Latest news with #VisionFunds
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A16z Unleashes $20 Billion AI Fund Fueled By 20,000 Nvidia GPUs As Marc Andreessen Bets Big On The Next Tech Superstars
Andreessen Horowitz is doubling down on artificial intelligence—literally. The Silicon Valley powerhouse, co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, is in early talks to raise a massive $20 billion fund, making it the largest in the firm's history. If successful, it would be one of the biggest AI-focused funds ever, second only to SoftBank's Vision Funds. Reuters reported that the firm, commonly referred to as a16z, is pitching the fund to global investors who want access to U.S.-based AI startups. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — . The fund will focus entirely on growth-stage companies, with a large chunk reserved for follow-on investments in existing portfolio startups such as Databricks, Elon Musk's xAI, and France-based Mistral. Andreessen Horowitz is also expected to lead the funding round for Thinking Machines Lab, a new venture from former OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati. Reuters reported Thinking Machines Lab is already courting a valuation of $10 billion—even though it has yet to release a product. In October, a16z launched a new initiative called Oxygen, which gives its portfolio companies access to over 20,000 GPUs from Nvidia. TechCrunch reported that this private GPU cluster can be rented by startups in exchange for equity, addressing one of the AI industry's biggest bottlenecks: compute power. Trending: BlackRock is calling 2025 the year of alternative assets. With demand for Nvidia chips soaring, this move allows a16z-backed startups to move fast without waiting on cloud providers or competing for limited hardware. The firm's strategy not only supports innovation but also reinforces its position as a major player in the AI development pipeline. The $20 billion megafund comes at a time of political and economic crosswinds. In 2023, a16z founders publicly backed President Donald Trump, a shift from their earlier Democratic leanings. Later, Horowitz and his wife, Felicia, announced a personal donation to groups supporting the Harris-Walz campaign, citing a long-standing friendship with then Vice President Kamala Harris. He emphasized that the firm's political stance remained aligned solely with its Little Tech Agenda. Investors are also watching the impact of Trump's proposed tariffs, which could affect the cost structure of AI infrastructure. Still, the global appetite for American AI remains strong, and a16z appears poised to tap into it while political conditions remain large by any standard, the $20 billion goal still falls short of SoftBank's original Vision Fund, which launched in 2017 with $100 billion. However, the follow-up Vision Fund 2 has faced headwinds—reporting a $2.4 billion loss. Meanwhile, Sequoia Capital's evergreen fund reached $19.6 billion by February. A16z, with $45 billion in assets under management, now seeks to join that elite club of high-stakes, high-impact VC players. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article A16z Unleashes $20 Billion AI Fund Fueled By 20,000 Nvidia GPUs As Marc Andreessen Bets Big On The Next Tech Superstars originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vision Fund Citizen Committee members selected
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) — 9 members and two alternates were selected to represent Rapid City and the Vision Fund Citizen Committee. This committee will begin its tasks of providing detailed proposals with the Vision Funds budget for the 2025-2029 time frame. The Vision Fund's first approval was the Civic Center, now named The Monument, back in 1977. 'We want to keep this as fair and objective as we can, representing the community as a whole. I think we did a great job really getting people with a great mix of backgrounds on this committee and we're very fortunate to have such solid people apply to be a part of this,' Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun said. The City's Vision Fund Citizen Committee will get right to work on preparing proposals to the City Council by June. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
