Marc Andreessen's education and career: How a Midwestern student built Mosaic, launched Netscape, and helped shape the Internet
Marc Andreessen recently predicted that a revolutionary device will emerge to make smartphones feel "old and primitive," signalling the next transformation in consumer technology.
Speaking on the TBNP podcast, the venture capitalist suggested that eye-based, voice-operated, or environmental computing interfaces may lead this shift. The company that successfully creates such a product, he said, could become "the next Apple."
Andreessen's belief in computing evolution is grounded in his own legacy of innovation. From his early academic foundation in computer science to co-creating the web browser Mosaic and launching Netscape, Andreessen has played a pivotal role in shaping how billions interact with the Internet.
Early work in software and the rise of Mosaic
Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and raised in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, Andreessen earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC). While at UIUC, he interned at IBM in Austin, Texas, contributing to AIX graphics development. He also worked at the university's National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), where he collaborated with Eric Bina.
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Influenced by Tim Berners-Lee's open web standards and inspired by the ViolaWWW browser, Andreessen and Bina created Mosaic in 1993. It became the first browser to integrate graphics directly into web pages and was designed to be cross-platform, bringing the Internet closer to general users.
From Mosaic to Netscape
After graduating, Andreessen moved to California and joined Enterprise Integration Technologies.
There he met Jim Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics. They co-founded Mosaic Communications Corporation, which later became Netscape Communications. Andreessen served as vice president of technology.
Netscape Navigator became the leading browser of its time. Following its 1995 IPO, Andreessen rose to public prominence. In 1999, AOL acquired Netscape for $4.3 billion, with Andreessen becoming AOL's chief technology officer.
The creation and sale of Opsware
Following the AOL acquisition, Andreessen co-founded Loudcloud with Ben Horowitz, Tim Howes, and In Sik Rhee. Initially offering hosting services, the company transitioned into enterprise software and rebranded as Opsware. Andreessen was chairman until Hewlett-Packard acquired Opsware for $1.6 billion in 2007.
The founding of Andreessen Horowitz and investing success
Between 2005 and 2009, Andreessen and Horowitz invested in 45 startups.
They launched Andreessen Horowitz in 2009 with an initial fund of $300 million. The firm's portfolio included Facebook, Twitter, GitHub, Skype, and Pinterest. In 2009, they led the acquisition of Skype, which was sold to Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion.
Andreessen Horowitz also contributed to startup ecosystem infrastructure by supporting the Series Seed Documents initiative, simplifying early-stage financing.
Boards, ventures, and influence in emerging tech
Andreessen has served on the boards of eBay, Meta, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oculus VR, and others. He invested in special economic zones such as California Forever and Próspera through Pronomos Capital. He supports cryptocurrency adoption and AI-native hardware innovation. His firm backs companies working on ambient computing, aligning with his forecast that future devices will move beyond today's screen-centric models.
Recognition and personal background
Andreessen was inducted into the World Wide Web Hall of Fame in 1994 and included in Time's list of the 100 most influential people in 2012. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in 2013. He is married to Laura Arrillaga, founder of the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund. They have one son.
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