I began writing it in 2007 upon arriving to SF as a mid-20s noob aspiring founder, and over a decade later, it taught me that writing is one in every of my favourite actions. And I’ve met so many nice folks from doing it, too. I’m glad to be again!
greatest,
Andrew
(Btw, for LA historical past followers, try this enjoyable video from Misplaced LA on the historical past of Venice CA and why it shares a reputation with an Italian metropolis. It has some nice previous pictures and tidbits)
PS. Get new updates/evaluation on tech and startups
I write a high-quality, weekly publication masking what’s taking place in Silicon Valley, targeted on startups, advertising and marketing, and cellular.
Views expressed in “content material” (together with posts, podcasts, movies) linked on this web site or posted in social media and different platforms (collectively, “content material distribution shops”) are my very own and will not be the views of AH Capital Administration, L.L.C. (“a16z”) or its respective associates. AH Capital Administration is an funding adviser registered with the Securities and Alternate Fee. Registration as an funding adviser doesn’t suggest any particular talent or coaching. The posts will not be directed to any traders or potential traders, and don’t represent a suggestion to promote — or a solicitation of a suggestion to purchase — any securities, and is probably not used or relied upon in evaluating the deserves of any funding.
The content material shouldn’t be construed as or relied upon in any method as funding, authorized, tax, or different recommendation. It’s best to seek the advice of your individual advisers as to authorized, enterprise, tax, and different associated issues regarding any funding. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects and/or opinions expressed in these supplies are topic to vary with out discover and will differ or be opposite to opinions expressed by others. Any charts supplied listed here are for informational functions solely, and shouldn’t be relied upon when making any funding determination. Sure info contained in right here has been obtained from third-party sources. Whereas taken from sources believed to be dependable, I’ve not independently verified such info and makes no representations in regards to the enduring accuracy of the data or its appropriateness for a given state of affairs. The content material speaks solely as of the date indicated.
Not at all ought to any posts or different info supplied on this web site — or on related content material distribution shops — be construed as a suggestion soliciting the acquisition or sale of any safety or curiosity in any pooled funding automobile sponsored, mentioned, or talked about by a16z personnel. Nor ought to or not it’s construed as a suggestion to supply funding advisory providers; a suggestion to put money into an a16z-managed pooled funding automobile will probably be made individually and solely by way of the confidential providing paperwork of the precise pooled funding automobiles — which ought to be learn of their entirety, and solely to those that, amongst different necessities, meet sure {qualifications} underneath federal securities legal guidelines. Such traders, outlined as accredited traders and certified purchasers, are typically deemed able to evaluating the deserves and dangers of potential investments and monetary issues. There could be no assurances that a16z’s funding targets will probably be achieved or funding methods will probably be profitable. Any funding in a automobile managed by a16z includes a excessive diploma of threat together with the danger that all the quantity invested is misplaced. Any investments or portfolio corporations talked about, referred to, or described will not be consultant of all investments in automobiles managed by a16z and there could be no assurance that the investments will probably be worthwhile or that different investments made sooner or later could have related traits or outcomes. An inventory of investments made by funds managed by a16z is offered at https://a16z.com/investments/.
Excluded from this record are investments for which the issuer has not supplied permission for a16z to reveal publicly in addition to unannounced investments in publicly traded digital belongings. Previous outcomes of Andreessen Horowitz’s investments, pooled funding automobiles, or funding methods will not be essentially indicative of future outcomes. Please see https://a16z.com/disclosures for extra vital info.
