• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Farnam Street Logo

Farnam Street

Mastering the best of what other people have already figured out

  • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Books
  • Articles
  • Log In
  • Become a Member
TweetEmailLinkedInPrint

The Knowledge Project Podcast

Chris Dixon: The State of Venture Capital [The Knowledge Project Ep. #5]

In this episode, a16z partner Chris Dixon and I discuss the history of venture capital, artificial intelligence, what makes a great entrepreneur, and why companies fail.

Now available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript

Chris is a partner at perhaps the most famous venture capital firm in the world, Andreessen Horowitz or commonly known as a16z.

This interview provides a rare peek behind the scenes of what happens at a16z and the business philosophies that laid the foundation for its success.

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

  • The fascinating history of venture capital and how it morphed into what it is today
  • What Chris is looking for when he evaluates a company in search of funding
  • How a16z earned their reputation as the preeminent VC firm and what they do differently that sets them apart in such a competitive space
  • How to shift your mindset to accept and even expect failure and how to learn from it
  • The characteristics that Chris seeks out in a founder before investing a dime
  • The next wave in technology that will revolutionize the way we interact with one another
  • How close we are to having self-driving cars in every driveway and the “edge cases” that the current technology can’t quite get right
  • The exciting things some start-ups are doing to improve the food quality in the United States
  • How Chris explores the “idea maze” with entrepreneurs to gauge the depth of thought they’ve put into their start-up

And much much more.

If you’re at all interested in the world of venture capital and how great ideas are funded, you’ll get a lot out of this conversation with Chris.

I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

Books Mentioned

  • Arthur C. Clarke, How the World was One
  • Douglas Hofsteader, Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
  • Daniel Dennett, Conciousness Explained
  • Stephen Jay Gould, Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History
  • Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales
  • Cixin Liu, The Three Body Problem
  • Andy Weir, The Martian
  • Ashlee Vance, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
  • Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Links

  • Chris Dixon on The Babe Ruth Effect in Venture Capital
  • Chris Dixon’s new blog on Medium
  • Follow Chris on Twitter
  • Ben Horowitz – The Hard Thing about Hard things
  • Ben Horowitz on “The Struggle”

Transcript

Get transcripts, early access, ad-free episodes, and so much more. Learn more or sign up now.

Already a member? Head over to the Members Only area to access transcripts and other Member Only content.

Become a Member

More Episodes

Shane Parrish: A Glimpse into Clear Thinking [The Knowledge Project Ep. 177]

Ever wondered why the world’s most successful individuals seem to have an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time? It’s …

Listen NowShane Parrish: A Glimpse into Clear Thinking [The Knowledge Project Ep. 177]

Dr. Leah Lagos and Joe Mazzulla: Control Your Heart, Conquer Your Stress [The Knowledge Project Ep. 176]

Internationally renowned health and performance psychologist Dr. Leah Lagos discusses the concept of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and how …

Listen NowDr. Leah Lagos and Joe Mazzulla: Control Your Heart, Conquer Your Stress [The Knowledge Project Ep. 176]

Shreyas Doshi: Better Teams, Better Products [The Knowledge Project Ep. 175]

Calling on more than two decades of experience working with some of the biggest companies in tech, Shreyas Doshi joins The Knowledge Project …

Listen NowShreyas Doshi: Better Teams, Better Products [The Knowledge Project Ep. 175]
The Knowledget Product podcast cover

The Knowledge Project

A podcast about mastering the best of what other people have already figured out. The Knowledge Project focuses on insights and lessons that never expire. You’ll walk away from every episode with actionable insights that help you get better results and live a more meaningful life.

Listen now onApple Podcasts
More Options
  • Spotify
  • Google Podcast
  • Overcast
  • g id="Pocket-Casts-Roundel---Red">Pocket Casts
  • RSS

Never miss an episode

A podcast about mastering the best of what other people have already figured out.

Farnam Street Logo

© 2023 Farnam Street Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Proudly powered by WordPress. Hosted by Pressable. See our Privacy Policy.

  • Speaking
  • Sponsorship
  • About
  • Support
  • Education

We’re Syrus Partners.
We buy amazing businesses.


Farnam Street participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising commissions by linking to Amazon.