Investing in crypto is not for the faint of heart. The volatile crypto landscape is littered with the remnants of high-profile collapses, such as Terraform Labs, Three Arrows Capital, and FTX. Still, some VC firms — especially investment powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz (commonly known as a16z) — remain bullish on crypto.
May 2022, a16z announced a fourth crypto fund at a cost of $4.5 billion, bringing the total amount of funding for crypto and web3 alone to over $7.6 billion.
The company seems intent on staying in an industry that many traditional VCs have stepped out of. We want to know why. We also have questions about their web3 investment strategy and more. That’s why we’re thrilled that Arianna Simpson, General Partner at a16z, will be joining TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 for a fireside chat from September 19-21 in San Francisco.
Listen to Arianna Simpson from a16z at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023
No matter how you invest it, that $4.5 billion fourth round is too big a number. We’ll ask Simpson if the odds are even and where she sees them emerging. We’re also curious to see how the company is navigating not only the notorious ecosystem instability, but also the effects of recent high-profile bank closures on crypto and looming regulations.
We’re interested in Simpson’s vision for the future of web3 – as the industry matures and reaches beyond tech and gaming enthusiasts to reach a wider consumer audience. And that’s just to start. I’m pretty sure we’ll be coming up with even more questions between now and September.
Arianna Simpson, a general partner at a16z, invests in crypto. Prior to joining the VC firm, Simpson founded Autonomous Partners, an investment fund focused on cryptocurrencies and digital assets. She also helped launch Crystal Towers Capital, a young investor fund that primarily invests in Y Combinator companies.
Previously, Simpson worked in sales and product roles at Facebook and BitGo, a security company for bitcoin and other digital currencies. She earned dual degrees in international politics and Spanish from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 will take place September 19-21 in San Francisco. Buy your pass sooner prices rise on May 12and save up to $800. Student, government, and non-profit passes are available for just $95.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023? Contact our sponsorship sales team at filling out this form.
