Marc Andreessen: Difference between revisions

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| nationality  = American
| nationality  = American
| education    = [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]] (BS)
| education    = [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]] (BS)
| occupation  = Venture capitalist, entrepreneur, software engineer
| occupation  = Venture capitalist, businessman, software engineer
| known_for    = Co-creator of [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], co-founder of [[Netscape]], co-founder of [[Andreessen Horowitz]]
| known_for    = Co-creator of [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], co-founder of [[Netscape]], co-founder of [[Andreessen Horowitz]]
| awards      = [[Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering]]
| awards      = [[Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering]]
}}
}}


'''Marc Lowell Andreessen''' (born July 9, 1971) is an American businessman, venture capitalist, and former software engineer who helped shape the modern internet and the commercial technology landscape. As co-author of [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], the first widely used web browser capable of displaying inline images, and co-founder of [[Netscape Communications]], Andreessen played a central role in making the [[World Wide Web]] accessible to millions of users in the 1990s. He later co-founded [[Andreessen Horowitz]], one of [[Silicon Valley]]'s most prominent venture capital firms, through which he has invested in and advised a broad range of technology companies. Over the course of his career, Andreessen has also co-founded the software company [[Opsware]] (originally Loudcloud), which was sold to [[Hewlett-Packard]], and [[Ning]], a platform for creating social networking websites.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has served on the boards of several major technology companies, including [[Facebook]] (now [[Meta Platforms]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen Joins Facebook Board |url=http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/marc-andreessen-joins-facebook-board |publisher=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Andreessen's influence extends beyond his business activities; his 2011 essay "Why Software Is Eating the World" became one of the most cited frameworks for understanding the expansion of software into every sector of the economy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He was featured on the cover of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine in 1996 and has been recognized by the ''[[MIT Technology Review]]'' as one of the world's top innovators under 35.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Magazine Cover: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=TR35 Profile: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?TRID=518 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''Marc Lowell Andreessen''' (born July 9, 1971) is an American businessman, venture capitalist, and former software engineer who has occupied a central position in the development of the commercial internet and the technology investment landscape for more than three decades. As a young programmer at the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] (NCSA) at the [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]], he co-authored [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], the first widely used web browser capable of displaying inline images alongside text — a technical achievement that transformed the [[World Wide Web]] from an academic tool into a mass medium.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He subsequently co-founded [[Netscape Communications Corporation]], whose Netscape Navigator browser became the dominant gateway to the early web and whose 1995 initial public offering is regarded as a defining event of the [[dot-com bubble]]. After Netscape's acquisition by [[AOL]], Andreessen co-founded the enterprise software company [[Loudcloud]], later renamed [[Opsware]], which was sold to [[Hewlett-Packard]] in 2007. He also co-founded the social networking platform [[Ning]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Merging Glam and Ning |url=http://blog.pmarca.com/2011/09/20/merging-glam-and-ning/ |publisher=pmarca blog |date=2011-09-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In 2009, alongside longtime business partner [[Ben Horowitz]], Andreessen established the venture capital firm [[Andreessen Horowitz]] (also known as a16z), which has become one of the most prominent technology investment firms in [[Silicon Valley]]. Andreessen has served on the boards of several major technology companies, including [[Facebook]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen Joins Facebook Board |url=http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/marc-andreessen-joins-facebook-board |publisher=Business Insider |date=2008-06 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In 2024, he became a political advisor to [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley |work=ProPublica |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Marc Lowell Andreessen was born on July 9, 1971, in [[Cedar Falls, Iowa]], a small city in the northeastern part of the state.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He grew up in a middle-class Midwestern environment. From an early age, Andreessen demonstrated an interest in computers and technology. He taught himself to program as a child, an experience that would set the trajectory for his future career in software engineering and technology entrepreneurship.
Marc Lowell Andreessen was born on July 9, 1971, in [[Cedar Falls, Iowa]], a small city in the northeastern part of the state.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He grew up in [[New Lisbon, Wisconsin]], a rural community in central Wisconsin. Andreessen developed an early interest in computers and taught himself to program during childhood. By the time he was in elementary school, he had begun writing code on the family's early personal computers. His early exposure to computing set the stage for his later academic and professional pursuits.


Andreessen's formative years coincided with the early development of personal computing. The availability of home computers in the 1980s provided him with opportunities to experiment with programming and develop technical skills long before he entered college. His upbringing in Iowa, far from the technology centers of California and the East Coast, would later become a recurring theme in profiles of Andreessen, illustrating how the democratizing nature of technology could enable ambitious individuals regardless of their geographic origins.
Andreessen has spoken publicly about growing up in a small town and how his access to technology — even in a relatively remote location — shaped his worldview about the democratizing potential of computers and the internet. His upbringing in the rural Midwest would later inform his perspective that technology could serve as an equalizing force, extending economic and intellectual opportunity beyond traditional urban centers.


== Education ==
== Education ==


Andreessen attended the [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]], where he earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in computer science.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> While an undergraduate, he worked at the university's [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] (NCSA), a federally funded research center that was at the forefront of computing and networking research in the early 1990s.
Andreessen enrolled at the [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]], where he pursued a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[computer science]]. During his time at the university, he worked at the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] (NCSA), one of the original sites of the [[National Science Foundation]]'s supercomputer centers program.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> It was at the NCSA where Andreessen, working alongside fellow programmer [[Eric Bina]], developed the Mosaic web browser in 1992 and 1993. The project was undertaken while Andreessen was still an undergraduate, and it represented a breakthrough in making the World Wide Web accessible to non-technical users. Andreessen completed his bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.<ref>{{cite web |title=Net History |url=http://www.netvalley.com/cgi-bin/intval/net_history.pl?chapter=4 |publisher=NetValley |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


It was at NCSA that Andreessen, working alongside programmer Eric Bina, developed [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], the first widely distributed web browser to feature a graphical user interface capable of displaying images inline with text.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Released in 1993, Mosaic dramatically lowered the barrier to accessing the World Wide Web, which had until that point been used primarily by scientists and academic researchers through text-based interfaces. The browser's ease of use and visual presentation of web content made it a transformative tool, and it is credited with sparking the rapid growth of web adoption among the general public.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the Internet — Chapter 4 |url=http://www.netvalley.com/cgi-bin/intval/net_history.pl?chapter=4 |publisher=NetValley |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Andreessen's work on Mosaic while still a university student would prove to be one of the most consequential developments in the history of the internet.
== Career ==
 
=== Mosaic and the Birth of the Web Browser ===
 
While employed as a part-time student worker at the NCSA, Andreessen and Eric Bina created the Mosaic web browser during 1992–1993. Prior to Mosaic, the World Wide Web existed primarily as a text-based system used by academics and researchers. Existing browsers such as Tim Berners-Lee's original WorldWideWeb browser and the line-mode browser were difficult for ordinary users to operate and lacked visual appeal. Mosaic introduced several key innovations, most notably the ability to display images inline with text on the same page, rather than in separate windows.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Career ==
The browser was released for free and quickly gained a large user base. Mosaic was made available for multiple operating systems, including Unix, Windows, and Macintosh, which broadened its reach considerably. The graphical, intuitive interface of Mosaic is credited with helping to ignite popular interest in the World Wide Web and, by extension, the broader internet. The browser's success drew widespread media attention to Andreessen, who appeared on the cover of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine in February 1996.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Magazine Cover |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Netscape Communications ===
=== Netscape Communications ===


After graduating from the University of Illinois, Andreessen moved to California, where he was recruited by [[Jim Clark]], the founder of [[Silicon Graphics]]. In 1994, Clark and Andreessen co-founded Mosaic Communications Corporation, which was later renamed [[Netscape Communications Corporation]] to avoid trademark disputes with the University of Illinois and NCSA.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1993, Andreessen moved to California, where he was recruited by [[Jim Clark]], the founder of [[Silicon Graphics]]. Clark, who recognized the commercial potential of web browser technology, proposed that the two start a company together. They co-founded Mosaic Communications Corporation in April 1994, which was later renamed [[Netscape Communications Corporation]] to avoid trademark disputes with the University of Illinois and the NCSA.


Netscape developed the [[Netscape Navigator]] web browser, which built upon the principles Andreessen had explored with Mosaic but was written from scratch as an entirely new codebase. Navigator quickly became the dominant web browser of the mid-1990s, capturing a commanding share of the browser market. The company's [[initial public offering]] (IPO) on August 9, 1995, became one of the most celebrated events in technology and financial history. On its first day of trading, Netscape's stock price soared, making the company's valuation reach approximately $2.9 billion and signaling the beginning of the [[dot-com bubble]]. Andreessen, then just 24 years old, became a symbol of the new internet economy.
Netscape developed and released [[Netscape Navigator]], a commercial web browser that built upon the concepts Andreessen and Bina had pioneered with Mosaic but was written with an entirely new codebase. Navigator quickly became the dominant web browser, commanding a substantial share of the market in its early years. The browser was initially distributed for free to individual users and sold to businesses, a distribution strategy that became influential in the software industry.


The success of Netscape's IPO and Andreessen's youth made him a prominent figure in American popular culture. In February 1996, he appeared barefoot on the cover of ''Time'' magazine, an image that became iconic of the era's techno-optimism.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Magazine Cover: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''BusinessWeek'' profiled Andreessen extensively during this period, documenting his role in the rapidly evolving technology industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen Profile |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1998/15/topstory.htm |publisher=BusinessWeek |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1998/15/b3573002.htm |publisher=BusinessWeek |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Netscape's [[initial public offering]] (IPO) on August 9, 1995, became one of the most notable events in the history of American financial markets. The stock, originally priced at $28 per share, opened at $71 and closed its first day of trading at $58.25, giving the company a market valuation of approximately $2.9 billion. The IPO is frequently cited as a catalyzing moment for the dot-com era, as it demonstrated to investors and entrepreneurs that internet companies could achieve enormous valuations in a short period of time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Andreessen profile |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1998/15/topstory.htm |publisher=BusinessWeek |date=1998 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Andreessen profile |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1998/15/b3573002.htm |publisher=BusinessWeek |date=1998 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Netscape's dominance was challenged by [[Microsoft]], which bundled its [[Internet Explorer]] browser with the [[Windows]] operating system beginning in 1995, leading to what became known as the [[browser wars]]. The competitive pressure from Microsoft, combined with the fact that Internet Explorer was offered for free, gradually eroded Navigator's market share. In 1998, Netscape was acquired by [[America Online]] (AOL). Before the acquisition, Netscape made the decision to release the source code of its browser, a move that led to the creation of the [[Mozilla]] project, which eventually produced the [[Mozilla Firefox|Firefox]] browser.
The period that followed Netscape's IPO was marked by the so-called [[browser wars]], in which [[Microsoft]] aggressively competed against Navigator with its own [[Internet Explorer]] browser. Microsoft's strategy of bundling Internet Explorer with its [[Windows]] operating system eventually eroded Netscape's market share. In 1998, Netscape was acquired by [[AOL]] for approximately $4.2 billion. The acquisition marked the end of Netscape as an independent company, though it remained in operation as a subsidiary of AOL for several years.


=== Loudcloud and Opsware ===
=== Loudcloud and Opsware ===


Following the sale of Netscape, Andreessen co-founded [[Loudcloud]] in 1999 with [[Ben Horowitz]], Tim Howes, and In Sik Rhee. Loudcloud was a cloud computing and managed services company that offered infrastructure services to businesses during the height of the dot-com era. The company went public in 2001 but struggled financially amid the dot-com crash. In 2002, Loudcloud sold its managed services business to [[Electronic Data Systems]] (EDS) and pivoted to become a software company, rebranding as [[Opsware]].
Following the Netscape acquisition, Andreessen co-founded [[Loudcloud]] in 1999 with [[Ben Horowitz]], Tim Howes, and In Sik Rhee. Loudcloud was an early [[cloud computing]] company that provided managed services and infrastructure to internet businesses. The company launched at the height of the dot-com boom and attracted significant venture capital investment.


Opsware developed data center automation software designed to help large enterprises manage their IT infrastructure. The transition from a services-based business model to a software-focused one proved successful. In 2007, [[Hewlett-Packard]] acquired Opsware for approximately $1.6 billion, providing a significant return for Andreessen and his co-founders.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen — Company Profile |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=97899&privcapId=35135559&previousCapId=108856&previousTitle=Hewlett-Packard%20Co |publisher=BusinessWeek |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The experience of building, nearly losing, and ultimately selling Loudcloud/Opsware would later inform the investment philosophy Andreessen and Horowitz brought to their venture capital firm.
Loudcloud went public in March 2001, but the company faced financial difficulties amid the broader collapse of the dot-com bubble. In 2002, the company sold its managed services business to [[Electronic Data Systems]] (EDS) and pivoted to enterprise software, rebranding as [[Opsware]]. Under the new name, the company developed data center automation software that helped enterprises manage their IT infrastructure.
 
Opsware was acquired by [[Hewlett-Packard]] in 2007 for approximately $1.6 billion in cash, providing a significant return for the company's investors and validating the strategic pivot from managed services to software.<ref>{{cite web |title=Private company profile: Andreessen |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=97899&privcapId=35135559&previousCapId=108856&previousTitle=Hewlett-Packard%20Co |publisher=Bloomberg BusinessWeek |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Ning ===
=== Ning ===


In 2004, Andreessen co-founded [[Ning]], a platform that allowed users to create their own customized social networking websites. Unlike existing social networks such as [[MySpace]] and [[Facebook]], which offered a single unified platform, Ning provided tools for individuals and organizations to build independent, topic-specific social networks. The platform attracted millions of users and hosted hundreds of thousands of individual social networks.
Andreessen co-founded [[Ning]] in 2004, a platform that allowed users to create their own custom social networking websites. The service offered a range of tools for building online communities and social networks around specific interests, topics, or organizations. Ning attracted millions of users and hosted a large number of social networks during the height of the social networking boom. In 2011, Ning merged with Glam Media, a digital media company.<ref>{{cite web |title=Merging Glam and Ning |url=http://blog.pmarca.com/2011/09/20/merging-glam-and-ning/ |publisher=pmarca blog |date=2011-09-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2011-09-20 |title=Loudcloud, social networks, and online publishing |url=http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-09-20/tech/30179213_1_loudcloud-social-networks-online-publishing |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
In 2011, Ning merged with [[Glam Media]], an online publishing and media company.<ref>{{cite web |title=Merging Glam and Ning |url=http://blog.pmarca.com/2011/09/20/merging-glam-and-ning/ |publisher=pmarca blog |date=2011-09-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ning Merges with Glam Media |url=http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-09-20/tech/30179213_1_loudcloud-social-networks-online-publishing |work=Business Insider |date=2011-09-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Andreessen Horowitz ===
=== Andreessen Horowitz ===


In 2009, Andreessen co-founded the venture capital firm [[Andreessen Horowitz]] (also known as "a16z") with longtime business partner [[Ben Horowitz]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ben Horowitz — Alumni Profile |url=http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/visitor-links/alumni-parents-friends/alumni-profiles-1/ben-horowitz-ms-201990 |publisher=UCLA Engineering |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The firm was established with the explicit goal of building a new kind of venture capital firm, one that would provide portfolio companies not only with capital but also with extensive operational support, including assistance with recruiting, marketing, business development, and executive mentoring.
In July 2009, Andreessen and Ben Horowitz co-founded the venture capital firm [[Andreessen Horowitz]], often referred to by its abbreviation a16z, based in [[Menlo Park, California]]. The firm was established with an initial fund of $300 million and quickly grew into one of the most prominent technology-focused venture capital firms in the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Based in [[Menlo Park, California]], Andreessen Horowitz quickly became one of the most influential venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. The firm made early investments in a number of companies that would grow to become major technology platforms, including [[Facebook]], [[Twitter]], [[Airbnb]], [[Lyft]], [[GitHub]], [[Slack (software)|Slack]], and many others. Andreessen Horowitz was also an early investor in [[Meteor (web framework)|Meteor]], a web application framework, participating in a $11.2 million funding round alongside [[Matrix Partners]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Andreessen Horowitz, Matrix Partners invest $11.2 million in Meteor |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/andreessen-horowitz-matrix-partners-invest-112-million-in-meteor-2012-07-25 |publisher=MarketWatch |date=2012-07-25 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Andreessen Horowitz distinguished itself from traditional venture capital firms through several features of its operating model. The firm employed a large team of operating partners and support staff who provided portfolio companies with assistance in areas such as executive recruiting, marketing, business development, and corporate communications. This approach, which Horowitz has described as providing "venture capital plus services," reflected Andreessen and Horowitz's experiences as entrepreneurs who had navigated the challenges of building and scaling technology companies.


The firm distinguished itself through its operating model, which drew on the founders' own experiences as entrepreneurs. Andreessen and Horowitz structured the firm to resemble a talent agency as much as a traditional venture capital fund, building a large team of operating partners and advisors who could provide hands-on support to founders. The firm also became known for its efforts to reform certain aspects of startup financing, including supporting the creation of standardized Series Seed financing documents intended to simplify the legal process for early-stage funding.<ref>{{cite web |title=Series Seed Documents Launch with Assist from Andreessen Horowitz |url=http://kara.allthingsd.com/20100301/series-seed-documents-with-a-big-assist-from-andreessen-horowitz-set-to-launch-to-help-entrepreneurs-with-legal-hairballs/ |publisher=AllThingsD |date=2010-03-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The firm made early and significant investments in companies across a range of technology sectors. These included investments in social media, enterprise software, cryptocurrency, and [[artificial intelligence]]. Andreessen emerged as a prominent advocate for [[Bitcoin]] and cryptocurrency technology, writing extensively about the potential of decentralized digital currencies to transform financial systems.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen on Why Bitcoin Is Worth Money |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-on-why-bitcoin-is-worth-money-2014-1?op=1&IR=T |work=Business Insider |date=2014-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Andreessen Horowitz has been active in the [[cryptocurrency]] and [[blockchain]] space. Andreessen has publicly discussed his views on the value proposition of [[Bitcoin]] and other digital currencies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen on Why Bitcoin Is Worth Money |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-on-why-bitcoin-is-worth-money-2014-1?op=1&IR=T |work=Business Insider |date=2014-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The firm has raised dedicated crypto funds and invested in numerous blockchain-related startups and protocols.
Andreessen Horowitz also participated in investments in several other notable technology ventures. Among these was an investment in Meteor, a software development platform, in which the firm participated alongside Matrix Partners in a $11.2 million funding round.<ref>{{cite web |title=Andreessen Horowitz, Matrix Partners invest $11.2 million in Meteor |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/andreessen-horowitz-matrix-partners-invest-112-million-in-meteor-2012-07-25 |publisher=MarketWatch |date=2012-07-25 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


By the 2020s, Andreessen Horowitz had expanded beyond its initial technology focus to include investments in bio and healthcare companies, fintech, consumer technology, enterprise software, and cryptocurrency. In December 2025, ''Reuters'' reported on predictions that Andreessen might pursue opportunities related to initial public offerings in New York, reflecting the firm's growing ambitions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Breakingviews - Marc Andreessen will summon NYC swagger for IPO |url=https://www.reuters.com/commentary/breakingviews/marc-andreessen-will-summon-nyc-swagger-ipo-2025-12-23/ |work=Reuters |date=2025-12-22 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The firm also played a role in shaping the broader venture capital ecosystem. Andreessen Horowitz contributed to the development and release of the Series Seed Documents, a set of simplified legal templates designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs navigate the legal complexities of raising seed funding.<ref>{{cite web |title=Series Seed Documents |url=http://kara.allthingsd.com/20100301/series-seed-documents-with-a-big-assist-from-andreessen-horowitz-set-to-launch-to-help-entrepreneurs-with-legal-hairballs/ |publisher=AllThingsD |date=2010-03-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== "Why Software Is Eating the World" ===
=== "Software Is Eating the World" ===


On August 20, 2011, Andreessen published an essay titled "Why Software Is Eating the World" in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''. In the piece, he argued that software companies were poised to take over large swathes of the economy, disrupting established industries from retail and entertainment to healthcare and defense. The essay became one of the most cited and debated pieces of technology commentary of the 2010s, establishing a framework that many investors, entrepreneurs, and analysts used to understand the ongoing transformation of traditional industries by software-driven companies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In August 2011, Andreessen published an essay in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' titled "Why Software Is Eating the World." The essay argued that software companies were in the process of disrupting and transforming traditional industries, from retail to healthcare to finance, and that this trend would accelerate as more sectors of the economy were reorganized around software-driven business models. The essay became one of the most cited and discussed pieces of technology commentary of the 2010s, and the phrase "software is eating the world" entered common usage within the technology industry as a shorthand for the pervasive impact of software-based disruption.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2026, ''Fortune'' reported that Andreessen's thesis had proven prescient in many respects, though the manner in which software continued to reshape industries—particularly through the rise of [[artificial intelligence]]—had evolved in ways that were not entirely anticipated in 2011. The emergence of AI-driven tools capable of automating tasks previously performed by software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies represented a new phase in the disruption Andreessen had described, sometimes referred to as the "SaaSpocalypse."<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The essay's thesis has continued to generate discussion more than a decade after its publication. In 2026, ''Fortune'' magazine revisited the essay, noting that the predictions Andreessen made about the role of software in transforming industries had materialized in ways that were not fully anticipated at the time of writing, particularly in the context of the emergence of [[artificial intelligence]] and its effects on the software-as-a-service industry.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Board Memberships ===
=== Board Memberships and Advisory Roles ===


Andreessen has served on the boards of directors of several prominent technology companies. In 2008, he joined the board of [[Facebook]] (now [[Meta Platforms]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen Joins Facebook Board |url=http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/marc-andreessen-joins-facebook-board |publisher=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He has also served on the boards of other companies in which Andreessen Horowitz has invested.
Throughout his career, Andreessen has served on the boards of directors of several prominent technology companies. He joined the board of [[Facebook]] (now [[Meta Platforms]]) in 2008, serving as a director during a period of rapid growth for the social networking company.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Andreessen Joins Facebook Board |url=http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/marc-andreessen-joins-facebook-board |publisher=Business Insider |date=2008-06 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Views on Artificial Intelligence ===
=== Views on Artificial Intelligence ===


Andreessen has been an outspoken proponent of [[artificial intelligence]]. In interviews and public appearances during the mid-2020s, he argued that AI is arriving at a critical juncture to offset shrinking workforces and decades of weak productivity growth. In a January 2026 interview covered by ''Business Insider'', Andreessen stated that the more pressing concern was not potential job displacement from AI but rather what would have happened to the economy without AI advancement.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen says the real crisis isn't AI job losses — it's what would have happened without AI |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-says-ai-wont-kill-jobs-may-save-economy-2026-1 |work=Business Insider |date=2026-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Andreessen has become a prominent public commentator on artificial intelligence. He has argued that AI technologies are arriving at a critical moment, coinciding with demographic shifts such as shrinking workforces in developed nations and decades of weak productivity growth. In his view, rather than causing mass unemployment, AI serves as a necessary counterbalance to these structural economic challenges.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen says the real crisis isn't AI job losses — it's what would have happened without AI |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-says-ai-wont-kill-jobs-may-save-economy-2026-1 |work=Business Insider |date=2026-01 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Andreessen is also known for his voracious consumption of information. ''Fortune'' reported in January 2026 that he spends approximately three hours per day listening to podcasts and audiobooks, a habit he has described as essential to staying informed across the many sectors in which Andreessen Horowitz invests.<ref>{{cite news |title=Billionaire Marc Andreessen spends 3 hours a day listening to podcasts and audiobooks |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-andreessen-reading-listening-to-books-habit-of-high-success-like-bill-gates-mark-cuban/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Political Activity ===


=== Political Activities ===
Andreessen supported [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] presidential candidates until 2016. In 2024, he became a political advisor to [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley |work=ProPublica |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> A 2025 investigation by [[ProPublica]] reported that the Trump administration's policy decisions, including the reduction of the [[Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]]'s operations, had benefited venture capitalists such as Andreessen. The report examined the relationship between Andreessen's political support for Trump and subsequent regulatory changes that affected the financial technology sector in which Andreessen Horowitz had significant investments.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley |work=ProPublica |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Andreessen supported candidates of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] until 2016. By 2024, his political alignment had shifted, and he became an advisor to [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley |work=ProPublica |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''ProPublica'' reported in November 2025 that the [[Trump administration]]'s reduction of the [[Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]]'s (CFPB) regulatory activities had benefited venture capitalists such as Andreessen, whose firms had investments in financial technology companies subject to CFPB oversight. The report noted that Andreessen had made a significant political investment in supporting Trump and that the resulting policy changes aligned with the interests of Silicon Valley investors.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley |work=ProPublica |date=2025-11-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
== Personal Life ==


== Personal Life ==
Andreessen and his wife, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, a philanthropist and Stanford University lecturer, have been involved in charitable activities. In 2007, the couple made a pledge to support emergency care at [[Stanford Hospital]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pledge for Emergency Care |url=http://stanfordhospital.org/newsEvents/newsReleases/2007/pledgeEmergencyCare.html |publisher=Stanford Hospital |date=2007 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Andreessen and his wife, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, have been involved in philanthropic activities. In 2007, they made a pledge to support emergency care at [[Stanford Hospital]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pledge for Emergency Care |url=http://stanfordhospital.org/newsEvents/newsReleases/2007/pledgeEmergencyCare.html |publisher=Stanford Hospital |date=2007 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, the daughter of Silicon Valley real estate developer John Arrillaga, is known for her work in philanthropy and teaches at [[Stanford University]].
Andreessen is known for his extensive reading habits. A 2026 ''Fortune'' profile reported that he spends approximately three hours per day listening to podcasts and audiobooks, a practice he has described as a key element of his approach to staying informed about technology, business, and world affairs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Billionaire Marc Andreessen spends 3 hours a day listening to podcasts and audiobooks |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-andreessen-reading-listening-to-books-habit-of-high-success-like-bill-gates-mark-cuban/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Andreessen is known for being a prolific reader and consumer of media. He has described spending approximately three hours each day listening to podcasts and audiobooks, a practice he shares with other prominent business figures such as [[Bill Gates]] and [[Mark Cuban]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Billionaire Marc Andreessen spends 3 hours a day listening to podcasts and audiobooks |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-andreessen-reading-listening-to-books-habit-of-high-success-like-bill-gates-mark-cuban/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Andreessen has maintained an active presence on social media and has been a prolific writer on technology and business topics. His blog, pmarca.com, has featured essays on topics ranging from technology investing to media to economic policy.


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Andreessen has received numerous accolades over the course of his career. In 1996, at the age of 24, he appeared on the cover of ''Time'' magazine, reflecting his status as one of the central figures of the early internet era.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Magazine Cover: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Andreessen has received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career. He was named to the ''[[MIT Technology Review]]'' TR100, a list of the top 100 innovators under the age of 35.<ref>{{cite web |title=TR35 Profile: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?TRID=518 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The ''MIT Technology Review'' named Andreessen to its TR35 list of top innovators under the age of 35, recognizing his contributions to web browser technology and internet commerce.<ref>{{cite web |title=TR35 Profile: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?TRID=518 |publisher=MIT Technology Review |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2013, Andreessen was named to the inaugural class of laureates of the [[Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering]], one of the most prestigious international awards in the field of engineering. The prize was awarded to five individuals — Andreessen, [[Tim Berners-Lee]], [[Vint Cerf]], [[Robert Kahn]], and [[Louis Pouzin]] — in recognition of their contributions to the development of the internet and the World Wide Web.<ref>{{cite web |title=Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering |url=http://qeprize.org/ |publisher=QEPrize Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2011, ''Time'' magazine included Andreessen in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, acknowledging his growing influence as a venture capitalist and thought leader in the technology industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time 100: Marc Andreessen |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112116,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |date=2011 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In February 1996, Andreessen appeared on the cover of ''Time'' magazine, reflecting the intense media interest in the young entrepreneur who had helped bring the World Wide Web to a mainstream audience.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Magazine Cover |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Andreessen was awarded the [[Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering]], one of the most prestigious international awards in the engineering field, in recognition of his contributions to the development of the internet and the World Wide Web.<ref>{{cite web |title=Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering |url=http://qeprize.org/ |publisher=QEPrize Foundation |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
''Time'' magazine also included Andreessen on its 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, recognizing his impact as both a technologist and an investor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time 100 |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112116,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |date=2012 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Marc Andreessen's career spans the full arc of the modern internet era, from its earliest commercial stirrings in the early 1990s to the AI-driven landscape of the 2020s. His co-creation of Mosaic and Netscape Navigator helped transform the World Wide Web from an academic tool into a mass medium, and the Netscape IPO of 1995 is considered a watershed moment in the history of technology finance and the broader internet economy.
Marc Andreessen's career has spanned several distinct eras of the technology industry, from the emergence of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s to the venture capital boom of the 2010s and the rise of artificial intelligence in the 2020s. His creation of Mosaic and co-founding of Netscape placed him at the center of the transformation that brought the internet to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The Netscape IPO, in particular, is frequently identified by historians and journalists as a pivotal moment in the commercialization of the internet and the emergence of Silicon Valley as a global center of technology entrepreneurship.


As a venture capitalist, Andreessen has influenced the development of the technology industry through the investments and operational model of Andreessen Horowitz. The firm's approach—emphasizing operational support alongside capital—has been emulated by other venture capital firms and has shaped the expectations of founders seeking investment.
As a venture capitalist, Andreessen has exerted significant influence on the direction of technology investment. Andreessen Horowitz's model of providing operational support to portfolio companies, rather than capital alone, has been adopted or emulated by numerous other venture capital firms. The firm's investments have touched a wide range of sectors, from social media to enterprise software to cryptocurrency to artificial intelligence.


Andreessen's 2011 essay "Why Software Is Eating the World" provided a conceptual framework that has been referenced widely in business, media, and academic contexts. The essay's core thesis—that software-driven companies would subsume traditional industries—has been borne out across sectors including transportation, hospitality, media, and financial services, though the rise of artificial intelligence has introduced new dimensions to this dynamic that continue to unfold.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Andreessen's 2011 essay "Why Software Is Eating the World" has endured as one of the most referenced pieces of technology commentary in the 21st century. ''Fortune'' revisited the essay in 2026, noting that its central thesis — that software would fundamentally restructure industry after industry — has continued to prove prescient, particularly in light of the rapid advancement of AI technologies and their impact on the software industry itself.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined |url=https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/ |work=Fortune |date=2026-02-13 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


His career trajectory—from a university student in the Midwest to one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley—illustrates the role that software and the internet have played in reshaping American industry and culture over the past three decades.
His shift into political engagement in the 2020s, including his advisory role to Donald Trump, has added a new dimension to his public profile and generated debate about the relationship between the technology industry and political power in the United States.


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni]]
[[Category:American venture capitalists]]
[[Category:American venture capitalists]]
[[Category:American computer scientists]]
[[Category:Netscape]]
[[Category:Netscape]]
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Revision as of 00:48, 24 February 2026



Marc Andreessen
BornMarc Lowell Andreessen
9 7, 1971
BirthplaceCedar Falls, Iowa, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationVenture capitalist, businessman, software engineer
Known forCo-creator of Mosaic, co-founder of Netscape, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz
EducationUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (BS)
AwardsQueen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering

Marc Lowell Andreessen (born July 9, 1971) is an American businessman, venture capitalist, and former software engineer who has occupied a central position in the development of the commercial internet and the technology investment landscape for more than three decades. As a young programmer at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he co-authored Mosaic, the first widely used web browser capable of displaying inline images alongside text — a technical achievement that transformed the World Wide Web from an academic tool into a mass medium.[1] He subsequently co-founded Netscape Communications Corporation, whose Netscape Navigator browser became the dominant gateway to the early web and whose 1995 initial public offering is regarded as a defining event of the dot-com bubble. After Netscape's acquisition by AOL, Andreessen co-founded the enterprise software company Loudcloud, later renamed Opsware, which was sold to Hewlett-Packard in 2007. He also co-founded the social networking platform Ning.[2] In 2009, alongside longtime business partner Ben Horowitz, Andreessen established the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z), which has become one of the most prominent technology investment firms in Silicon Valley. Andreessen has served on the boards of several major technology companies, including Facebook.[3] In 2024, he became a political advisor to Donald Trump.[4]

Early Life

Marc Lowell Andreessen was born on July 9, 1971, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, a small city in the northeastern part of the state.[5] He grew up in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, a rural community in central Wisconsin. Andreessen developed an early interest in computers and taught himself to program during childhood. By the time he was in elementary school, he had begun writing code on the family's early personal computers. His early exposure to computing set the stage for his later academic and professional pursuits.

Andreessen has spoken publicly about growing up in a small town and how his access to technology — even in a relatively remote location — shaped his worldview about the democratizing potential of computers and the internet. His upbringing in the rural Midwest would later inform his perspective that technology could serve as an equalizing force, extending economic and intellectual opportunity beyond traditional urban centers.

Education

Andreessen enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. During his time at the university, he worked at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), one of the original sites of the National Science Foundation's supercomputer centers program.[6] It was at the NCSA where Andreessen, working alongside fellow programmer Eric Bina, developed the Mosaic web browser in 1992 and 1993. The project was undertaken while Andreessen was still an undergraduate, and it represented a breakthrough in making the World Wide Web accessible to non-technical users. Andreessen completed his bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.[7]

Career

Mosaic and the Birth of the Web Browser

While employed as a part-time student worker at the NCSA, Andreessen and Eric Bina created the Mosaic web browser during 1992–1993. Prior to Mosaic, the World Wide Web existed primarily as a text-based system used by academics and researchers. Existing browsers such as Tim Berners-Lee's original WorldWideWeb browser and the line-mode browser were difficult for ordinary users to operate and lacked visual appeal. Mosaic introduced several key innovations, most notably the ability to display images inline with text on the same page, rather than in separate windows.[8]

The browser was released for free and quickly gained a large user base. Mosaic was made available for multiple operating systems, including Unix, Windows, and Macintosh, which broadened its reach considerably. The graphical, intuitive interface of Mosaic is credited with helping to ignite popular interest in the World Wide Web and, by extension, the broader internet. The browser's success drew widespread media attention to Andreessen, who appeared on the cover of Time magazine in February 1996.[9]

Netscape Communications

After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1993, Andreessen moved to California, where he was recruited by Jim Clark, the founder of Silicon Graphics. Clark, who recognized the commercial potential of web browser technology, proposed that the two start a company together. They co-founded Mosaic Communications Corporation in April 1994, which was later renamed Netscape Communications Corporation to avoid trademark disputes with the University of Illinois and the NCSA.

Netscape developed and released Netscape Navigator, a commercial web browser that built upon the concepts Andreessen and Bina had pioneered with Mosaic but was written with an entirely new codebase. Navigator quickly became the dominant web browser, commanding a substantial share of the market in its early years. The browser was initially distributed for free to individual users and sold to businesses, a distribution strategy that became influential in the software industry.

Netscape's initial public offering (IPO) on August 9, 1995, became one of the most notable events in the history of American financial markets. The stock, originally priced at $28 per share, opened at $71 and closed its first day of trading at $58.25, giving the company a market valuation of approximately $2.9 billion. The IPO is frequently cited as a catalyzing moment for the dot-com era, as it demonstrated to investors and entrepreneurs that internet companies could achieve enormous valuations in a short period of time.[10][11]

The period that followed Netscape's IPO was marked by the so-called browser wars, in which Microsoft aggressively competed against Navigator with its own Internet Explorer browser. Microsoft's strategy of bundling Internet Explorer with its Windows operating system eventually eroded Netscape's market share. In 1998, Netscape was acquired by AOL for approximately $4.2 billion. The acquisition marked the end of Netscape as an independent company, though it remained in operation as a subsidiary of AOL for several years.

Loudcloud and Opsware

Following the Netscape acquisition, Andreessen co-founded Loudcloud in 1999 with Ben Horowitz, Tim Howes, and In Sik Rhee. Loudcloud was an early cloud computing company that provided managed services and infrastructure to internet businesses. The company launched at the height of the dot-com boom and attracted significant venture capital investment.

Loudcloud went public in March 2001, but the company faced financial difficulties amid the broader collapse of the dot-com bubble. In 2002, the company sold its managed services business to Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and pivoted to enterprise software, rebranding as Opsware. Under the new name, the company developed data center automation software that helped enterprises manage their IT infrastructure.

Opsware was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2007 for approximately $1.6 billion in cash, providing a significant return for the company's investors and validating the strategic pivot from managed services to software.[12]

Ning

Andreessen co-founded Ning in 2004, a platform that allowed users to create their own custom social networking websites. The service offered a range of tools for building online communities and social networks around specific interests, topics, or organizations. Ning attracted millions of users and hosted a large number of social networks during the height of the social networking boom. In 2011, Ning merged with Glam Media, a digital media company.[13][14]

Andreessen Horowitz

In July 2009, Andreessen and Ben Horowitz co-founded the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, often referred to by its abbreviation a16z, based in Menlo Park, California. The firm was established with an initial fund of $300 million and quickly grew into one of the most prominent technology-focused venture capital firms in the world.[15]

Andreessen Horowitz distinguished itself from traditional venture capital firms through several features of its operating model. The firm employed a large team of operating partners and support staff who provided portfolio companies with assistance in areas such as executive recruiting, marketing, business development, and corporate communications. This approach, which Horowitz has described as providing "venture capital plus services," reflected Andreessen and Horowitz's experiences as entrepreneurs who had navigated the challenges of building and scaling technology companies.

The firm made early and significant investments in companies across a range of technology sectors. These included investments in social media, enterprise software, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence. Andreessen emerged as a prominent advocate for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency technology, writing extensively about the potential of decentralized digital currencies to transform financial systems.[16]

Andreessen Horowitz also participated in investments in several other notable technology ventures. Among these was an investment in Meteor, a software development platform, in which the firm participated alongside Matrix Partners in a $11.2 million funding round.[17]

The firm also played a role in shaping the broader venture capital ecosystem. Andreessen Horowitz contributed to the development and release of the Series Seed Documents, a set of simplified legal templates designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs navigate the legal complexities of raising seed funding.[18]

"Software Is Eating the World"

In August 2011, Andreessen published an essay in The Wall Street Journal titled "Why Software Is Eating the World." The essay argued that software companies were in the process of disrupting and transforming traditional industries, from retail to healthcare to finance, and that this trend would accelerate as more sectors of the economy were reorganized around software-driven business models. The essay became one of the most cited and discussed pieces of technology commentary of the 2010s, and the phrase "software is eating the world" entered common usage within the technology industry as a shorthand for the pervasive impact of software-based disruption.[19]

The essay's thesis has continued to generate discussion more than a decade after its publication. In 2026, Fortune magazine revisited the essay, noting that the predictions Andreessen made about the role of software in transforming industries had materialized in ways that were not fully anticipated at the time of writing, particularly in the context of the emergence of artificial intelligence and its effects on the software-as-a-service industry.[20]

Board Memberships and Advisory Roles

Throughout his career, Andreessen has served on the boards of directors of several prominent technology companies. He joined the board of Facebook (now Meta Platforms) in 2008, serving as a director during a period of rapid growth for the social networking company.[21]

Views on Artificial Intelligence

Andreessen has become a prominent public commentator on artificial intelligence. He has argued that AI technologies are arriving at a critical moment, coinciding with demographic shifts such as shrinking workforces in developed nations and decades of weak productivity growth. In his view, rather than causing mass unemployment, AI serves as a necessary counterbalance to these structural economic challenges.[22]

Political Activity

Andreessen supported Democratic Party presidential candidates until 2016. In 2024, he became a political advisor to Donald Trump.[23] A 2025 investigation by ProPublica reported that the Trump administration's policy decisions, including the reduction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's operations, had benefited venture capitalists such as Andreessen. The report examined the relationship between Andreessen's political support for Trump and subsequent regulatory changes that affected the financial technology sector in which Andreessen Horowitz had significant investments.[24]

Personal Life

Andreessen and his wife, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, a philanthropist and Stanford University lecturer, have been involved in charitable activities. In 2007, the couple made a pledge to support emergency care at Stanford Hospital.[25]

Andreessen is known for his extensive reading habits. A 2026 Fortune profile reported that he spends approximately three hours per day listening to podcasts and audiobooks, a practice he has described as a key element of his approach to staying informed about technology, business, and world affairs.[26]

Andreessen has maintained an active presence on social media and has been a prolific writer on technology and business topics. His blog, pmarca.com, has featured essays on topics ranging from technology investing to media to economic policy.

Recognition

Andreessen has received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career. He was named to the MIT Technology Review TR100, a list of the top 100 innovators under the age of 35.[27]

In 2013, Andreessen was named to the inaugural class of laureates of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, one of the most prestigious international awards in the field of engineering. The prize was awarded to five individuals — Andreessen, Tim Berners-Lee, Vint Cerf, Robert Kahn, and Louis Pouzin — in recognition of their contributions to the development of the internet and the World Wide Web.[28]

In February 1996, Andreessen appeared on the cover of Time magazine, reflecting the intense media interest in the young entrepreneur who had helped bring the World Wide Web to a mainstream audience.[29]

Time magazine also included Andreessen on its 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, recognizing his impact as both a technologist and an investor.[30]

Legacy

Marc Andreessen's career has spanned several distinct eras of the technology industry, from the emergence of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s to the venture capital boom of the 2010s and the rise of artificial intelligence in the 2020s. His creation of Mosaic and co-founding of Netscape placed him at the center of the transformation that brought the internet to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The Netscape IPO, in particular, is frequently identified by historians and journalists as a pivotal moment in the commercialization of the internet and the emergence of Silicon Valley as a global center of technology entrepreneurship.

As a venture capitalist, Andreessen has exerted significant influence on the direction of technology investment. Andreessen Horowitz's model of providing operational support to portfolio companies, rather than capital alone, has been adopted or emulated by numerous other venture capital firms. The firm's investments have touched a wide range of sectors, from social media to enterprise software to cryptocurrency to artificial intelligence.

Andreessen's 2011 essay "Why Software Is Eating the World" has endured as one of the most referenced pieces of technology commentary in the 21st century. Fortune revisited the essay in 2026, noting that its central thesis — that software would fundamentally restructure industry after industry — has continued to prove prescient, particularly in light of the rapid advancement of AI technologies and their impact on the software industry itself.[31]

His shift into political engagement in the 2020s, including his advisory role to Donald Trump, has added a new dimension to his public profile and generated debate about the relationship between the technology industry and political power in the United States.

References

  1. ↑ "Marc Andreessen | Biography & Facts".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Merging Glam and Ning".pmarca blog.2011-09-20.http://blog.pmarca.com/2011/09/20/merging-glam-and-ning/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ "Marc Andreessen Joins Facebook Board".Business Insider.2008-06.http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/marc-andreessen-joins-facebook-board.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ "Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley.".ProPublica.2025-11-05.https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Marc Andreessen | Biography & Facts".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Marc Andreessen | Biography & Facts".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Net History".NetValley.http://www.netvalley.com/cgi-bin/intval/net_history.pl?chapter=4.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Marc Andreessen | Biography & Facts".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Time Magazine Cover".Time Inc..http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "Andreessen profile".BusinessWeek.1998.http://www.businessweek.com/1998/15/topstory.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Andreessen profile".BusinessWeek.1998.http://www.businessweek.com/1998/15/b3573002.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Private company profile: Andreessen".Bloomberg BusinessWeek.http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=97899&privcapId=35135559&previousCapId=108856&previousTitle=Hewlett-Packard%20Co.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Merging Glam and Ning".pmarca blog.2011-09-20.http://blog.pmarca.com/2011/09/20/merging-glam-and-ning/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Loudcloud, social networks, and online publishing".Business Insider.2011-09-20.http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-09-20/tech/30179213_1_loudcloud-social-networks-online-publishing.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Marc Andreessen | Biography & Facts".Encyclopædia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Andreessen.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Marc Andreessen on Why Bitcoin Is Worth Money".Business Insider.2014-01.http://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-on-why-bitcoin-is-worth-money-2014-1?op=1&IR=T.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "Andreessen Horowitz, Matrix Partners invest $11.2 million in Meteor".MarketWatch.2012-07-25.http://www.marketwatch.com/story/andreessen-horowitz-matrix-partners-invest-112-million-in-meteor-2012-07-25.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Series Seed Documents".AllThingsD.2010-03-01.http://kara.allthingsd.com/20100301/series-seed-documents-with-a-big-assist-from-andreessen-horowitz-set-to-launch-to-help-entrepreneurs-with-legal-hairballs/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined".Fortune.2026-02-13.https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined".Fortune.2026-02-13.https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Marc Andreessen Joins Facebook Board".Business Insider.2008-06.http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/marc-andreessen-joins-facebook-board.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "Marc Andreessen says the real crisis isn't AI job losses — it's what would have happened without AI".Business Insider.2026-01.https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-says-ai-wont-kill-jobs-may-save-economy-2026-1.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley.".ProPublica.2025-11-05.https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Tech Billionaire Marc Andreessen Bet Big on Trump. It's Paying Off for Silicon Valley.".ProPublica.2025-11-05.https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cfpb-marc-andreessen-silicon-valley.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "Pledge for Emergency Care".Stanford Hospital.2007.http://stanfordhospital.org/newsEvents/newsReleases/2007/pledgeEmergencyCare.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  26. ↑ "Billionaire Marc Andreessen spends 3 hours a day listening to podcasts and audiobooks".Fortune.2026-01-20.https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-andreessen-reading-listening-to-books-habit-of-high-success-like-bill-gates-mark-cuban/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  27. ↑ "TR35 Profile: Marc Andreessen".MIT Technology Review.http://www.technologyreview.com/tr35/profile.aspx?TRID=518.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  28. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering".QEPrize Foundation.http://qeprize.org/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  29. ↑ "Time Magazine Cover".Time Inc..http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101960219,00.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  30. ↑ "Time 100".Time Inc..2012.http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112116,00.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  31. ↑ "Marc Andreessen made a dire software prediction 15 years ago. Now it's happening in a way nobody imagined".Fortune.2026-02-13.https://fortune.com/2026/02/13/marc-andreessen-software-eating-the-world-saaspocalypse-morgan-stanley-gut-check-displaced-labor/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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