This VC is optimistic about US dynamics – ‘the real’ • businessroundups.org

Wischoff Ventures’ solo GP on CHIPS law tailwinds, US vs. China and more

For many AmericansCOVID-19 served as a wake-up call: The US was nowhere near as prepared to handle challenges as it should be, and it was overly dependent on China.

Whether the current geopolitical order calls for a new wave of isolationism depends on your worldview, but the US’s desire to be more self-reliant, solve its most glaring problems, and get ahead of its rivals can be found across the political spectrum.

Will the government respond? Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz thinks not. The co-founder, Marc Andreessen, already said so in his “Time to Build” call to actionbut general partner Katherine Boyle doubled in January with a essay on American dynamics.

American dynamics, Boyle wrote, is “the recognition that seemingly insurmountable problems in our society – from national security and public safety to housing and education – call for solutions that are not simply incremental changes that perpetuate the status quo. These problems demand solutions from builders – and it has never been more important for startups to address these serious US problems.”

As a dissertation, American dynamics resonated with the American tech community. But there were also voices questioning how well this goal was represented in a16z’s portfolio, which is heavier in crypto and SaaS than govtech, for example.

Boyle anticipated some of that criticism, attributing it in part to a mistaken belief “that software only touches the digital world and that we’re wasting valuable talent by ignoring the physical.”

But, she replied, “these critics are missing this current move to the physical sector and the interplay between hardware and software.” In terms of sectors, Boyle added, “dynamics is neither govtech nor ESG.”

This is where it gets interesting: a16z came up with a concept that clearly resonates with other investors, but that they can also define differently. For example, solo family physician Nichole Wischoff recently told businessroundups.org that she hopes to fund “American dynamics…the real one.”