Ben Horowitz: Biography, Career, and Business Insights

Ben Horowitz’s Profile Summary

Company	Andreessen Horowitz
Position	Co-Founder and General Partner
Source of wealth	Venture capital returns from Andreessen Horowitz, sale of Opsware to Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion, investments in successful tech startups such as Skype and Databricks
Also known as	Author, philanthropist, investor
Age	59
Education	Columbia University - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, UCLA - Master's degree in Computer Science
Citizenship	United States
Residence	Atherton, California, USA
Family	Married to Felicia Horowitz, they have three children
Website, Social Media	https://a16z.com/

Ben Horowitz’s biography

Ben Horowitz, born on June 13, 1966, in London and raised in Berkeley, California, is a prominent venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and author. He co-founded Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) in 2009 with Marc Andreessen, one of Silicon Valley’s most successful venture capital firms. Before founding a16z, Horowitz was the co-founder and CEO of Loudcloud, which was later rebranded as Opsware, a pioneering enterprise software company acquired by Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion in 2007. His career started at Netscape, where he worked as a product manager and was later promoted to vice president of the Directory and Security product lines. He also served as Vice President of eCommerce at AOL after its acquisition of Netscape. Horowitz is the author of two best-selling books, The Hard Thing About Hard Things and What You Do Is Who You Are, both focusing on entrepreneurship and business culture. Throughout his career, he has invested in successful startups like Databricks, Okta, and Skype, establishing himself as a thought leader and advisor in the tech industry

How did Ben Horowitz make money?

Ben Horowitz makes money in the following areas:

Venture capital returns from Andreessen Horowitz, sale of Opsware to Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion, investments in successful tech startups such as Skype and Databricks
What is Ben Horowitz net worth?

As of 2025, Ben Horowitz’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5B.

What is Ben Horowitz also known as?

Ben Horowitz is known as an accomplished author, having written two New York Times best-selling books that provide insights into entrepreneurship and business culture. He is also an active philanthropist, contributing to initiatives such as the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the Andreessen Horowitz Foundation

Prominent achievements of Ben Horowitz

Co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, author of two New York Times best-selling books, sold Opsware to Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion, listed on the Forbes Midas List of top investors, invested in prominent startups such as Databricks, Okta, and Skype

What are Ben Horowitz’s key insights?

Ben Horowitz emphasizes resilience in business, advising entrepreneurs to embrace challenges head-on, as outlined in his book The Hard Thing About Hard Things. He believes that building a strong company culture is crucial for long-term success, which he explores in his second book What You Do Is Who You Are. His philosophy highlights that leadership is about making difficult decisions and adapting to unexpected obstacles

Ben Horowitz’s personal life

Ben Horowitz is married to Felicia Wiley Horowitz since 1988. The couple resides in Atherton, California, and they have three children together

Useful insights

Analyze the use case and real-world application

When evaluating crypto projects, another critical factor is the project’s real-world use case. Top investors and developers always look for meaningful applications that solve real problems.

Identify the problem it solves

One key lesson from experienced Crypto developers like Vitalik Buterin is that a project must solve a real-world problem or significantly improve an existing process. Assess if the project addresses a clear need in industries like finance, supply chain, healthcare, or decentralized applications.
Assess market demand

Crypto Angel Investors often focus on the market demand for the project's solution. If the project serves a niche with little competition or improves existing technology in a meaningful way, it has a greater chance of success. Conduct your research to evaluate whether the project's target market is growing and scalable.
Check for partnerships and adoption

A project that has established partnerships with reputable companies or institutions is generally seen as more credible. Look for announcements of collaborations or endorsements by industry leaders, as these can indicate trust in the project’s potential.