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	60
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/

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

In 2025, he outlined a16z’s plan to scale and specialize its investment platforms across crypto, games, and AI to stay competitive.

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 2026, 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

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

In 2025, Andreessen Horowitz co-led a $25 million seed round for the privacy blockchain Miden.

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

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

Evaluate the team behind the project

If you’re interested in picking top crypto projects, learning from the experience of successful Crypto developers and Crypto Angel Investors can help you avoid common pitfalls. One of the key elements to consider when evaluating a crypto project is the team behind it. Here’s how to assess it effectively

Research the founders and developers

Crypto Angel Investors often stress the importance of knowing the people behind the project. A credible project usually has a transparent team with a strong background in blockchain technology or relevant industries. Make sure to look into their previous work, LinkedIn profiles, and their reputation in the crypto community.
Look for a track record of success

Many top Crypto Angel Investors, such as Anthony Pompliano, emphasize the value of a team's track record. If the developers or founders have successfully built or contributed to previous projects, it's a positive sign that they know how to deliver. Trustworthy teams are often recognized for their expertise and credibility in the space.
Assess transparency and communication

Good projects maintain transparent communication with their community, often using platforms like GitHub, Twitter, or Discord. If the team regularly updates their followers on milestones, developments, and challenges, it’s usually a sign of reliability. From my experience, projects with open lines of communication are more likely to succeed long-term.