The a16z Show The Founder to Investor Journey
May 4, 2022
David Ulevitch, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and former founder of OpenDNS, shares his transformative journey from tech intern to investor. He emphasizes the importance of product marketing and resilient leadership, particularly during challenging times. Ulevitch discusses OpenDNS's evolution into a cloud security powerhouse and the shift from founder to venture capitalist, focusing on nurturing relationships with startups. He unveils strategies for investing in technical entrepreneurs and discusses the dynamics of market challenges and pricing strategies in enterprise environments.
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College and Move to SF
- Despite the dot-com boom, Ulevitch pursued a liberal arts education, studying anthropology.
- He moved to San Francisco after graduation, driven by his desire to connect with the tech community he'd found online.
Online Friendships
- Joel Beasley shares a similar experience of forming online friendships and meeting them in person.
- He highlights the generational shift in attitudes towards online connections.
OpenDNS Story
- OpenDNS started as a consumer security company focused on customizing internet experiences.
- It pivoted to enterprise after discovering large companies were using their free service, leading to a significant shift in the business model.
