The $13T U.S. mortgage market serves 50M homeowners but still runs on decades-old software.

In this episode, a16z GP Angela Strange hosts Tim Mayopoulos (ex-CEO of Fannie Mae and ex-president of Blend), Mike Yu (co-founder and CEO of Vesta), and Andrew Wang (co-founder and CEO of Valon) to unpack why standardization and regulation slow change, and how modern loan-origination and servicing platforms, cleaner data, and AI can cut costs, boost transparency, and reduce errors. They also discuss policy levers that could speed innovation and what a true one-tap mortgage could look like.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:59 The Scale and Structure of the US Mortgage Market

01:33 Why Mortgage Tech is Slow to Change

02:00 Challenges of Standardization and Regulation

03:41 The Human Side of Home Buying

07:43 Old Software and Its Impact on Homeowners

11:16 Data Transparency and Capital Markets

13:17 Building New Mortgage Infrastructure: LOS and Servicing

16:22 Operational Challenges and Opportunities in Servicing

22:04 Driving Digital Adoption at Fannie Mae

25:15 Modernizing Data and Appraisals

28:27 Core Replacement vs. Wrappers: Tech Strategies

35:29 AI in Mortgage: Today and Tomorrow

40:42 AI, Regulation, and the Future of Compliance

43:54 Advice for Lenders Preparing for an AI Future

47:49 Visions for the Future of Mortgages

Resources:

Find Angela on X: https://x.com/astrange

Find Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-j-mayopoulos-56972a45/

Find Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wangandrewd/

Find Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyu1/

Stay Updated:

Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Listen to the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX?si=3E8B3qT9TyiwAHJ7JnaKbg

Listen to the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711

Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Why do some consumer products explode into networks that reshape the internet, while others fade away?

Today on the podcast, a16z general partners Anish Acharya and Chris Dixon take on that question. Anish invests in AI-native consumer products and the next wave of consumer tech. Chris is best known for his work in Web3 and network economies, and he’s also led some of a16z’s biggest consumer bets.

Together, they cover the history and power of consumer networks, the exponential forces that shape how they grow, and what it all means for founders building in the age of AI.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:43 The Power of Networks in Tech

02:19 Moore’s Law, Composability, and Network Effects

06:39 Building Networks: Tools vs. Networks

10:49 Brand, Pricing, and Consumer Software Trends

14:33 Movements, Communities, and Niche Markets

20:02 Decentralization, AI, and the Open Web

24:45 Platform Shifts and the Idea Maze

29:55 Native vs. Isomorphic Technologies

36:14 Open Source, Policy, and the Future of AI

42:03 Closing Thoughts & Outro

Resources:
Find Chris on X: https://x.com/cdixon

Find Anish on X: https://x.com/illscience

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

What happens when AI collides with salesmanship, streaming-era sports, and healthcare?

In this episode, Erik Torenberg is joined by Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, Dallas Mavericks co-owner, and founder of Cost Plus Drugs.

Topics include fiery group chats and how dissent sharpens thinking, the sales playbook of modern politics, and concrete fixes for U.S. healthcare like ending PBM opacity, publishing real prices, and government-backed patient financing. Mark also explains how AI is pushing media from “social” to algorithmic, why he expects millions of models, and why ESOPs are an underrated wealth engine. He shares what he’d build today and weighs in on NBA economics under the new collective bargaining agreement.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Salesmanship, Politics, and Social Media

04:05 AI, Algorithms, and the Future of Media

06:29 Fragmentation of Social Platforms

09:04 Political Messaging & Economic Populism

12:05 Wealth, Equity, and Employee Ownership

16:39 AI’s Impact on Education and Healthcare

21:32 Fixing the US Healthcare System

29:39 Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI

33:38 Business Success, Sports, and Investments

35:32 NBA Economics and Team Building

50:44 Personal Priorities & Closing Thoughts

Resources:

Find Mark on X: https://x.com/mcuban

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Who’s speaking up for startups in Washington, D.C.?

In this episode, Matt Perault (Head of AI Policy, a16z) and Colin McCune (Head of Government Affairs, a16z) unpack the “Little Tech Agenda” for AI- why AI rules should regulate harmful use, not model development; how to keep open source open; the roles of the federal government vs states in regulating AI; and how the U.S. can compete globally without shutting out new founders.

Timecodes:

0:00 – Introduction

1:12 – Defining the Little Tech Agenda

4:40 – Challenges for Startups vs. Big Tech

6:37 – Principles of Smart AI Regulation

9:55 – History of AI Policy & Regulatory Fears

19:26 – The Role of Open Source and Global Competition

23:45 – Motivations Behind Policy Approaches

26:40 – Debates on Regulating Use vs. Development

35:15 – Federal vs. State Roles in AI Policy

39:24 – AI Policy and U.S.–China Competition

40:45 – Current Policy Landscape & Action Plans

42:47 – Moratoriums, Preemption, and Political Dynamics

50:00 – Looking Forward: The Future of AI Policy

56:16 – Conclusion & Disclaimers

Resources:

Read the Little Tech Agenda: https://a16z.com/the-little-tech-agenda/

Read ‘Regulate AI Use, Not AI Development : https://a16z.com/regulate-ai-use-not-ai-development/

Read Martin’s article ‘Base AI Policy on Evidence, Not Existential Angst: https://a16z.com/base-ai-policy-on-evidence-not-existential-angst/

Read ‘Setting the Agenda for Global AI Leadership’:

https://a16z.com/setting-the-agenda-for-global-ai-leadership-assessing-the-roles-of-congress-and-the-states/

Read ‘The Commerce Clause in the Age of AI”:

https://a16z.com/the-commerce-clause-in-the-age-of-ai-guardrails-and-opportunities-for-state-legislatures/

Find Matt on X: https://x.com/MattPerault

Find Collin on X: https://x.com/Collin_McCune

Stainless founder Alex Rattray joins a16z partner Jennifer Li to talk about the future of APIs, SDKs, and the rise of MCP (Model Context Protocol). Drawing on his experience at Stripe—where he helped redesign API docs and built code-generation systems—Alex explains why the SDK is the API for most developers, and why high-quality, idiomatic libraries are essential not just for humans, but now for AI agents as well.

They dive into:

• The evolution of SDK generation and lessons from building at scale inside Stripe.
• Why MCP reframes APIs as interfaces for large language models.
• The challenges of designing tools and docs for both developers and AI agents.
• How context limits, dynamic tool generation, and documentation shape agent usability.
• The future of developer platforms in an era where “every company is an API company.”

Timecodes:

0:00 – Introduction: APIs as the Dendrites of the Internet

1:49 – Building API Platforms: Lessons from Stripe

3:03 – SDKs: The Developer’s Interface

6:16 – The MCP Model: APIs for AI Agents

9:23 – Designing for LLMs and AI Users

13:08 – Solving Context Window Challenges

16:57 – The Importance of Strongly Typed SDKs

21:07 – The Future of API and Agent Experience

24:45 – Lessons from Leading API Companies

26:14 – Outro and Disclaimers

Resources:

Find Alex on X: https://x.com/rattrayalex

Find Jennifer on X: https://x.com/JenniferHli

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Taken from The Oprah Podcast, this special episode brings together Shaka Senghor, a16z cofounder Ben Horowitz, and Oprah Winfrey for a powerful conversation on resilience and transformation.

Shaka, a resilience expert, motivational speaker, and bestselling author of Writing My Wrongs, shares his journey from incarceration to redemption along with insights from his new book, How to Be Free. Full of hard-earned wisdom and practical tools, it’s a guide for anyone seeking freedom in their own life.

Timecodes:

0:00 Introduction
1:30 Shaka’s Journey: From Prison to Freedom
4:10 The Power of Narrative and Mindset
6:10 Active Journaling & Writing My Wrongs
8:45 Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons
10:00 The Role of Forgiveness
16:40 Healing Family Relationships
21:00 Unconditional Forgiveness & True Freedom
22:40 Resilience as a Spiritual Principle
24:15 Mentorship & Meeting Ben Horowitz
28:55 Lessons on Success and Failure
30:20 The Meaning of a Pardon
31:50 Life After Prison: Finding Joy in Freedom
32:30 Advice for Listeners: How to Begin Your Own Journey
35:15 Closing Thoughts

Resources:

Find Shaka on X: https://x.com/ShakaSengho

Find Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz

Find Oprah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/

Listen to the full podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Is non-consensus investing overrated—or the secret to venture returns?

a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg is joined by Martín Casado (General Partner, a16z) and Leo Polovets (General Partner, Humba Ventures) to unpack the debate that lit up venture Twitter/X: should founders and VCs chase consensus, or run from it?

They explore what “consensus” really means in practice, how market efficiency shapes venture outcomes, why most companies fail from indigestion, not starvation, and the risks founders face when they’re too far outside consensus.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:04 Defining Consensus and Market Efficiency

06:30 The Role of Hot Rounds and Market Signals

10:25 Founder Perspective: Risks of Non-Consensus

13:19 Investor Perspective: Indigestion vs. Starvation

18:28 Market Cycles & Sector Hype

23:55 The Evolution of Venture Market Efficiency

26:29 Case Studies & Personal Anecdotes

33:02 Fund Size, Ownership, and the Impact on Strategy

51:40 The Future of Venture: Multi-Stage vs. Seed Funds

Resources:

Find Leo on X: https://x.com/lpolovets

Find Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casado

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

Jack Altman sits down with Martin Casado, General Partner at a16z, to unpack the shifting dynamics of venture capital and why media matters more than ever. They cover a16z’s evolution from generalists to specialized platforms, the rise of AI infrastructure, and why today’s fiercest battles are often for talent, not market share.

Timecodes:

0:00 Introduction

0:27 Importance of Media for VC

3:50 Evolution of a16z

7:00 Specialization

10:32 Value of Distribution

13:16 Staying Power in Infrastructure

19:49 The Conflicts Dynamic

26:32 State of Play in AI

30:48 The Future of Coding

34:58 Significance of Open Source

39:48 Marc Andreessen’s Leadership

44:02 The Only Sin in VC

48:37 Scaling a Lot of Board Seats

Resources:

Listen to more from Uncapped: https://linktr.ee/uncappedpod

Find Jack on X: https://x.com/jaltma

Find Uncapped on X: https://x.com/uncapped_pod

Find Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casado

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.