Episodes
11.22.24 / podcast
Prediction Markets and Beyond

Alex Tabarrok, Scott Duke Kominers and Sonal Chokshi

On the premise and the promise of prediction markets, which hit the main stage with the most recent election -- what worked (and didn't) this time? We tease apart the hype from the reality of prediction markets, but also go more...

11.2.24 / podcast
Government... By Lottery?

Bailey Flanigan, Andrew Hall and Robert Hackett

What can you do when experts can't be trusted? Draw lots. This episode examines the ancient practice of "sortition," which delegates decision-making power to random members of the public. Sometimes called "government by lottery,"...

10.26.24 / podcast
AI Bots & Memecoins

Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz

a16z cofounders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz explore an unusual intersection of AI and crypto: the sudden rise of a strange memecoin bolstered by a meme-loving, bitcoin-wielding LLM.

10.18.24 / podcast
State of Crypto 2024: Builder Energy, U.S. Election, Stablecoins, AI, More

Daren Matsuoka, Eddy Lazzarin and Robert Hackett

We take you behind the scenes of our newly released, annual State of Crypto Report — a16z crypto's analysis of the latest data and trends that have defined the industry in 2024.

9.28.24 / podcast
Bridges: Out of the Mess, Into the Meshnet (with LayerZero)

Bryan Pellegrino, Ali Yahya and Robert Hackett

Blockchain bridges are essential tools for moving cross-chain, but they have a history of succumbing to big hacks. Why? One of the builders who knows this world best helps disentangle the mess. LayerZero Labs CEO and Cofounder Bryan...

9.13.24 / podcast
Games as Reality (with EVE Online)

Hilmar Pétursson, Eddy Lazzarin and Robert Hackett

When does virtual reality cease being virtual... and start to become reality? This episode digs deep into game design, philosophy, and mechanics with the maker of one of the world's most iconic massive multiplayer online role playing...

9.9.24 / podcast
How Blockchain Tech Advances Benefit Other Industries

Sonal Chokshi, Tim Roughgarden and Dan Boneh

In this special 50th episode, we discuss how work in the blockchains/ crypto space has led to advances in several important technologies — which can be used by many other industries well beyond crypto. We cover everything from AMMs...

8.15.24 / podcast
Governance Attack!?

Ross Shuel, Sonal Chokshi, hacks, Eddy Lazzarin and Andrew Hall

We breakdown the recent Compound “governance attack”, including discussing whether “governance attack” is the right label for it or not; how it’s different from other attacks; and the broader trend of online vs offline...

8.8.24 / podcast
Token Do's and Don'ts

Eddy Lazzarin, Miles Jennings and Robert Hackett

All about tokens — from protocol design to token launch. Our expert guests discuss how to reason about the risk and reward tradeoffs of various protocol designs and launch strategies, and they detail the Do's and Don'ts. a16z crypto...

7.31.24 / podcast
Where Innovation Happens

Matt Clifford and Sonal Chokshi

All about innovation around the world -- at both an ecosystem and individual talent level -- from what does and doesn't work; how certain places become hubs of startup activity and economic growth; what makes entrepreneurial talent;...

7.21.24 / podcast
What, How, and Why We're Reading

Sonal Chokshi, Robert Hackett, Stephanie Zinn and Tim Sullivan

What we're reading -- including picks from our latest summer reading list and evergreen recommendations as well -- as well as how we read, and why we read (religion, mythology, fantasy, infotainment, fiction vs nonfiction, and more).

6.25.24 / podcast
On Finding Product Market Fit — and Meaning

Ben Rubin and Jason Rosenthal

Finding product market fit is a trial every founder must face. Serial entrepreneur Ben Rubin, who built the breakout social apps Meerkat, then Houseparty (acquired by Epic Games in 2019), and who is now building a decentralized...

6.18.24 / podcast
Governing democracy, the internet, and boardrooms

Noah Feldman, Andrew Hall and Robert Hackett

Who gets to decide what, for whom? Governance is one of the trickiest challenges people have faced, from ancient city-states to AI startups. Experts Noah Feldman, constitutional law scholar at Harvard who architected the Meta...

6.1.24 / podcast
Pricing Strategy

Jason Rosenthal, Scott Duke Kominers, Maggie Hsu and Robert Hackett

This episode is all about pricing strategy. We dive into insights from traditional and web2 businesses and apply them — plus brand new approaches — to startups using crypto and blockchains. Topics of discussion include the...

5.23.24 / podcast
Open Sourcing the Superchain (with Optimism)

Jing Wang, Eddy Lazzarin and Robert Hackett

Open source software powers much technology today, from web servers to phones. But what does it take to get an open source project going from scratch? Optimism Foundation CEO and executive director Jing Wang joins a16z crypto CTO Eddy...

5.11.24 / podcast
Layer 2, Rollups, and Building Onchain (with Base)

Jesse Pollak, Noah Citron and Robert Hackett

"Layer 2” rollups are computer networks that are designed to help scale “layer 1” blockchains such as Ethereum — and they've been bustling with activity recently, especially since Ethereum implemented its scaling-related...

5.1.24 / podcast
Theory to Code: Building the Breakthrough zkVM Jolt

Justin Thaler, Sam Ragsdale, Michael Zhu and Robert Hackett

Verifiable computing is a method for trustlessly outsourcing computation — and it’s a fast-developing area of technology that could help scale blockchains and, more broadly, decentralize the internet. We explore this world through...

4.13.24 / podcast
Let's Get Digi-Physical: From 'Tap' Chips to Taylor Swift

Chris Lee, Michael Blau and Robert Hackett

Chris Lee is cofounder of IYK, a startup that makes digital experiences tangible through NFC chips. Michael Blau is a deal partner at a16z crypto and part-time generative artist. And Robert Hackett is an editor at a16z crypto. They...

4.2.24 / podcast
The Art of Technology, The Technology of Art

Simon Denny and Sonal Chokshi

All about how technology has changed art, and how artists change with technology – from the emergence of the browser, the iPhone, and social media; to generative AI art and blockchains to NFTs. We (with guest Simon Denny) also...

3.28.24 / podcast
Leading through uncertainty (with Coinbase CEO)

Brian Armstrong and Chris Dixon

Brian Armstrong is CEO and cofounder of Coinbase. Chris Dixon is founder and managing partner of a16z crypto. They discuss Coinbase's early days, the fallout from FTX, crypto in politics, company building, product development, and...

3.28.24 / podcast
Snowboards, software, and scaling (with Shopify CEO)

Tobias Lütke and Ben Horowitz

Tobias Lütke is the CEO and cofounder of the ecommerce platform Shopify. Ben Horowitz is the cofounder of a16z. They discuss scaling startups; leadership strategies; how to handle emotions, corporate culture, and activism; and more.

3.2.24 / podcast
Money, power, politics, and the internet's next battleground

Ben Horowitz, marc andreessen, Robert Hackett and Chris Dixon

Chris Dixon is the author of the bestselling book Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet, and he is the founder and managing partner of a16z crypto. Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen are the cofounders of Andreessen...

2.11.24 / podcast
The story of the internet, emergent networks, and their effects

Steven Johnson, Robert Hackett and Chris Dixon

Steven Johnson is a prolific author of books about technology and innovation, such as Where Good Ideas Come From and How We Got To Now, and he is editorial director at Google Labs. Chris Dixon is the founder and managing partner of...

1.30.24 / podcast
Read Write Own: A new era

Chris Dixon and Robert Hackett

Chris Dixon is the founder and managing partner of a16z crypto and author of the new book Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet. Robert Hackett is an editor at a16z crypto who worked closely with him on the book as an...

12.23.23 / podcast
On the decentralized web, truth, and human rights: 'Hacking authenticity'

Jonathan Dotan and Robert Hackett

We discuss human rights including recent crises in various regions around the world -- and the role of technology, such as the decentralized web for establishing "ground truth" -- with Jonathan Dotan, Emmy-winning producer and former...

10.7.23 / podcast
Communicating in Crypto, and Beyond

Matt Abrahams and Sonal Chokshi

How does one *communicate* well -- especially in crypto, but also in other technical industries, open source communities; or in distributed, decentralized organizations, where you may have participants that are both remote and in...

9.19.23 / podcast
Chain Choices: Or, How to Decide What Blockchain to Build On

Sonal Chokshi, Guy Wuollet and Eddy Lazzarin

with @guywuolletjr @eddylazzarin @smc90 "Which blockchain should I build in?" Is a very top of mind question for builders in web3, but also relevant to anyone interested in tech innovation and the evolution of infrastructure. So how...

9.5.23 / podcast
Debating Blockchain Architectures (with Solana)

Guy Wuollet, Anatoly Yakovenko, Ali Yahya and Sonal Chokshi

This all-new deep-dive, hallway-style chat features Solana co-founder and Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko. The first half of the episode is a discussion/ debate blockchain architectures -- including of course Solana & Ethereum,...

8.22.23 / podcast
Financial Freedom, Company Building, More

David Marcus and Sonal Chokshi

with @davidmarcus @smc90 A wide-ranging conversation on company building, big to small (including what cadence and when is the right "time" to ship); the relationship between centralization, decentralization, platforms, and financial...

8.12.23 / podcast
AI & Crypto

Chat GPT, Dan Boneh, Sonal Chokshi and Ali Yahya

with @alive_eth @danboneh @smc90 The convergence of two important, very top-of-mind trends: artificial intelligence & blockchains/ crypto. The conversation covers everything from deep fakes and bots and proof-of-humanity in a...

7.31.23 / podcast
Strategy & Operations for web3 (with Uniswap COO)

MC Lader and Sonal Chokshi

with @mclader @smc90 On how to think about business strategy (& competition) in a world of open source and decentralized finance; product vs. protocol innovation; talent from hiring to organizational structure &...

5.16.23 / podcast
Network Effects, Moats, & the Business of web3

Sonal Chokshi and Scott Kominers

with @skominers @smc90 A deep dive and tour through key business concepts -- from competitive advantage and Porter's Five Forces, to network effects and moats -- as builders of all kinds navigate business strategy in open source,...

5.5.23 / podcast
Of Data Availability & Danksharding

Valeria Nikolaenko, Dan Boneh and Robert Hackett

with @lera_banda @danboneh @rhhackett Data Availability Sampling and Danksharding is relevant to blockchain scaling, as well as to paving the way for more advanced blockchain networks and user applications. While much of the...

4.16.23 / podcast
State of Crypto: Trends, Data, More

Daren Matsuoka, Robert Hackett, Eddy Lazzarin and Chris Dixon

with @cdixon @eddylazzarin @DarenMatsuoka @rhhackett Key takeaways from the 2023 State of Crypto -- including data, methods, and trends; as well as discussion of trends such as infrastructure, NFTs, gaming, creator economy, energy,...

4.6.23 / podcast
Marketing web3: Audience, Community, More

Amanda Cassatt, Sonal Chokshi and Kim Milosevich

with @amandacassatt @kimbatronic @smc90 All about marketing, and web3 -- not just for marketers already in or seeking to enter web3, but also anyone doing community marketing/ community management, devrel (developer relations); or...

3.29.23 / podcast
Web3 Gaming & On-chain Games

Andreessen Horowitz

with @ariannasimpson @eddylazzarin @smc90 An overview of web3 gaming as enabled by crypto & blockchains -- including pulse-checks on what’s working so far, what's more or less ready, and where the most exciting design spaces...

2.13.23 / podcast
Crypto Policy & Regulation: What's Going On?

Brian Quintenz, Collin McCune, Miles Jennings and Sonal Chokshi

with @milesjennings @brianquintenz @colinmccune @smc90 We provide an overview of policy and regulation in the crypto industry right now -- from a lay of the land to pulse checks on sentiment; share frameworks for policymakers, and...

1.30.23 / podcast
Programming Languages & Crypto

Sam Blackshear, Noah Citron, Eddy Lazzarin and Sonal Chokshi

with @b1ackd0g @noahcitron @eddylazzarin @smc90 A wide-ranging conversation all about programming languages and crypto -- for both existing blockchain & smart contract programmers, other non-web3 developers seeking to enter the...

12.20.22 / podcast
Creators, Creativity, and Technology with Bob Iger

Bob Iger, Sonal Chokshi and Chris Dixon

with @robertiger @cdixon @smc90 A wide-ranging conversation with Bob Iger on the interplay between technology, content, and distribution; as well as Bob’s journey -- and that of various creators! -- especially as the industry...

12.2.22 / podcast
Building and Overcoming the Hard Things

Brian Armstrong and Ben Horowitz

with @brian_armstrong @bhorowitz A conversation on management, company culture, and much more on building and overcoming the hard things… beginning with what’s top of mind for so many in the crypto industry and in the news right...

11.21.22 / podcast
Mental Models for Navigating Crypto Markets & Cycles

Eddy Lazzarin, Sonal Chokshi and Chris Dixon

A (rerun but perhaps more relevant than ever) hallway-style conversation about market conditions, cycles of innovation, and mental models for navigating crypto and web3.

11.4.22 / podcast
Mainstreaming NFTs: Use Cases, Art, More

Punk6529, Sonal Chokshi and Chris Dixon

with @punk6529 @cdixon @smc90 Chris Dixon and Sonal Chokshi chat with Punk6529 about NFT use cases; NFT art (and generative art!); VR, AR, metaverse; more. As well as about regulatory mindsets, moves, and news -- such as Apple's...

10.21.22 / podcast
The Metaverse, Crypto, Virtual Society

Elena Burger, Herman Narula and Sonal Chokshi

with @hermannarula @virtualelena @smc90 A deep dive on all things metaverse -- what it is, what it isn’t; how VR, videogames, sports, fashion, communities play here; where crypto comes in, including trends in DAOs, on-chain gaming,...

10.9.22 / podcast
Age of Wonders: NFTs, Art, AI, Cycles of Computing

Kevin Rose and Chris Dixon

with @kevinrose @cdixon A tour through hot topics both within and beyond crypto – including art, AI, the evolution of mediums including blockchains; a deep dive on NFTs, artists, communities; debates around cc0, modding and...

9.12.22 / podcast
Ethereum, Merge and Beyond

Tim Beiko, Sonal Chokshi, Tim Roughgarden and Ali Yahya

with @timbeiko @tim_roughgarden @alive_eth @smc90 A deep dive on all things Ethereum, which this week makes the big move to proof of stake in The Merge. But our conversation, which certainly goes into The Merge and shares lots of...

8.29.22 / podcast
PoS Blockchains - Designs, Consensus, Attacks

Valeria Nikolaenko, Tim Roughgarden and Sonal Chokshi

with @lera_banda @tim_roughgarden @smc90 An overview of proof-of-stake blockchains -- from quick background on how blockchains work, difference between PoS & PoW, and approaches to improving both; to digging deeper into Sybill...

8.19.22 / podcast
Crypto Regulations, Illicit Finance, Privacy and Beyond

Michele Korver, Jai Ramaswamy and Sonal Chokshi

with @michelekorver @jai_ramaswamy @smc90 We tease apart the facts vs buzz around recent news -- Tornado Cash sanctions, and arrest of a suspected developer -- including what's novel and what's not, as well as broader backdrop. But...

8.12.22 / podcast
Bridge Hack, Wallet Hack

Matt Gleason, Riyaz Faizullabhoy, Sonal Chokshi and Nassim Eddequiouaq

with @mg_486662 @riyazdf @nassyweazy and @smc90 We cover two of the most recent, high-profile hacks in the crypto space -- the Nomad bridge hack, and the Slope wallet hack (which affected several users on Solana) -- including a...

8.6.22 / podcast
Top Tech Topics, Explained

Joseph Bonneau, Scott Kominers, Chris Dixon, Sonal Chokshi, Ali Yahya and Tim Roughgarden

@tim_roughgarden @josephbonneau @skominers with @alive_eth @cdixon A tour through top-of-mind blockchain & crypto tech topics, explained by several a16z crypto researchers, including VDFs (verifiable delay functions); zk-rollups,...

7.23.22 / podcast
Policy Principles

Miles Jennings, Jake Auchincloss and Chris Dixon

@jakeauch @cdixon @milesjennings A quick overview of principles for thinking about policy, briefly covering topics and recent moves that are top of mind in U.S. crypto regulation -- from stablecoins to NFTs to DAOs more.

7.18.22 / podcast
Securing and Evolving NFTs

Michael Blau, Nassim Eddequiouaq and Sonal Chokshi

with @x0rart / @blauyourmind, @nassyweazy, @smc90 We cover the security and evolution of NFTs across applications and mediums -- including dynamic NFTs for art to identity to experiences; address common myths and misconceptions along...

7.5.22 / podcast
Puzzles (& Crypto)

Matthew Stein, Sonal Chokshi and Scott Kominers

with @enigmida @skominers @smc90 A special bonus holiday episode based on a hallway-style riff linking two seemingly unrelated things: puzzle design, and crypto -- covering types of puzzles, from mediums to mindsets; experience...

6.27.22 / podcast
Decentralized Creativity & Collaboration

Rob McElhenney, Sonal Chokshi and Chris Dixon

with @RMcElhenney @cdixon @smc90 Based on a live conversation that took place earlier this week at NFT NYC between special guest Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mythic Quest; Adim); Chris Dixon, and Sonal...

6.14.22 / podcast
Auction Design for web3

Scott Kominers, Tim Roughgarden and Sonal Chokshi

with @skominers @tim_roughgarden @smc90 All things auctions -- which applies in web3 contexts to everything from NFT mints to blockchains themselves. We provide an overview of auction types and incentive design, and how it works in...

5.31.22 / podcast
Blockchains / Crypto / web3

Chris Dixon, Ali Yahya, Tim Roughgarden and Sonal Chokshi

with @cdixon @alive_eth @tim_roughgarden @smc90 We set some context, quickly, into the connection between blockchains, crypto, and web3 – and offer some useful analogies, and more mental models, for thinking about a blossoming area...

5.31.22 / podcast
Methods to the Madness

Chris Dixon, Eddy Lazzarin and Sonal Chokshi

with @cdixon @eddylazzarin @smc90 A conversation about the markets and how recent events affect crypto and web3; mental models for thinking about crypto and web3, and the longer arc and evolution of technology history, open source,...

5.20.22 / podcast
web3 with a16z, a show about the next internet

Andreessen Horowitz

"web3 with a16z" is a show about the next generation of the internet, and about how builders and users -- whether artists, coders, creators, developers, companies, organizations, or communities -- now have the ability to not just...