Andreessen Horowitz

We’re thrilled to share our investment in E3Tech, a company applying AI and operational excellence to industries where technology adoption has lagged, creating new opportunities for efficiency and growth. Their innovative approach, integrating technology with industry-leading strategy, enables them to seamlessly scale across a variety of industries–including accounting, marketing, and building design. Founder Ruediger Adolf has a proven track record; he previously built and successfully exited Focus Financial Partners, a leading investment advisory firm. More from Scott Kupor on why we led the latest round of funding and how E3Tech is reshaping legacy industries: https://bit.ly/4iCQsac

3 years ago, ‘building for the national interest’ was controversial—especially in Silicon Valley, where tech was built to scale globally. Now? It’s a movement pushing Silicon Valley and Washington closer together. Katherine Boyle & David Ulevitch on the evolution of American Dynamism—why it was once controversial, how it’s reshaping Silicon Valley, and what’s next. 👇

Great leaders don’t run from hard decisions – they run towards “pain and darkness,” for the benefit of their companies, Ben Horowitz says. He explains why: https://lnkd.in/eZMXAHa3  Big Think+

How did a tiny, scrappy team build one of the most powerful AI voice models? In a deep dive with Sesame CTO Ankit Kumar and a16z's Anjney Midha, we explore how Sesame is pushing the boundaries of AI conversation, why it open-sourced its speech generation model, and the power of small teams to outdo much larger AI labs on product focus. A part of their secret: A relentless focus on real-time, natural conversations over raw intelligence, and a deep commitment to voice, personality, and user experience. By opening up its speech generation model, Sesame is paving the way for even more breakthroughs in AI-native conversation. For more on how they did it, listen now: https://bit.ly/4bAFWxM

When it comes to apps, broad consumer appeal doesn’t always translate to revenue. So what can turn engagement into earnings? For our 4th installment of the Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps, we analyzed the top 50 AI mobile apps by usage and subscription revenue. Between them, there’s only 40% overlap. Many apps with lower usage proved to be the most effective at monetization, achieving significantly higher conversion rates and revenue per user. Those higher-earning apps are: 1. Niche apps catering to specific goals or skills, like plant identification, nutrition, or language learning. Though their audiences are less universal, these apps are more likely to attract users willing to pay for the product’s specialized value. 2. Apps with high-grade prosumer or enterprise-level features that more serious users will pay for. A notable mention: ChatGPT “copycats” – these apps mimic ChatGPT’s name and logo to falsely suggest they offer the same premium model at a lower price. These make 12% of both the mobile usage and revenue lists.

The next decade of global power is being shaped right now. America’s security, industry, and economic resilience will depend on the technologies we build today. These companies in the American Dynamism 50 aren’t just strengthening our ability to avoid conflict, they’re re-industrializing America in the process. From AI-driven defense to advanced manufacturing and energy innovation—these companies are leading the charge. See the full list: https://bit.ly/3DACqqv

Imagine a world where supply chains grind to a halt, entire industries shut down overnight, and economic stability crumbles. This isn’t just a hypothetical risk, as geopolitical tensions rise. But Washington has spent years preparing for this moment. And Silicon Valley is stepping up to bolster America’s competitive edge. The American Dynamism 50 highlights 50 companies working to deter conflict and strengthen our national resilience. From AI-driven defense to advanced manufacturing and energy innovation, technology is the frontline of global security. These are the companies leading the charge: https://bit.ly/3DACqqv

How did Deel go from startup to core infrastructure for global businesses in under six years? Deel now powers payroll and workforce management for 36,000+ customers, with native payroll engines in 50+ countries, and has completed 10+ acquisitions—redefining how businesses hire and pay talent worldwide. To help guide the business strategy of other startups, we went under the hood (and into the spreadsheets) of Deel. Five key factors in its unconventional approach: - Vertical integration: Speed + depth + accuracy - Modularity: Infinite product wedges - Acquisitions: M&A as a Secret Weapon - Speed: Move fast and fix things - Automation: Eliminating friction, from hiring to retiring For more on how they did it, read the full piece here: https://bit.ly/3FcNIl6

Agent Experience can help strengthen the open web and avoid a future of walled gardens. AI-generated code is scaling fast, with about 10,000 AI-built sites launching daily on Netlify. But this is only the beginning: the next phase is using gen AI and AI agents to create fundamentally new and better web experiences. Like UX and DX before it, AX can define how AI-powered development shapes the future. Ensuring AI works with developers, not around them, is key to keeping the web open, creative, and thriving. Listen to the full conversation with Martin Casado and Netlify CEO, Mathias Biilmann Christensen: https://lnkd.in/ecCuzQXW

Which gen AI apps are people actively using? And which are actually making money? In just 6 months, the consumer AI landscape has shifted—some AI apps surged, others stalled, and a few unexpected players vaulted over the competition. For our 4th installment of the Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps, we analyzed which AI apps people are actively using, which are making money, and which are becoming daily staples. Beyond the rankings, this edition highlights where AI is gaining real traction—and how we believe consumer behavior is shifting. A few key insights: - DeepSeek is outpacing competing general assistant LLMs — in growth and  engagement - The AI apps people are willing to pay for diverge from the most popular - After a year-long plateau, ChatGPT's growth has come roaring back. - AI video has finally broken through, with some high-quality new players - So-called “vibecoding” tools are reshaping who can create with AI, not just who can use it 👉 See the full list and analysis by Olivia Moore and Daisy Z. here: https://bit.ly/3QTuR0V