a16z's five reinventions: slashed recruiting team, $35M school, doubled down on media
FinanceYF5 · x · 2026-10-19
A Chinese finance creator breaks down how venture firm a16z has reinvented itself five times in the AI era — services, capital, incubation, academy, and media. Key moves: in October it cut most of its 34-person recruiting team; in September it spent $35M to found a school that grants no diploma; and in June its SpaceX investment cashed out with a single gain of over $10B when the company went public. The underlying logic, the author argues, is one thing: getting to know you one step earlier than everyone else.
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