Andreessen Horowitz
Andreessen Horowitz is a major venture capital firm whose political spending, federal lobbying, policy advocacy, and personnel transitions into government coincide with the regulatory interests of its portfolio companies across AI, cryptocurrency, and defense procurement.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a Menlo Park, California venture capital firm founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. From a $300 million inaugural fund, the firm grew to manage roughly $42 billion across funds spanning consumer, enterprise, bio, crypto, and defense technology 1. In January 2026, a16z closed a $15 billion fundraise that included a dedicated $1.176 billion "American Dynamism" defense and national security fund 1. The firm's 13F filings 2 show a public equity portfolio that grew from $745 million in Q4 2024 to $1.58 billion by Q4 2025, composed entirely of post-IPO positions in portfolio companies with zero public defense-sector equity 3.
Beginning in 2024, a16z co-founders made large-scale political commitments aligned with the incoming Trump administration's policy direction. Marc Andreessen donated $4.5 million to MAGA Inc, a Trump Super PAC, and contributed a combined $25 million with Ben Horowitz to launch "Leading the Future," a pro-AI-deregulation Super PAC that raised $125 million by end-2025 4. Andreessen separately directed $11.9 million to the Fairshake crypto Super PAC in December 2025, bringing documented a16z Super PAC commitments above $37 million in the current cycle 4. The firm tripled its federal lobbying footprint over the same period, engaging three firms and spending $1.49 million on federal lobbying in 2025, double the 2024 figure 5.
Several a16z principals subsequently moved into senior federal positions, including Scott Kupor as Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Sam Corcos as Treasury Chief Information Officer through DOGE Connection #2990, Connection #3004. These placements are detailed in the Government Personnel section below.
Government Personnel
Scott Kupor joined a16z as its first employee in 2009 and served as managing partner for sixteen years before becoming Director of the Office of Personnel Management in July 2025 Connection #3081. His OGE 278 financial disclosure lists his a16z salary as $2,537,996 and anticipated severance of $5 million to $25 million; he resigned from 32 a16z fund boards but retained passive investor status in 38 others Connection #2990. OPM, which manages federal workforce policy and hiring, absorbed DOGE workforce-reduction functions under his tenure, with plans for eliminating approximately 300,000 federal roles reported at the time of his confirmation Connection #2990.
Sam Corcos, the CEO of Levels Health, a company a16z funded, was placed at the Treasury Department as Chief Information Officer through DOGE Connection #3004. In that role he directed the cancellation of $1.5 billion in IRS contracts and administered coding assessments to IRS IT staff, reportedly deeming an estimated 100 to 200 of 8,500 personnel adequate Connection #3004. Kupor at OPM and Corcos at Treasury placed a16z-affiliated individuals in positions overseeing federal workforce policy and Treasury financial technology procurement simultaneously Connection #2990, Connection #3004.
James D. Sullivan served as an Investment Partner at a16z from August 2019 through January 2025, then became Senior Advisor at OPM under Kupor. According to his ProPublica financial disclosure, Sullivan retained a16z fund interests valued at $100 million to $250 million while advising the agency that oversees federal hiring practices and workforce policies.
Brian Quintenz, a16z's head of crypto policy and a former CFTC Commissioner (2017 to 2021), was nominated by President Trump to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in February 2025. The nomination was withdrawn in September 2025.
Defense Investment and Procurement
a16z established its "American Dynamism" practice to concentrate investments in defense, aerospace, and national security 1. The January 2026 fundraise allocated $1.176 billion specifically to this vertical 1. Katherine Boyle, the General Partner who leads the practice, previously co-led the seed practice at General Catalyst and invested in the inception rounds of Anduril Industries and Vannevar Labs before joining a16z. Event records show the firm held its fourth annual American Dynamism Summit in Washington, DC in 2026 under the theme "Securing the Next 250 Years," with attendees including Shyam Sankar (CTO, Palantir), Christian Brose (President and CSO, Anduril), and Liz Young McNally (Deputy Director, Defense Innovation Unit) 6.
The firm's "American Dynamism 50" list for 2025 publicly enumerated 51 portfolio and affiliated companies positioned to benefit from defense spending, including Anduril Industries (autonomous defense systems), Shield AI (autonomous aircraft AI), Saronic (autonomous naval vessels), Castelion (hypersonic weapons), Epirus (directed-energy weapons), and Vannevar Labs (national security AI) 7. Compiling confirmed federal contract awards to portfolio companies, the documentary record shows Anduril with more than $22 billion in DoD contracts including the IVAS novation and a Golden Dome SBI prototype; Saronic with a $392 million Navy Corsair autonomous surface vessel production contract in December 2025; Shield AI with $72.1 million in confirmed federal awards plus an $8 billion EWACC contract position; and Astranis with a $13.2 million Space Force contract 8. According to USASpending records, $88.6 million in contract value was documented for Shield AI, Astranis, and Saildrone combined, separate from the Anduril figures 9.
Hadrian, a precision machining portfolio company, hired Rear Admiral Mike Manazir, a retired U.S. Navy officer and former Boeing executive, as VP of Federal Sales 1. Examination of the firm's policy documents shows a16z released papers titled "Why America Needs Dynamic Defense Reform" and "Investing Capital to Defend the Nation," advocating procurement reform pathways that would accelerate contract awards to the types of startups it funds 10.
Political Spending and Lobbying
FEC records show Marc Andreessen directed $5.06 million in disclosed political contributions including $4.5 million to MAGA Inc (a Trump Super PAC), $5,000 to the NRSC, and $5,000 to SLF PAC 1. In anchor commitments to Super PACs, Andreessen and Horowitz each contributed $12.5 million to "Leading the Future" (LTF), a pro-AI-regulation PAC that reached $125 million total by end-2025 and counts OpenAI's Greg Brockman, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and Perplexity among its donors 4. Andreessen contributed an additional $11.9 million to the Fairshake crypto PAC in December 2025; Fairshake reported a $193 million war chest for the 2026 cycle and claims 50-plus candidate wins in the 2024 cycle 4.
Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act filings show a16z engaged three lobbying firms across sequential years: McDermott+ LLC, registered Q2 2023, covering AI in healthcare, drug approval, and Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement; Cornerstone Government Affairs, registered Q4 2024, covering technology, blockchain, cryptocurrency, and energy at $80,000–$100,000 per quarter; and BGR Government Affairs, registered Q1 2025, covering AI and digital assets with seven registered lobbyists 5. Total federal lobbying expenditure reached $1.49 million in 2025, double the 2024 figure 5. The American Bazaar reported this outpaced all rival VC firms 5.
In April 2025, a16z co-founded the American Innovators Network, a registered lobbying group with Vanessa Day — a former senior adviser to Speaker Paul Ryan — as executive director, and Y Combinator as a co-member 11. Collin McCune, a16z's head of government affairs, was hired from Representative McHenry's congressional staff. Federal lobbying across a16z and affiliated entities reached $3.53 million in 2025 11.
The Little Tech Agenda
On July 5, 2024, Andreessen and Horowitz published "The Little Tech Agenda," a policy document with four core demands: deregulation of AI development; favorable cryptocurrency regulation; relaxed merger and acquisition oversight for tech startups; and reduced capital gains taxation 11. Broadband Breakfast reported in January 2025 that the agenda tracked Trump administration policy more closely than the administration's own statements, writing that it "has gone from being the tail wagging to the dog barking."
Each demand corresponds to a commercial interest of the firm: AI deregulation benefits a16z's AI fund; cryptocurrency regulation benefits its crypto fund; relaxed M&A rules improve portfolio company exit conditions; and lower capital gains taxation benefits carried interest and LP returns 11. a16z's head of government affairs stated publicly: "Andreessen Horowitz is on the side of Little Tech." The document preceded the firm's largest political spending cycle and its tripling of lobbying expenditure.
Public Equity Structure
a16z Capital Management 2 files quarterly 13F-HR reports covering its public equity holdings 3. Across five consecutive filings from Q4 2024 through Q4 2025, the portfolio held zero defense or defense-technology public equities — no Palantir, no defense primes, no aerospace stocks 3. Holdings consisted entirely of post-IPO positions in portfolio companies: DoorDash ($268 million, 37% of portfolio in Q4 2024) and Samsara were exited by Q2 2025; Figma appeared at $843 million (60% of portfolio) following its IPO in Q3 2025; Navan appeared at $464 million in Q4 2025 12. The portfolio doubled from $745 million to $1.58 billion over this period 12.
The absence of public defense equity confirms that a16z's defense investments, including the $1.176 billion American Dynamism fund, are held entirely through private and pre-IPO vehicles 3. A separate EDGAR footprint (Marc Andreessen CIK 0001160077) encompasses 134 filings across extensive fund vehicles.
All Connections
8 total
All Connections
8 totalFirst hire 2009; managing partner 16 years; resigned from 32 funds but passive investor in 38 others upon becoming OPM Director July 2025; planned 300K federal role elimination
a16z first hire and managing partner became OPM Director July 2025, absorbed DOGE workforce functions
Lobbying firm representing a16z on technology, blockchain, crypto, and energy issues, Q4 2024 to present
Marc Andreessen appointed to HSAC June 2025 by President Trump
a16z investor in Anduril via American Dynamism fund; Anduril has 2.36B in federal contracts
a16z investor in Shield AI via American Dynamism fund
Booz Allen became first-ever a16z Technology Acceleration Partner for Governments (Jan 2026), committed 400M to a16z late-stage fund
Levels Health CEO (a16z-funded) assigned as Special Adviser to Treasury Secretary via DOGE
All Findings
16 total
All Findings
16 totalfinancial (6)
a16z American Dynamism deep dive: $1.176B dedicated defense/national security fund within $15B total Jan 2026 raise. Published 'American Dynamism 50' list annually spotlighting defense-adjacent portfolio companies. Key defense portfolio: Anduril (autonomous weapons), Shield AI (autonomous aircraft), ACS/Applied Concepts Systems (Bullfrog autonomous counter-drone gun), Astranis ($13.2M Space Force contract), Hadrian (precision manufacturing, hired Rear Admiral Mike Manazir as VP Federal Sales), Antares ($3.75M DoD funding), Pryzm (defense AI, $12.2M seed). Also investor in Erebor Bank. Marc Andreessen personally donated $4.5M to MAGA Inc (Trump Super PAC).
American Dynamism portfolio companies with government contracts: Anduril: $2.3B+ DoD contracts, $22B IVAS, Golden Dome SBI prototype. Shield AI: $72.1M federal contracts (DHS/Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, SOCOM). V-BAT VTOL UAV. Coatue co-investor. Revenue $200M (2024, 64% YoY growth). 900 employees. $8B EWACC contract position. ACS (Applied Concepts Systems): Bullfrog autonomous robotic gun for counter-drone defense. Co-founded by former Navy nuclear engineers. Astranis: $13.2M Space Force contract for Military Ka-band satellite capability. Hadrian: Precision metal components for rockets, satellites, jets, drones. Hired Rear Admiral Mike Manazir (former Boeing executive, retired USN) as VP Federal Sales. Antares: $3.75M DoD funding, working with national laboratories on nuclear technology. Pryzm: Defense AI startup, $12.2M seed backed by a16z. a16z defense reform agenda: Published 'Why America Needs Dynamic Defense Reform' and 'Investing Capital to Defend the Nation' policy papers. Hosted American Dynamism Summit 2026 themed 'Securing the Next 250 Years.' The firm thus operates both as an investor and as a policy advocate for the procurement changes that affect its portfolio. Lobbying: McDermott+ LLC (health/Medicare issues), Cornerstone Government Affairs ($40K, financial securities). Marc Andreessen personal FEC: $5.06M total. $4.5M to MAGA Inc (Trump Super PAC), $5K NRSC, $5K SLF PAC. Ben Horowitz also a major Trump donor. a16z alumni in government: Katherine Boyle (a16z general partner, American Dynamism lead) connects the fund to the defense establishment.
a16z co-founders anchor-fund three major Super PACs targeting the 2026 midterms. (1) Leading the Future (LTF): $25M from Andreessen and Horowitz ($12.5M each), total raised $125M by end-2025, a pro-AI-regulation PAC targeting anti-regulation candidates. Other funders include OpenAI's Greg Brockman, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, Ron Conway, and Perplexity; it is modeled on the Fairshake crypto effort. (2) Fairshake: $11.9M from Andreessen (Dec 2025), bringing a16z total commitments to ~$60M, with a $193M war chest for 2026 and 50+ candidate wins in the 2024 cycle. (3) Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress: $50K each from Andreessen. Combined a16z Super PAC spending alone exceeds $37M in the current cycle.
Between 2023 and 2025, LDA filings show a16z tripled its lobbying infrastructure, engaging three firms simultaneously. (1) McDermott+ LLC (registered Q2 2023): AI in healthcare, drug approval, Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement; lobbyist Rachel Stauffer (former Health Policy Director for Rep. Diana DeGette); $10K/quarter through Q1 2024, then amounts not reported. (2) Cornerstone Government Affairs (registered Q4 2024): technology, blockchain, cryptocurrency, energy; lobbyists Michael Smith and David Planning; $80-100K/quarter. (3) BGR Government Affairs (registered Q1 2025): AI and digital assets; seven lobbyists including Matt Hoffmann, Lester Munson, Joseph Lai, Maya Seiden, Patrick Ames, Andrew Lewin, and Jennifer Brown; $30-80K/quarter. Total 2025 federal lobbying reached $1.49M, double the 2024 figure. American Bazaar reported this outpaces all rival VC firms.
a16z Capital Management (CIK 0001540358) held ZERO defense or defense-tech public equities across all 5 quarters Q4 2024-Q4 2025. Portfolio entirely biotech, fintech, and enterprise software (DoorDash, Samsara, Block, Figma, Navan). Only tech-adjacent position: Meta Platforms ($140M, Q3-Q4 2025). Total portfolio grew from $745M to $1.58B. 12-13 positions per quarter. No Palantir, no defense primes, no quantum stocks.
a16z Capital Management's portfolio underwent significant restructuring in 2025. DoorDash ($268M, 37% of portfolio in Q4 2024) and Samsara ($175M) were completely exited by Q2 2025. Figma appeared Q3 2025 at $843M (60% of portfolio) following its IPO, becoming the dominant position. Navan appeared Q4 2025 at $464M. Portfolio doubled from $745M to $1.58B. This is a classic VC firm 13F: holdings are post-IPO positions from portfolio companies, not open-market purchases. Zero defense exposure confirms a16z's defense investments are entirely private/pre-IPO.
Booz Allen Hamilton committed 400M to a16z fund, became first-ever Technology Acceleration Partner for Governments (Jan 2026)
On January 12, 2026, Booz Allen Hamilton announced partnership with Andreessen Horowitz to accelerate commercial tech for government. Booz Allen committed 400M to a16z's late-stage venture fund and became the first-ever a16z Technology Acceleration Partner for Governments. Partnership focuses on AI, cybersecurity, warfare tech, autonomous systems, and electronic warfare. Booz Allen will work with a16z portfolio companies to prepare products for secure government networks and regulated environments. This creates a direct pipeline from a16z's 1.176B American Dynamism fund (Anduril, Shield AI, Saronic, Castelion) into government procurement via Booz Allen's 8.4B annual revenue government contracting operation.
relationship (2)
a16z lobbying expanded from health issues to financial/securities/banking/science-tech, hired BGR Government Affairs and Cornerstone in 2024-2025
Senate LDA records show a16z lobbying activity: 2023-2024 lobbied on Health Issues/Medicare/Medicaid via McDermott+ LLC (10K/quarter). In Q4 2024, dramatically expanded: hired Cornerstone Government Affairs (100K) for Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities. In Q1 2025, added BGR Government Affairs (30K initially, then 80K/quarter) for Financial Institutions/Investments/Securities, Banking, and Science/Technology. By Q3 2025, running three simultaneous lobbying operations: McDermott+ (health), Cornerstone (80K/qtr, financial), BGR (80K/qtr, financial/tech/banking). Entity name changed from 'Andreessen Horowitz' to 'A16Z Capital Management FKA Andreessen Horowitz' and later 'A16Z Capital Management LLC (D/B/A Andreessen Horowitz) FKA AH Capital Mgmt'.
Scott Kupor, a16z managing partner, confirmed as OPM Director July 2025 - first VC firm executive to run federal personnel agency
Scott Kupor, managing partner at Andreessen Horowitz who helped build the firm from inception in 2009 to 45B+ AUM, was nominated by Trump in December 2024 as Director of the Office of Personnel Management. He resigned from a16z fund and board positions ahead of Senate confirmation hearing (April 2025, HSGAC). Confirmed by Senate and sworn in July 14, 2025. Remained a passive investor in multiple a16z funds. OPM oversees 2.1M federal civilian employees. His appointment placed an a16z managing partner over federal hiring during a period when a16z portfolio companies (Anduril, Shield AI, and others) were seeking government contracts and a16z's Booz Allen partnership (Jan 2026, 400M commitment) aimed to accelerate portfolio company government adoption.
intelligence (8)
"The Little Tech Agenda," published July 5, 2024 by Andreessen and Horowitz, set out four core demands: (1) deregulate AI development, (2) favorable cryptocurrency regulation, (3) relax merger/acquisition oversight for tech startups, (4) reduce capital gains taxation. Observers noted the agenda 'has gone from being the tail wagging to the dog barking,' better predicting Trump administration policy than Trump's own statements. It preceded the creation of the American Innovators Network (April 2025), a registered lobbying group with Vanessa Day (former Paul Ryan senior adviser) as executive director and a16z and Y Combinator among its members. Federal lobbying surged to $3.53M in 2025, double the 2024 figure. a16z head of government affairs Collin McCune, hired from Rep. McHenry's staff, stated, 'Andreessen Horowitz is on the side of Little Tech.' Each demand aligns with a commercial interest of the firm: AI deregulation with its AI portfolio, crypto regulation with its crypto fund, and relaxed M&A with portfolio company exits.
a16z's 2025 'American Dynamism 50' list, subtitled 'Companies Shaping the Fight of the Future,' named 51 companies across defense, aerospace, energy, manufacturing, computing, and homeland security. Defense-specific companies: Anduril Industries (autonomous defense), Allen Control Systems/ACS (counter-drone), Auterion (unmanned warfare OS), Cape (secure mobile networks), Castelion (hypersonic weapons), CX2 (electronic warfare AI), Epirus (directed-energy weapons), Firehawk Aerospace (hybrid rocket engines), Forterra (autonomous military vehicles), Neros Technologies (unmanned defense), Reveal (frontline situational awareness), Rune Technologies (military logistics AI), Saronic (autonomous naval vessels), Shield AI (autonomous drone AI), Swan (scalable autonomous defense), Vannevar Labs (national security AI), and Zeromark (infantry counter-drone). Aerospace and space: Aalyria, Aetherflux, AnySignal, Apex Space, Astranis, Astro Mechanica, Hermeus, Impulse Space, Northwood Space, SpaceX, Turion Space, Umbra, and Venus Aerospace. The list includes one non-portfolio company, SpaceX (Musk), and serves as a public indication of which companies a16z expects to benefit from defense spending.
a16z launched a formal 'Dynamic Tech Defense Reform Initiative' uniting venture capital, startups, members of Congress, the military, and think tanks to champion acquisition reform. Katherine Boyle (General Partner, co-founder of the American Dynamism practice) leads defense investment strategy. Boyle was previously at General Catalyst, where she co-led the seed practice and invested in the inception rounds of Anduril Industries and Vannevar Labs; before venture capital she was a Washington Post reporter. a16z published the policy paper 'Why America Needs Dynamic Defense Reform,' advocating faster procurement pathways that benefit portfolio companies. The firm is concurrently investing in defense startups, lobbying for acquisition reform that benefits those startups, placing personnel in agencies that manage procurement, and funding PACs that support its regulatory agenda — activities that span investment, lobbying, personnel, and political funding around a single policy area.
a16z held its fourth annual American Dynamism Summit in Washington, DC, in 2026, bringing together portfolio company CEOs, Pentagon officials, and policymakers under the theme 'Securing the Next 250 Years.' Notable attendees included Shyam Sankar (CTO, Palantir), Christian Brose (President/CSO, Anduril), Chris Power (CEO, Hadrian), Ian Cinnamon (CEO, Apex), Bryon Hargis (CEO, Castelion), and Liz Young McNally (Deputy Director, DIU). Fox Business covered the summit's focus on munitions production. The invitation-only summit, with a16z setting the guest list and agenda, brings portfolio company CEOs together with senior Pentagon procurement officials in a private setting rather than a public conference.
Documented federal contracts for a16z American Dynamism portfolio companies (partial list, confirmed awards only): Anduril Industries, $22B IVAS novation plus $159M SBMC plus Golden Dome SBI prototype plus SHIELD IDIQ (multi-billion); Saronic, $392M Navy Corsair ASV production (Dec 2025); Shield AI, $72.1M federal contracts plus $8B EWACC position plus SBIR awards; Castelion, ~$50M Navy Blackbeard hypersonic plus Army FY26 budget line; Forterra, LRIP ROGUE-Fires production orders (Marine Corps); Astranis, $13.2M Space Force contract; Umbra, $2M SDA plus up to $60M STRATFI; Antares, $3.75M DoD funding; Pryzm, $12.2M seed (defense AI); Scale AI, Maven contract participant. The confirmed total exceeds $23B in federal contract value across a16z portfolio companies, not counting subcontracts or classified programs.
a16z American Dynamism portfolio federal contract exposure from USASpending: Shield AI $52.1M (V-BAT drones, USCG/USAF/Navy), Astranis $18.9M (protected anti-jam satellite comms, USAF), Saildrone $17.6M (autonomous ocean ISR, USCG/NOAA). Combined documented portfolio company contracts: $88.6M across these 3 companies alone. Anduril ($22B+ IVAS/Golden Dome) not included in this tally as previously documented. Total a16z portfolio government contract exposure exceeds $22B.
a16z American Dynamism fund (1.176B) positions a16z as primary VC pipeline for defense/national security procurement
a16z American Dynamism fund raised 1.176B focused on defense, aerospace, public safety, supply chain, industrials, manufacturing. Portfolio mirrors Pentagon priorities: Anduril Industries (autonomous defense, 2.36B federal contracts), Shield AI (military drones), Saronic Technologies (autonomous naval vessels), Castelion (hypersonic missiles), Hadrian (aerospace manufacturing), Apex Space (satellites), Applied Intuition (autonomous vehicle software for defense). In January 2026, a16z raised 15B across five funds total. With the Booz Allen partnership (400M), Scott Kupor at OPM, Andreessen on HSAC, and Fairshake political spending (23.8M from the founders alone), a16z's activity spans venture capital, lobbying, political donations, government advisory positions, and executive branch appointments.
Across advisory, executive-branch, lobbying, political-spending, defense-investment, and procurement channels, a16z's government-facing activity spans an HSAC seat, the OPM directorship, three lobbying firms, 23.8M in political donations, the Booz Allen partnership, and the American Dynamism fund
Taken together, the findings describe a16z government-facing activity across six channels. In advisory roles, Marc Andreessen has served on HSAC since June 2025, participating in closed DHS operational discussions. In the executive branch, Scott Kupor became OPM Director (confirmed July 2025), overseeing 2.1M federal employees while maintaining passive a16z investments. On lobbying, the firm runs three simultaneous operations: McDermott+ (health), Cornerstone (financial/securities), and BGR (financial/tech/banking). On political spending, Andreessen and Horowitz each gave 11.9M to Fairshake (23.8M total), plus hundreds of thousands to Republican candidates. On defense investment, the American Dynamism fund (1.176B) backs Anduril (2.36B federal contracts), Shield AI, Saronic, and Castelion. On procurement, the Booz Allen 400M partnership aims to accelerate a16z portfolio companies into government. The combination presents potential conflicts of interest: Andreessen advises DHS on security while a16z companies receive 861M+ in DHS contracts, and Kupor oversees federal hiring while a16z companies seek government business.