Wishoff Ventures’ sole doctor is the tailwind from the CHIPS Act, the US from China and more
For many AmericansCovid-19 served as a wake-up call: the US was nowhere near prepared to meet the challenges, and was overly dependent on China.
The current geopolitical order calls for a new wave of neutrality depends on your worldview, but the need for the US to be more confident, tackle the most glaring issues, and stay ahead of its competitors is present in the political arena.
Will the answer come from the government? Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz thinks not. Its co-founder Marc Andreessen has already spoken out in his “Time to Build” call to action, but general partner Kathryn Boyle doubled down in January, writing on American Volatility.
America’s dynamism, Boyle wrote, “seems insurmountable problems in our society—from national security and public safety to housing and education—require more radical solutions that perpetuate the status quo.” These problems call for builders’ solutions—and it’s never been more important for startups to solve these pressing American problems.
As a thesis, American dynamism resonated in the US technological community. But voices have also emerged questioning how well this goal is represented in the a16z portfolio, which is heavier on crypto and SaaS than govtech.
Boyle anticipated some of the criticism, stemming in part from the mistaken belief that “software only touches the digital world and we’re wasting valuable talent by ignoring the physical.”
But, she replied, “These critics are missing the current movement into the physical sector and the interaction between hardware and software.” In terms of sectors, Boyle added, “Volatility is neither sovereign nor ESG.
Here’s where things get interesting: a16z came up with a concept that clearly resonated with other investors, but they might express it differently. For example, Nicole Wishoff, a solo doctor, recently told TechCrunch that she hopes to support “the American dynamic … the real one.”
