SiliconBeat

A few weeks ago, I posted some thoughts on Marc Andreessen and word that he and business partner Benjamin Horowitz had raised a $300 million venture fund. I thought the amount raised recognized Andreessen’s ascension to the role of valley godfather, while also indicating that the valley tends to view success along yardsticks such as taking companies public and personal wealth (and shareholder wealth) rather than the ability to build sustainable business models.

That sparked a nice conversation in the comments about what does constitute success as an entrepreneur.

By total coincidence, his PR folks contact myself and my colleague Scott Duke Harris for a pre-briefing on the official news about the fund just a few days after that post. We met with Andreessen and Horowitz to discuss the news, which was released today. 

You can read Scott’s story here.

During our conversation, we covered a few other tidbits that didn’t make Scott’s story, but that I though were relevant to my previous blogpost. So let me share a few of them here: 

Read the rest of this entry »

Last week we learned that Marc Andreessen and his business partner, Benjamin Horowitz, had raised a $300 million venture fund. Without question, it’s a remarkable achievement to attract that much money in what has to be one of the most inhospitable environments for raising venture capital in memory. 

The size of the fund is also impressive, though on its own won’t change the world, or have a discernible impact on the valley’s start-up economy. But on a symbolic level, the fund’s success certifies Andreessen’s place as the new godfather of Silicon Valley.

Andreessen embodies so many facets of the valley. He is an innovator, an entrepreneur, investor, networker, and in some cases, kingmaker. If Andreessen accomplishes nothing more from here on out, his place in Silicon Valley history is secure.

Which is why it may sound surprising that I find this endorsement so curious. It’s not necessarily misplaced. But it does speak volumes about the career Andreessen has carved out, his philosophy, and the priorities and values of Silicon Valley. Read the rest of this entry »

EBay said Tuesday that Marc Andreessen has joined its board. Andreesen, who was a co-founder and a principal architect of Netscape Communications and later served as chief technology officer of America Online, which acquired the pioneering browser firm in 1998.

Andreessen also founded Opsware, formerly known as LoudCloud, a provider of data-center automation software that was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2007. His most recent endeavor is as co-founder of Ning Read the rest of this entry »